Simonyan Justifies War by Claiming Ukraine Planned to Attack Russia

Margarita Simonyan, Russia's chief propagandist, has stated that questions about the reasons for starting the war against Ukraine are increasingly heard in Russian society. According to Ukrainian journalist Denis Kazansky, Simonyan admitted on Russian federal television that among her acquaintances in Moscow, the opinion is spreading that starting the war was a mistake. Russians are increasingly feeling the consequences of the war, thus criticizing the Kremlin's decision.

Kazansky emphasizes that Russian propaganda previously justified attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, but after Ukraine's retaliatory strikes on Russian territory, the rhetoric changed to discussing the war's consequences for Russia. The reason for Russians' disillusionment is the discrepancy between promises of a quick victory and the reality of a prolonged war, heavy losses, sanctions, and economic problems.

Nevertheless, Simonyan continues to justify the war by claiming that Ukraine allegedly planned to attack Russian regions, including Kuban and Rostov Oblast. She also warns that strikes on oil refineries and heating systems are just the beginning. Kazansky calls these claims ridiculous lies and schizophrenic hallucinations. He notes that Simonyan and another propagandist, Vladimir Solovyov, describe Ukraine's actions as "terror," even though they are similar to Russia's previous attacks on Ukraine.

Kazansky adds that the war is becoming unpopular in Russian society, as it has turned out to be four years of humiliation and huge losses, not the easy victory promised by propaganda.