On 11 May Lyosha Pavlichenko was still an anonymous Russian eight-year-old. Within a few days, however, he would be lauded as a national hero and a symbol of patriotism after he was filmed running toward Russian tanks passing his house in the Belgorod region. Through a propaganda campaign started by the state-owned TV station Zvezda and the Russian Ministry of Defence, the story of Lyosha greeting the Russian soldiers turned him into the poster boy for nationalism.
By the end of May Lyosha had become a member of the Russian “Youth Army”, a military youth group established by the Ministry of Defence, at a celebration that featured the Olympic gymnast Nikita Nagornyy. His face was even printed on a chocolate bar.
Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month
Content from our partners
