Even if Germans are not convinced by this, Putin's bold claim is meant to immobilize Germans by forcing them to debate one another. Russia attacked Ukraine claiming that it was defending itself as it had defended itself against the Nazis starting in 1941. The point is to give Germans an excuse for looking away and doing nothing. He wants to trigger the German reflex that Russians must be victims and Germans must be aggressors. Putin is also seeking to exploit the historical memory of Germans. Of course, this contradicts the actual history of the Second World War, in which Stalin chose to ally with Hitler, and in which Ukrainians actually suffered more than Russians, by any measure. Snyder: In Russia, his intention is to build a cult of innocence: No matter what we do, it must be justified, because we are always the righteous victim.

They are absurd, but they make World War II the point of reference.

SPIEGEL Media Menü SPIEGEL Media aufklappenĭER SPIEGEL: Vladimir Putin himself has repeatedly used historical arguments to legitimize this war.

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