[Doctorfever]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

This isn’t any less vague, though, so the point doesn’t stand. The point needs an actual foundation to stand. The entire argument that this is more than a blunder or an embarrassment seems to be based on references to these intangible, abstract things without anybody being able to actually express how it actually does harm in reality (outside of harming our reputation by making us look stupid).

It’s in the news, so what? Are the only things that make international news things that do harm? No. Are national embarrassments enough to make the international news? Yes.

Ukraine has some real connections to neo-Nazi groups, including some directly involved in fighting this war. This is no secret, it is also not so easily explained away by context, yet we still have a general understanding that this war is unjust and the pretences for this invasion false. But, we’re supposed to believe that this situation, easily explained away by the context, does real harm. The obvious question is: what harm? and how?

If that can’t be answered with anything but a vague “people are talking about it” or “it’s a bad look” then what?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/rus...ment-1.6980638

This highlights how Russia is using this huge mistake to try to help their cause.

Can’t speak to how effective it is, but they are certainly using this.

From the CBC article;

Disinformation experts warn Russia is casting a wide net with falsehoods about Canada, Ukraine and Nazism after the incident, in order to question the legitimacy of supporting Ukraine's push against the Russian invasion.

James L. Turk, the director at the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, said Russian messaging is meant to create more sympathy for the invasion, "whether that is non-aligned governments, whether it's people in Western countries or elsewhere who don't understand the situation well."

Turk said Russia is looking for "anything that gives them some legitimacy for the horrendous war that they're launching against the Ukrainians."