The calendar also features pictures of the FSB special troops in different scenarios.
A new desk calendar released by Russia's State Security Service (FSB) for the year 2024 has been labelled bizarre due to the pictures featured in it, as per a report in the New York Post. It depicts Russian President Vladimir Putin standing in front of a truck with big muscles in a tight-fitting t-shirt with a Z, a symbol used in the country's ongoing war with Ukraine. A Russian flag is also seen on the t-shirt.
Meanwhile, in the image for the month of November, the Russian forces are depicted attacking the US Capitol in Washington, DC. A Russian Lancet kamikaze drone and a Ka-52 attack helicopter are shown attacking the building, and an FSB special forces officer is standing guard with a Kalashnikov assault rifle. The building is seen covered by thick smoke and an orange hue suggests fire in the image. It is noteworthy that the US Presidential elections are scheduled to take place on November 5, 2024.
The calendar also features several pictures of the FSB special troops in a variety of scenarios. An image shows the troops comforting a woman, another shows them cuddling a cat, and a third shows a soldier carrying a youngster who is holding a teddy bear. An image also depicts a Russian bear with the words, "It matters who is with you, not who is against you." Another image features the FSB special forces officer with a Cheburashka, a popular big-eared fairy tale character from the Soviet era. Some of the pictures are reminiscent of the days of the Soviet Union with one of them featuring a commando with a sickle and hammer flag.
Tatyana Kazantseva, a Moscow-based illustrator, created the calendar, which retails for 40 euros (approximately Rs 3,600), but has been seen for far less at 8.70 euros (Rs 796).
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he is running for a fifth term. He has over the past two decades built a system of domestic repression and confrontation with the West that is almost certain to guarantee his re-election. His grip on power further tightened in the wake of his decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022, with public dissent against the war effectively silenced through lengthy prison terms for critics.