Garry Kasparov Offers ‘Children’s Textbook’ For What the Media Should Actually Call Putin’s Ukraine ‘Peacekeepers’
CARLOS COSTA/AFP via Getty Images
As Monday’s events unfolded between Russia and Ukraine, with Vladimir Putin unilaterally declaring two breakaway regions of Ukraine “independent” and then sending in “peacekeeping” forces, the media struggled to keep up with exactly how to explain what was happening.
Garry Kasparov, the former chess world champion turned human rights activist, tweeted out some thoughts on how the media and Western leaders should refer to Putin’s moves.
Kasparov responded to former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who asked, “‘Peacekeeping’ troops to Donbas is an invasion, yes? Or no?”
Kasparov wrote, “Putin’s forces on Ukrainian soil is, and always has been, an invasion. But watch how Western leaders try to weasel out of their promises by saying it’s anything else. Remember they called Crimea “an unauthorized landing”.”
He followed up by arguing, “We can call Putin’s invaders ‘peacekeepers’ if he calls the billions in assets to be seized from him and his cronies ‘charitable donations.’”
We can call Putin’s invaders “peacekeepers” if he calls the billions in assets to be seized from him and his cronies “charitable donations”.
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) February 21, 2022
Kasparov concluded, by saying, “We need a children’s textbook for the media.”
He then explained how best to refer to what is happening today in Ukraine:
WRONG: “President Putin to send peacekeepers to breakaway regions of Ukraine.”
RIGHT: “Russian dictator formally announces annexation of additional Ukrainian territories after 8 years of military occupation.”
We need a children’s textbook for the media:
WRONG: “President Putin to send peacekeepers to breakaway regions of Ukraine.”
RIGHT: “Russian dictator formally announces annexation of additional Ukrainian territories after 8 years of military occupation.”— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) February 21, 2022
Kasparov was not the only one pointing out Russia’s years-long presence in Ukraine. Yaroslav Trofimov, the Wall Street Journal’s chief foreign affairs correspondent, noted simply, “TBH Russian troops were in Donbas since 2014. But now they will be overt and with air support.”
TBH Russian troops were in Donbas since 2014. But now they will be overt and with air support. https://t.co/HH4qg7JePt
— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) February 21, 2022
Others took to Twitter to sound the alarm of the severity of Monday’s events. Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul responded to Putin’s “peacekeepers” entering Ukraine, writing, “Russia is invading Ukraine right now.” Veteran journalist Julia Ioffe added, “Remember this day.”
Russia is invading Ukraine right now
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) February 21, 2022
Remember this day.
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) February 21, 2022
