DISINFO: The West is waging a war against Russia in Ukraine for anti-religious reasons
SUMMARY
Values have become a more important battlefield between Russia and the West than the outcome of the war in Ukraine. Russia’s moral and cultural values advocated in Russia's Spiritual Security Doctrine are seen by Europeans as so dangerous that the West is ready to move the world to the edge of a war of total destruction. The core European values are secular. Hence, the West is waging a war against Russia because God is with it. Whereas back in 2009, 82% of Europeans identified themselves as Christian, today's figure is as low as 18%.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on the morally corrupt West, portraying Russia as superior to the West in terms of values and morals, which is used to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and shift responsibility for it on Western countries. Our analysis of the recent communication strategy of pro-Kremlin outlets explains how they attempt to portray Russia as a victim and to deceive audiences into believing that Russia is fighting Western powers.
One of the dozen most recurring myths about Russia's war against Ukraine identified in our analysis is indeed related to religion. Numerous publications in pro-Kremlin media outlets portray Russia’s war of aggression as a holy war against godless Ukraine to protect traditional values. The analysis pointed out that demonising Ukraine and its Western supporters as godless heathens goes hand in hand with pro-Kremlin disinformation that the West wants to destroy ‘traditional values’, while Russia protects them.
The Western countries are not waging a war against Russia. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. In response to Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine which was launched on 24 February 2022, a broad coalition of more than 50 nations are providing Ukraine with military and technical assistance with the aim of repelling Russia's aggression. Kyiv is acting in self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter article 51.
Liberal-democratic Western societies are not ant-Christian or anti-religious, contrary to what is claimed in the publication in question. They have institutionalised pluralism, which means the peaceful coexistence of different religions, world-views and value systems within the same society.
Furthermore, the figure of 18% Europeans who consider themselves Christian is seemingly false. According to the 2019 Eurobarometer survey about Religiosity in the European Union, the figure was 64% (see p. 229 of the report). While a more recent figure for such a straightforward question from Eurobarometer surveys is not yet available, such an abrupt change in the share of EU citizens with a Christian identity is unlikely.
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