A tweet by a German embassy went viral over the weekend. It was responding to a tweet from the Russian embassy in South Africa.
The Russian tweet said, “Dear subscribers, we have received a great number of letters of solidarity from South Africans, both individuals and organizations. We appreciate your support and glad you decided to stand with us today, when Russia, like 80 years ago, is fighting Nazism in Ukraine!”
The claim about fighting Nazism in Ukraine was too much for the German embassy in South Africa. It responded, “Sorry, but we can’t stay silent on this one, it’s just far too cynical. What 🇷🇺 is doing in 🇺🇦 is slaughtering innocent children, women and men for its own gain. It’s definitely not “fighting Nazism”. Shame on anyone who’s falling for this. (Sadly, we’re kinda experts on Nazism.)”
Sorry, but we can’t stay silent on this one, it’s just far too cynical. What 🇷🇺 is doing in 🇺🇦 is slaughtering innocent children, women and men for its own gain. It’s definitely not “fighting Nazism”. Shame on anyone who’s falling for this. (Sadly, we’re kinda experts on Nazism.)
— Germany in SA (@GermanEmbassySA) March 5, 2022
At the time of writing, the tweet has received over 146,000 likes.
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Russian authorities have repeatedly made claims about fighting Nazis in Ukraine to defend their full-scale invasion of the country.
Ahead of the invasion, President Vladimir Putin gave a video speech to his security council, saying Russia had to overthrow the “drug addicts and neo-Nazis” in Ukraine.
There are some Ukrainians with ultra-nationalist and right-wing extremist views. Following the annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, several volunteer militia groups formed, including one known as the Azov Battalion. It was formed by a white nationalist and some of its members say they hold neo-Nazi views.
However, the broader “Azov Movement” has had very little success in attempts to achieve political power (supported by around 2% of the electorate, according to one estimate). Instead, former comedian Volodymyr Zelenskyy became President in 2019. Zelenskyy is Jewish, and has spoken of losing several family members in the Holocaust.
Zelenskyy responded to Putin’s comment by saying, “How could I be a Nazi?”
Despite this, Russian state media have continually pushed the message that Russia’s action in Ukraine is to rid the country of neo-Nazis.
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The invasion began almost two weeks ago. Putin told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan yesterday Russia would end its action only if Ukraine stopped fighting back and gave in to his demands. However, commentators say that the attack is likely to be proceeding slower than Putin anticipated, having met stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces.
Germany, as no one disputes, does indeed know about Nazism, given it was Hitler’s Nazi party that coined the term.
Many appreciated the South African German embassy’s tweet.
I believe this is what’s known as a burn @EmbassyofRussia. And for the record 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/Sb9moDee91
— Dame Susie of Flintham (@SusieFlintham) March 5, 2022
I’m from Sweden, a country that firmly stood up against apartheid when most country didn’t. I am disgusted by some comments supporting Putin here. I’ve lived 1 year in Moscow. Does anyone of you idiots even know the level of racism and intolerance they have there. Shame on you!
— Lawrence of the cold valley 🇺🇦 (@lawrence_cold) March 5, 2022
No wonder I love Germany; spent 2 semesters there!
Germans are a courageous people, not afraid to look at their history & learn from it – giving a masterclass in how to do better when you know better! Not beholden to some misguided nostalgia!
— DiZany ►DQ♩ (@WhatMeDiZany) March 5, 2022
You know you’ve screwed up when THE COUNTRY OF GERMANY has to pull the Nazi BS card on you. https://t.co/dAelCCHfj8
— Victoria Virasingh (@Victoria4VA) March 6, 2022
— Johvelsson 🖖🏻🇺🇦 (@jofistics) March 6, 2022
Cam
Republicans accept millions from Putin connected oligarchs.
Trump needs money, sells property to a Russian oligarch for more than double what he paid just a few months after buying it.
Trump meets with Putin alone in Helsinky breaking U.S. Poicies.
