Every time I look at social media or read the comment section of articles about Russia’s war on Ukraine, I’m taken aback by the misinformed statements.
Some of the comments are downright vicious; they range from “Russia was lied to”, to “It was a pre-emptive strike!”.
Poor little terrorist Russia is such a victim! It was stabbed in the back by everyone!
Chechnya, a country of 1.4 million, started a war with Russia (population: 143 million) twice!
Georgia, a country of 3.4 million, attacked the nuclear superpower!
Wars in Moldova, Abkhazia, Syria...
Just in the last 30 years, Russians started, or participated in, at least seven devastating wars:
- 1992-1993: Russian occupation of Transnistria;
- 1992-1993: Russia provoked war in Abkhazia,
- 1994-96: Russia attacked Chechnya for the first time;
- 1999-2009: Russia started the second Chechen war;
- 2008: Russia started the war in Georgia;
- 2015-2022: Russian terrorists were levelling Syria to the ground; and
- 2014-now: Russian terrorists started the war with Ukraine.
Do you want to guess how many wars Ukraine started? If you guessed zero, you would be correct. But poor Russia, the world’s largest country by territory, that houses the world’s largest stash of nuclear weapons, keeps whining that it is the real victim.
‘Peacekeeping missions’
Everything related to Russia on the international stage turns into ashes and suffering and destruction. They keep pouring billions into propaganda that bills their terrorism as “peacekeeping missions” and “a special military operation” in “defence of Russian-speaking or Orthodox population” and “saving the Russian-speaking population”.
Russia’s made-up “facts” can be debunked with literally one Google search, but I keep seeing support for these terrorists over and over again, rehashing the same old propaganda fakes in Russia’s defence. Even though it’s basic and unsophisticated, Russian propaganda has found fertile ground in which to flourish all around the world.
Yesterday, I heard a new one: “Ukraine is not a democracy, and Russia is trying to install democratic practices in Ukraine.”
I'm not going to dignify this with a response, but I am going to share an image of the results of the presidential elections in the last 20+ years:
Today, I have a specific piece of Russian propaganda I want to discuss: Russia attacked Ukraine to protect its land from Nato. Apart from many facts that debunk this stupidity, we all witnessed an event a couple of days ago that once more proved Russia is lying.
Two weeks ago, the biggest attack on Russia’s military sites took place. Multiple Ukrainian drones attacked different parts of Russia and one of the most important sites was a huge military airfield with dozens of valuable military planes in Pskov.
Russia keeps crying it is at war with Nato and not committing genocide in Ukraine, but the vital military airport that was attacked lies alongside two Nato countries (Estonia and Latvia), and the attack was so successful, and so many planes were destroyed because Russia had no air defence there.
So, why do you think that at a Russia-Nato border there’s no military and no air defence?
It’s because Russia knows it is not at war with Nato and will never be attacked by Nato, but Putin had to make up fairytales to kill Ukrainians.
Another propaganda point that Putin keeps crying about is, “Nato wasn’t supposed to expand.” Is there a document we can see about that? Maybe a signed memorandum? A treaty? I would even take something written on a napkin and given to the Russians. No? Nothing? Absolutely nothing?
One simple Google search would more than provide you with this information. If Putin had something, it would have been displayed all over the internet. It’s a fake argument.
Another Russian myth
Myth 2: Nato promised Russia it would not expand after the Cold War.
Fact: Such an agreement was never made. Nato’s door has been open to new members since it was founded in 1949, and that has never changed. This “open door policy” is enshrined in Article 10 of Nato’s founding treaty, which says, “Any other European State in a position to further the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic” can apply for membership. Decisions on membership are taken by consensus among all Nato allies. No treaty signed by the United States, Europe and Russia included provisions on Nato membership.
The idea of Nato expansion beyond a united Germany was not on the agenda in 1989, particularly as the Warsaw Pact still existed. This was confirmed by Mikhail Gorbachev in an interview in 2014.
“The topic of ‘Nato expansion’ was not discussed at all, and it wasn’t brought up in those years. I say this with full responsibility. Not a single Eastern European country raised the issue, not even after the Warsaw Pact ceased to exist in 1991. Western leaders didn’t bring it up, either,” Gorbachev said.
Declassified White House transcripts also reveal that, in 1997, Bill Clinton consistently refused Boris Yeltsin’s offer of a “gentlemen’s agreement” that no former Soviet republics would enter Nato.
“I can’t make commitments on behalf of Nato, and I’m not going to be in the position myself of vetoing Nato expansion with respect to any country, much less letting you or anyone else do so … Nato operates by consensus,” Clinton said.
Now, about the “aggressive” Nato and poor little victim Russia: when Russia started its genocidal war because it was afraid of Nato, it already had borders with multiple Nato members. Furthermore, during this delusional imperial war, Finland joined Nato, and with that, more than doubled the Nato-Russian border. Sweden is soon to join.
Lastly, Putin in his early days dreamed of joining Nato, but didn’t want to go through the usual process because he was planning on robbing Russian citizens blind, and blooming corruption was never among Nato’s preferences. There was a big article on this in The Guardian if it’s of any interest to you.
To sum up, it’s evident that Russian propaganda stealthily weaves its narratives which often masquerade as “truth”. It seeks to manipulate our perceptions, beliefs and actions. Yet, amid this sea of disinformation, there exists a powerful antidote, one accessible to all: you’re always a Google search away from the truth.
Help me spread awareness. Ask everyone to check. The world of Russian propaganda can shape thoughts and decisions — but only in those who are open to blindly believing it. As you can see, most of it is easily decoded when people become vigilant information consumers. DM