NY Times Faces Fierce Backlash Over Tweet About Putin’s ‘Fiery Speech’ Before Invasion: ‘Are You F**king Kidding Me?’

Journalists and others savaged The New York Times over a tweet calling Vladimir Putin’s pre-invasion address a “fiery speech” that “made the case” for Ukraine’s historical connection to Russia.

On Monday, the Russian president delivered a speech justifying the pretext for his then-imminent invasion of Ukraine that Mediaite aptly described this way: “Putin Declares Independence For Two Regions in Ukraine in Dark Speech Laying Out Historical Claims.”

But The New York Times had a somewhat different take.

“In a fiery speech, President Vladimir Putin made the case that Ukraine is by history and makeup an integral part of Russia,” read the NYT tweet for an article that was similarly titled “Putin, in a fiery speech to Russians, says he will recognize the separatists in Ukraine.”

In a fiery speech, President Vladimir Putin made the case that Ukraine is by history and makeup an integral part of Russia.https://t.co/Oz1k7cAOpH

— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 21, 2022

And in the body of the story, the address was described in similar terms:

In an impassioned speech on Monday, President Vladimir V. Putin said he would recognize the independence of two Russia-backed territories in eastern Ukraine, while also making the case that Ukraine itself is historically an integral part of Russia.

The backlash was swift and brutal, with journalists, media figures, and other verified Twitter users slamming the Times — including many who saw echoes of an earlier era’s justification for invading:

Hello @nytimes

This is a whole new low.

“fiery speech”

“made the case”

Considering the context of today’s events, this is genuinely the worst piece of trash headline I’ve seen in all my experience with Ukraine. https://t.co/dcvx5NyY4S

— Christian Borys (@ItsBorys) February 22, 2022

NYT covering itself in glory again with this headline https://t.co/2r6RDeY1Ex

— Declan Cashin (@Tweet_Dec) February 22, 2022

Tucker Carlson and the NYT really aren’t that different. https://t.co/kZ7NaQKlo2

— Sam Youngman (@samyoungman) February 22, 2022

“Fiery” speech? Are you fucking kidding me?

Do better. https://t.co/iZ8V4Bjle2

— Miranda Yaver, PhD (@mirandayaver) February 22, 2022

Here’s what happens when you apply an amoral horserace frame to a dictator invading a sovereign nation. https://t.co/OwvPMEbGaE

— Susan J. Demas 🏔 (@sjdemas) February 22, 2022

Did Putin invade the New York Times copy desk? https://t.co/OwIIO6f9o8

— Juan Lozano (@juanlozano70) February 22, 2022

I think @DougJBalloon hacked The Times. https://t.co/aRni8MMA3F

— Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) February 22, 2022

“In a fiery speech, Hitler made the case that the Sudetenland was by history and makeup an integral part of Germany.” https://t.co/yNo3kp00g7

— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) February 22, 2022

Hitler said the same to justify his 1938 takeover of the Sudetenland. Straight from the Tyrant’s Playbook. https://t.co/vLnOGoLkZx

— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) February 22, 2022

This reminds me of that guy who argued that the Sudetenland was always an integral part of Germany, and he was just restoring that state of affairs, not invading it https://t.co/JFGWqLOZi7

— Mathew Ingram (@mathewi) February 22, 2022

He “made the case”? https://t.co/7w62nIHaWZ

— Jim Vertuno (@JimVertuno) February 22, 2022

Work. On. Your. Fucking. Headlines. https://t.co/pJ4MzAQL8G

— Thomas Lecaque (@tlecaque) February 22, 2022

When he has Dean Baquet’s NYT to set up headlines like this one, Putin can really economize on the propaganda units; save his money for more tanks. https://t.co/pGsQNJhkr5

— Mark Sumner (@Devilstower) February 22, 2022

The @nytimes is a hot mess. https://t.co/BjlMu92wt0

— Joan Esposito (@JoanEspositoCHI) February 22, 2022

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