Russia's New Year's Eve TV broadcast is like a deranged fever dream

Whatever you got up to at the stroke of midnight as the new year began, it probably wasn't as weird and uncomfortable as the scene in a Russian television studio.

A clip of a New Year's Eve broadcast from Russia shared by Julia Davis, the creator of Russian Media Monitor, has gone viral - with some describing the scene as looking like a "fever dream".

She posted the video to Twitter with the caption: "During Russia's New Year special on state TV, they openly addressed the West to say, 'Like it or not, Russia is enlarging!'

It features various cheesy song-and-dance performances in a garish studio, as an audience including members of the military look on with rictus grins while enthusiastically applauding.

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During the clip the host says: "My new year's toast will be a bit unusual. During the past year, the West tried to destroy Russia, but they didn't realize that in the composition of the world, Russia is the load-bearing structure. Yes gentlemen, like it or not, Russia is enlarging."

It's a bit of a stretch, given a string of reverses on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Some reckon the audience were also well-aware of the reality, with one person replying: "The remarkable thing is the intensely forced smiles on everyone's faces--they know the truth, but are terrified of what the future holds."

Another said: "The irony is that all of these shows are supposed to be filmed way way before NYE, somewhere in November. So as he’s saying this, Russia is surrendering Kherson."

Meanwhile US media commentator Aaron Rupar quote-tweeted it with the simple comment: "Scenes from a fever dream."

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