How ‘Putin’s Rasputin’ Alexander Dugin changed his mind about China

The Russian ultranationalist was once hostile to China and wanted it to be ‘dismantled’ but has since come to admire it as a rising anti-Western force

The assassination of the pro-Kremlin philosopher’s daughter Darya has thrown a spotlight on his extreme nationalist views and hostility to the West

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Ultranationalist Alexander Dugin has been described as “Putin’s brain”. Photo: Moscow City News Agency/AFP

Published: 9:00pm, 29 Aug 2022Updated: 10:17pm, 29 Aug 2022

He has been called “Putin’s brain” and “Putin’s Rasputin” but outspoken ultranationalist and National Bolshevik Party founder Alexander Dugin holds no official position in the Kremlin.

A former journalist and educator at the Moscow State University, Dugin has been vocal in his support for Russian President Vladimir Putin and is known for his advocacy of “Eurasianism”, an ideology with roots in the 19th century that sees Russia as a stand-alone civilisation between Europe and Asia.

Although he started his career as a critic of China, he has lately warmed to Beijing, especially as it becomes increasingly aligned with Moscow in opposition to the US-led world order.

The exact degree of influence Dugin has over the Kremlin is hotly disputed but observers said Putin’s response to the killing of Dugin’s daughter, Darya Dugina, a pro-Kremlin media personality, might reflect the friendship between the two men. Putin posthumously awarded Dugina the Order of Courage last Monday, writing in a letter of condolence that she had a “true Russian heart: kind, loving, sympathetic and open”.

Until then, Dugin and his political outlook were little known in China.