In Russia, the emergence of Gennady Rakitin as a celebrated poet took the cultural scene by storm. His impassioned verses, particularly those praising Vladimir Putin and supporting Russia's actions in Ukraine, gained significant traction online and even garnered attention in poetry circles. However, what his admirers didn't realize was that Rakitin was not a real person, but a fictional creation.
A group of anonymous pranksters revealed that the 18 poems attributed to Rakitin were actually translations of Nazi-era verses from the 1930s and 1940s. For instance, a poem titled "Leader," accompanied by a photo of Putin, was originally penned as "Führer" by Eberhard Möller, a Nazi sympathizer. Another poem, originally an ode to Nazi stormtroopers, was repurposed as a tribute to fighters of the Wagner paramilitary group in Russia.
The creators behind the hoax aimed to critique what they termed "Z propaganda," symbolizing Russia's war in Ukraine, which they likened to elements of fascism. They highlighted striking similarities between Nazi ideologies and current Russian rhetoric, noting that the translated poems seamlessly fit into today's Russian context with minor alterations.
Despite being a virtual persona generated by AI, Rakitin's profile on VKontakte, a Russian social network, attracted numerous Russian politicians and cultural figures, illustrating the resonance of his content within pro-war circles. Poems from his page were widely shared, reflecting their alignment with Russia's current patriotic narrative.
The revelation of Rakitin's true identity was planned from the start by the pranksters, aiming to expose the ideological underpinnings behind Putin's supporters and the war effort. The project culminated with a final poem denouncing the war, marking the end of Rakitin's fictional literary career and the exposure of a disturbing cultural phenomenon in Russia.