Fox News, whose owner is connected to Putin, broadcasts pro-Putin Propoganda for years.
Republicans for years promote Putin as a “Strong Leader”.
This has been going on for years.
The real Bruce
I sure agree with all points on this one, Cam. Birds of a feather flock together. In this case, VULTURES!
Fahd
One zinger by the German embassy in South Africa does help, but there needs to be a more concerted organized effort to combat aggressive Russian propaganda.
The honest truth is that the Russians are the ones playing the role of Nazi invaders. The comparison of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine to Hitler’s 1939 invasion of Poland is quite apt. When the fighting stops, Ukraine will be a country of destroyed cities and infrastructure, not to mention the civilian and military casualties. Ukraine will then essentially be a wasteland in no position to be able to join the EU or NATO. Russia will have achieved its objective of creating a barrier, albeit a wasteland, between Russia and Europe. There will be ongoing Western economic sanctions against Russia (and hopefully Belarussia too). How will the world move on from that situation? Appalling what a single dictator, the crazy czar Putin, will have been able to impose on the world, while western leaders ultimately could do little more than blah, blah, blah. (Should also serve as a warning about Trump.)
Meanwhile, hundreds of millions (see eg. Russia, China, North Korea) are cut off from the democratic, free world’s press and the chance to learn what is actually happening. (see Russia’s new laws threatening imprisonment for journalists who report the truth from Russia.)
Russia is aggressively spreading disinformation wherever it can; for one, consider how active the Russian disinformation trolls are on Queerty (more moderation would be appropriate)– btw, apparently aggressive Russian disinformation methods also are the example to follow for the Chinese who aren’t quite as sophisticated in their own disinformation propaganda campaigns.
Short -wave radios, RadioFree Europe? What are the modern alternatives? Many probably do use VPNs to subvert the Internet blocks these totalitarian governments impose, but I wonder how easy that is, especially for those who cannot pay for VPNs because of unavailable international payment methods and whether many of these countries don’t have criminal penalties for using VPNs, plus who has internet in places like North Korea?
for most of us here, what does the rise of autocratic dictatorships and authoritarianism mean for LGBTQ+ lives and rights?
Let’s figure out how to counteract aggressively the Russian propaganda machinery.
white-queer-african
Absolute fake news by the Russian embassy in South Africa. The majority of South Africans are against the war in Ukraine. Contrary to our weak government’s stance on it. So, SamB, no need to respond. Just stay in your trailer.
Lol. Lol. Lol.
inbama
Snotty remarks about trailers cause Democrats to lose the working class.
We used to be FOR the poor.
Cam
@inbama
Republicans tried that same line in the last election. You know, the one Biden and Democrats won.
cuteguy
The Nazi Russians are taking a page from the Trump GQP play book, the best defense is a good offense. Trump used to cry fake news when confronted with facts yet he was the one pushing fake news, especially with the aid of his propaganda network Fox News. The Russians are doing the same by calling the Ukraine ppl “Nazis” when it’s Russia who is running a dictatorship like the Nazis.
hansniemeijer
There is a fascist in the Kremlin. Telling that Ukraine has no right to exist. Like Hitler said that Jews had no right to exist.
johncp56
It is heartbreaking to have to witness this dictator moron, run wild and kill innocent!! humans
johncp56
Hey I remmebr the ass hat devoiced his stout wife years ago! has anyone seen him with women, man ill give my gay card a washing if he is a closet case the ultimatum self-hate
Jaquelope
Hasn’t it been a known fact for a long time that Russia would very often lie about its “accomplishments”, and it would claim to have invented something that was already in use in the world, with many jokes being about that specific Russian trait?
johncp56 : I’ve noticed in pictures of Trump and Putin together, that their eye contact with each other has some very strong romantic connection, especially on Putin’s side. He always looks like a love-struck schoolboy and his crush.
Cam
Putin is a tiny little guy, who was a former office gopher. The only people who paint him as this strong leader who wrestles bears is the Russian media and American Republicans.