In the case of information out of Ukraine, what the West hears concerning the progress of the conflict and what they hear in Ukraine is fairly related. Or a minimum of it’s in locations not actively engaged in battle—individuals there have extra rapid issues.
Within the U.S., the subset of knowledge that we get by means of most media shops is shorn of plenty of the element on troop actions, small actions, and the triumphs—or loss—of particular person troopers. Again in Ukraine, they’re dealing with these dreaded “lists of names” the place these killed in motion get reported. Scrolling by means of these lists for family members and pals has been a tragic ritual in each conflict going again a minimum of 200 years. It’s one of many horrors that the world may positively do with out. It’s made a lot worse when these lists additionally comprise the names of civilians, together with kids, who have been unlucky sufficient to seek out themselves targets of a Russian missile or topics of an atrocity in an occupied space.
The U.S. additionally doesn’t get all that a lot of one thing else that exhibits up in Ukrainian speeches and broadcasts—which is complaints concerning the U.S. There’s positively loads of reward for all Western nations which might be contributing to assist Ukraine in its wrestle towards an unprovoked invasion, however there may be additionally a particular appreciation for international locations that appear to be going above and past. Poland taking in over 2.5 million refugees is certainly seen. So are these Czech tanks. Some smaller nations are considered punching above their weight with regards to contributing to the trigger, whereas wealthier nations, together with the U.S., are seen as doing lower than they might. All of that’s comprehensible, and it’s not an angle that anybody is hiding. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is fairly open on these factors each in his nightly tackle to Ukraine and when speaking to world leaders.
However the views being given to the oldsters on the opposite facet of the battle are positively not the identical as what we’re listening to. They’re additionally not wherever near the reality.
Earlier at this time a Kremlin spokesperson made what gave the impression to be an astounding admission by saying, “We now have suffered vital losses, this can be a big tragedy for us.” There have been a couple of such admissions previously, however Moscow has rapidly walked them again. What most individuals are listening to in Russia is far nearer to this transcript between a Russian soldier and his spouse.
Spouse: “Properly they are saying losses are small. … Not even 1,000. That’s what they are saying.”
On a regular basis Russians have been systematically reduce off from different sources of stories, and are being fed a stream of messages that embrace: Russia is attaining its targets in Ukraine, Russian losses are small, the Ukrainian army is weak, and Russia is saving civilians from Ukrainian nationalists who’re slaughtering them or utilizing them as human shields. All of these messages generate a sneer once we hear them, however they’re the solely factor most Russians are getting.
However there could also be one thing worse than Russian state media.
Earlier than you see it, first check out this. This can be a faux industrial from the movie Starship Troopers. It’s a movie that makes use of science fiction tropes superficially to warn about (and poke enjoyable at) the risks of fascism. It’s simple for somebody casually wanting in to see the movie as glorifying these concepts … which is precisely the purpose.
And now, right here’s one other advert. One with an extremely related vibe. Solely this one is sickeningly actual.
It’s not that there’s actually an “info conflict.” Within the U.S., we could also be confronted with Russia supporters like Tucker Carlson, and with alt-whatever writers who consider that the one dangerous imperialism is western imperialism. However in Russia these are the one messages they’re seeing. It doesn’t matter if their statements appear ludicrous, the lies appear apparent, and the shape appears outrageous. It’s all they’re getting.
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Mark Sumner
Ukraine nonetheless appears to be grinding out progress alongside the M03 freeway southeast of Kharkiv.
This stays a crucial a part of that battle within the east, because it takes Ukrainian forces one step nearer to the cross roads at Volokhiv Yar, the place they might be capable to threaten the salient supporting the advance by means of Izyum.
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Mark Sumner
And talking of rattling lies, right here’s the patriarch of the Russian orthodox church denying that there’s such a factor as Ukraine or the Ukrainian individuals.
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Mark Sumner
I’m not anxious to see the main points of this, however it might even be our obligation to bear witness.
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Mark Sumner
@War_Mapper’s general replace for at this time doesn’t present a lot change, however that doesn’t imply nothing occurred.
Russian forces have made little progress in closing that hole, whereas Ukrainian forces have pushed down from Kharkiv and are nearer to threatening the entire salient.
However there may be additionally some horrible information on this put up from this space over at Telegram. I gained’t put up the entire translation, however the starting is dangerous sufficient.
“In a village within the Izyum area, the Russian occupiers tortured and set hearth to 3 individuals.”
This reportedly occurred in Husarivka, a village now underneath Ukrainian management. Extra particulars could also be obtainable quickly.
