A new desk calendar released by Russia’s State Security Service (FSB) for the year 2024 has been labeled bizarre due to the images featured in it, according to the New York Post. It shows Russian President Vladimir Putin with big muscles in a tight-fitting t-shirt with a Z, a symbol used in the country’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. The t-shirt also features a Russian flag.
Meanwhile, in the November image, Russian forces are depicted attacking the US Capitol in Washington, DC. The building is attacked by a Russian Lancet kamikaze drone and a Ka-52 attack helicopter, while an FSB special forces officer stands guard with a Kalashnikov assault rifle. In the image, the building is seen covered in thick smoke, and an orange hue suggests fire. It is worth noting that the US presidential elections are scheduled for November 5, 2024.
The calendar also includes several images of FSB special forces in various scenarios. A soldier is shown comforting a woman in one image, cuddling a cat in another, and carrying a young child who is holding a teddy bear in a third. Another image shows a Russian bear with the words, “It matters who is with you, not who is against you.” Another image shows the FSB special forces officer with a Cheburashka, a popular Soviet-era big-eared fairy tale character. Some of the images are reminiscent of the days of the Soviet Union, with one of them featuring a commando with a sickle and hammer flag.
Putin’s 2024 run amid domestic repression and controversial calendar release
The calendar was designed by Tatyana Kazantseva, a Moscow-based illustrator, and retails for 40 euros. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced his intention to run for a fifth term. He has built a system of domestic repression and confrontation with the West over the last two decades that will almost certainly ensure his re-election. His grip on power became even tighter following his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022, with public dissent effectively silenced by lengthy prison sentences for critics.
