The Kremlin has been promoting the idea of Russian exceptionalism since 2012 (since Putin was elected for a third term in office). This idea is not new and can be traced back to the 16th century Filofei of Pskov where Muscovy was portrayed as a ‘third Rome’. Yet, the most frequent invocations of Putin have been of Tsar Nikolai I when ‘Orthodoxy, Autocracy and Nationality’ allegedly became a core part of Russia’s distinctive identity. This talk will consider the historical, cultural and religious imagery underpinning Putin’s view of Russia’s global role and will ask to what extent it represents a selective reading of history and the extent to which historical and cultural references really have resonance with Russians today.
