A constant attempt to portray the invaded as the guilty ones

The manipulations that some have been making about the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Esp 12·16·2024 · 18:13 0

The large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, is not only taking place on the battlefield.

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Russian propaganda and its supporters have brought this invasion to the media and social networks, in an attempt to present the invaded as guilty and to erase the authorship of the invasion. To do so, they have resorted to some obvious and increasingly repeated manipulations:

  • Avoid talking about "invasion" at all times, because the word itself reminds us of what caused this war: Russian aggression against Ukraine.
  • Avoid any reference to Russian atrocities, in an attempt to whitewash the invaders despite the war crimes and crimes against humanity they have been committing.
  • Accusing Ukraine of "provoking" Russia, when in reality we are facing an unprovoked invasion by the attacked country and which has a clear nationalist and expansionist motive on the part of Russia, as demonstrated by the repeated statements of leaders of the invading country denying Ukraine's right to exist. This manipulation is very similar to that used by some when they accuse raped women of "provoking" their attackers.
  • Blame NATO for expanding eastward by saying it is bullying Russia. If Russia's neighbours are asking for NATO membership, it is because they have experienced the effects of having such a bully neighbour. Countries such as Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine have suffered Russian invasions in the past, and so they seek refuge in a defensive alliance such as NATO. It is ridiculous to portray the aggressor as bullied just because its neighbours are seeking a protective shield against further aggression.
  • Accusing Western countries of "fueling" or "financing" the war, thus implying that they would be to blame for the war in Ukraine simply because they support the Ukrainians in their legitimate defence against the Russian invasion.
  • Regret the high death toll, but never point the finger of blame at the Russian invaders, who have been launching systematic attacks on residential areas and other civilian targets in Ukraine. In doing so, they seek to shift the responsibility for these human casualties to Ukrainian defenders.
  • To say that this war is "endless" is an attempt to end it at the expense of Ukraine, thus appealing to the weariness that nearly three years of war has caused among many citizens of Western countries. That Ukrainians, who have endured death and destruction all this time, want to continue to defend themselves in order to reclaim their country is something that these manipulators never remember.
  • Blaming Ukraine or its leaders for the continuation of this invasion, as if the Ukrainians were to blame for the Russian invasion and were obliged to surrender to the invader and give up part of their territory. How many of the manipulators who use this argument would be willing to let their country surrender and accept being torn apart by any aggression?

I do not know how long this war will last, but I am very clear that Ukraine has the right to defend itself against Russian invaders and the West has a moral duty to support Ukraine economically and militarily in its defence. Russian imperialism has become a threat to peace in Europe and what some want is for us to assume the idea of ​​a false peace subject to constant blackmail from the Putin regime.

I care little from what ideological coordinates these manipulations are made, even if those who do them present themselves as supposedly related to my ideas in other areas: for my part I will continue to fight these manipulations as long as they continue to circulate in the media and on social networks.

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