Since the war in Ukraine, we hear a lot about “Kremlin” to talk about Moscow and more generally of the Russian government. Why do we use this expression?
The seat of Russian power
The Kremlin is a word derived from Russian and which means “urban fortress”, like the Kremlin-Bicêtre. So in the press, when we talk about the Kremlin, we speak in realized of the Kremlin of Moscow, seat of Russian power.
In the history of the city, many rudimentary fortifications were erected, then destroyed. In the 12th century, during the reign of Iouri Dolgorouki, Grand Duke of kyiv, an 8 -meter embankment was built and was overlooked by a 3 -meter high palisade. It was not until 1331, after Ivan Kalitay added an enclosure of oak piles, that the place was called “Kremlin”.
He will then know new destruction but will be rebuilt repeatedly. This is the case in particular at the beginning of the Renaissance, when Ivan III, which has just united the great principalities of Russia, and wishing to have a residence worthy of its prestige, called on Italian architects to rebuild and enlarge the building then very damaged by the various conflicts.
He then becomes more obviously, the seat of Russian power And will have since.
Practical metonymy
When we hear about the “Kremlin” media, we are not talking about the building in Moscow, or even less of a housing arrangement, but rather of the Russian government. From then on, we suggest by metonymy, speaking of the Kremlin, seat of the Russian executive, which we speak of this executive, and not of the building. It is a skillful way to speak of the Russian government and all its components and its figures, under one name, without constantly repeating “the Russian government”, “the Moscow regime”, or “Russia”. This last expression would indeed bring confusion since it could include the entire population of the country. We then separate the government from the country’s population, a very important distinction.
