Why is Russia’s military establishment in thrall to what were fringe, crank theories only yesterday? Clover argues that this intellectual absurdism makes perfect sense: no theory is more seductive if you are trying to justify why Russia needs an enormous army and spy-machine — the rules of geopolitics itself command it. No theory is more pleasing if you are trying to paper over the cracks between the people Russia has conquered and colonised and itself — they are all Eurasian brothers destined by the land to be ruled by one hand. And no theory is more satisfying if you want to explain Russia’s failure to Westernise — it simply can’t, not only genetically, not only through cosmic radiation, but because the Atlantic conspiracy will always be trying to destroy her.

Kremlin TV’s Eurasianism went into overdrive during the Ukraine crisis. Not only was Ukraine punished for not wanting to join the planned “Eurasian Union” with Belarus and Kazakhstan that Putin planned as the centrepiece for what he called his third “geopolitical presidency”, but the dirty war in Eastern Ukraine was fought by exporting Russia’s passionarnost fanatics. Stalin-flag-waving Cossacks, crucifix-adorned troopers — Clover suggests that the whole circus Putin has brought to the Donetsk People’s Republic only makes sense when you know its leaders quote Gumilev.

Nearly 17 Putin years have now passed, and an evening with a can of beer in front of any television set in the Russian Federation makes this clear. In coming to power and holding on to it, Putin claimed not only a personal victory but confirmed the triumph of Gumilev’s reading of Russian history over another, Westernising dream. Patriotic movies succeed one another before giving way to talk shows which are 30 minutes of hate for democrats, Ukrainians, gays, fifth columnists and national traitors. The evening news is a looping résumé of the glorious day of the president, exposés of the underground Nazi Werewolf sleeper cells running the Ukrainian army, specials on the crimes of the Nato junta in Kiev, and expert comment on the imminent implosion of the paedophile-infested European Union. Reading Charles Clover will help you understand the  world of lies and delusions that is Eurasia.