Twitter Goes Crazy Over Russian Journo’s Faked Death: Literally How They Caught the Joker in Dark Knight

Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko, who is a noted critic of the Russian government, is alive and appeared at a press conference today after stories were released this week reporting he was shot to death in the Ukraine.

“I am sorry, but there were no options here,” Babchenko said at a news conference. “I’m sorry for making [his wife] live through this. I’ve buried my own friends and colleagues many times myself.”

Babchenko was believed to have been gunned down in a Kiev apartment. However, he turned up at the presser today with Ukrainian officials who said the country’s Security Service faked the journalist’s death in an attempt to gather evidence on Russian agents in Ukraine.

Journalists, media figures, and other Twitter users from around the world responded to the news with shock and jokes, but some questioned the ethics of the decision, as it could provide fuel for Russia’s anti-free press rhetoric:

This is literally how Commissioner Gordon caught The Joker in “The Dark Knight.” https://t.co/1lMrxGRHli

— Frank Pallotta (@frankpallotta) May 30, 2018

He didn’t tell his wife he was going to…fake his own murder? https://t.co/0hHR7gGyNG

— Vera Bergengruen (@VeraMBergen) May 30, 2018

If I were Babchenko’s wife, I’d kill him for real this time.

— haunted ambien tweeter (@zandywithaz) May 30, 2018

Bet you didn’t see this late-season finale twist in year 4 of the Russia-Ukraine war. Apparently the whole thing was staged so that they could catch the people who ordered the hit. And it is normal because “Sherlock Holmes” did ithttps://t.co/2Z8pWX2A9n

— max seddon (@maxseddon) May 30, 2018

Whose resurrection was better Jesus’ or Arkady https://t.co/Hk14hhv3lx

— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) May 30, 2018

In this week’s episode of Homeland… https://t.co/rc2TgJdAxu

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 30, 2018

ROFL https://t.co/uAR7jviL8U

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) May 30, 2018

Sorry, guys, to me, it’s crossing a line big time. Babchenko is a journalist not a policeman, for Christ sake, and part of our job is trust, whatever Trump&Putin say about fake news. I’m glad he is alive, but he undermined even further the credibility of journalists and the media

— Andrei Soldatov (@AndreiSoldatov) May 30, 2018

Once I come back from the dead then it’s over for you bitches!! https://t.co/YHsteiDZgt

— Madison Malone Kircher (@4evrmalone) May 30, 2018

brb faking my own death to win the new cold war

— Matt Novak (@paleofuture) May 30, 2018

So now every time a journalist is murdered, those responsible will unleash their bots and propagandists to say it’s fake news. Thanks, Ukrainian security services. That’s really helpful to all who care about journalists’ safety. #Babchenko

— Lindsey Hilsum (@lindseyhilsum) May 30, 2018

Edited highlights of the Babchenko press conference pic.twitter.com/RpcprrhM1n

— Alan White (@aljwhite) May 30, 2018

this Babchenko story strikes me as Extremely Ukraine News, in the sense that it is impossibly weird in a way that might initially seem entertaining until you remember the context of terrifyingly weak rule of law and ever-present threats of political violence.

— Max Fisher (@Max_Fisher) May 30, 2018

Such a rookie move. ***ALWAYS*** notify your wife before staging your own murder. Why do so many men have to learn this the hard way?" https://t.co/lhZyj3lL9J

— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) May 30, 2018

[image via screengrab]

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