“War Called War”
The brutal war of aggression against Ukraine can only officially be described as a “special military operation” in Russia – which was defined for propaganda purposes. Using the word “war” in connection with Ukraine is a criminal offence. That is exactly what the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, has now done, as one opposition politician complains. This must now have consequences.
12.23.2022 11.56
Online since today, 11:56 am
As Putin used the word “war” for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the St. Petersburg opposition politician filed a complaint with the Interior Ministry for discrediting the army. “He called war a war,” tweeted local lawmaker Nikita Yuferev late on Thursday night. At the same time, he pointed out that at the same time thousands of people in the country were convicted precisely for this.
Владимир Путин назвал войну войной: «Наша цель – закончить эту войну». No указа о завершении СВО не было, войну не объявляли. За такие слова про войну осудили уже несколько тысяч человек. He направил обращение в органы, чтобы Путина привлекли за распространение фейков об армии pic.twitter.com/dEmNSyNwyQ
— Никита Юферев (@NikitaYuferev) December 22, 2022
“The objective is (…) to end the war”
Putin declared on Thursday during an impromptu press conference: “Our aim is not to turn the wheel of the military conflict further, but to end the war.” According to Yuferev, he filed a complaint with Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev and Attorney General Igor Krasnov.
⚡️ Putin called the “special operation” a war for the first time since the start of the invasion.
The Investigation Committee takes note. Apparently, we have a new candidate for an article about “fakes” about the Russian army. pic.twitter.com/l00iATjD1d
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) December 22, 2022
No chance of success
The lawsuit has no chance of legal success, because recently several pro-Kremlin propagandists have spoken of war without being prosecuted. The Russian judiciary did not even consider the demand by Anton Krassovsky, broadcast director of the Kremlin’s RT channel, that Ukrainian children be burned or drowned a crime.
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War in Ukraine: what lies ahead in 2023?
Yuferev, on the other hand, had to pay a fine in September for discrediting the army. Earlier, along with other members of a district parliament in St Petersburg, he asked the Russian parliament, the State Duma, to charge Putin with high treason over the war in Ukraine.
Tougher penalties for “saboteurs”
In general, penalties have been tightened again recently in connection with the war in Ukraine: the lower house of Russia decided to toughen penalties against “saboteurs”. A corresponding law has been passed by the deputies, the Duma announced on Wednesday in Moscow. The law also provides for life imprisonment for domestic and foreign “saboteurs”.
The new law must “protect our country and our citizens from the threats of terrorism and sabotage,” the Duma said. Its president, Vyacheslav Volodin, also referred to the ongoing “special military operation”. Penalties for “saboteurs” must be “as severe as possible”, he demanded. The new law now has to be approved by the upper house and signed by Putin.