Vladimir Putin’s intelligence chief claimed many Europeans are on the “right side of history” on Tuesday.
To the director of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, that naturally means being on Moscow’s “side” – even though most of Europe is actively allied to Ukraine via Nato.
Repeating Russia’s ongoing (and baseless) claim that Ukraine is a neo-Nazi state, he said: “Today, as Russia once again faces the Nazi threat and the resurgence of Nazi evil, many ordinary people in Europe do not share the positions of their political regimes.”
According to Russian state news agency TASS, he said: “They maintain their own viewpoints and stand on the right side of history, upholding strong moral values.”
Naryshkin was opening an exhibition at the Russian Historical Society to mark 80 years since the Slovak National Uprising when he made these comments.
This military revolt from 1944 against the German occupation of Slovakia was one of the largest anti-Nazi uprisings in Europe.
The Kremlin has tried to revive this anti-Nazi sentiment ever since it invaded Ukraine, in a bid to excuse its land grab, falsely claiming that Kyiv is run by neo-Nazis.
But, Naryshkin’s take is not that accurate, according to polls shared by the European parliament in February.
Research conducted across the continent found Europeans broadly back humanitarian aid for Ukraine, and are still happy to welcome refugees from the warzone as well as offer financial support to Kyiv.
Putin does still have allies around the world who echo his claims, though.
The Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro told national TV on Tuesday: “There is no doubt that Russia will put an end to the surge to Nazism in Ukraine. Sooner or later, peace will prevail in Ukraine and Russia.”
He added that these are “crazy times”, and claimed “it seems that today in this world everything is possible”.
“Fortunately, there are very balanced, very calm, very strong people, such as President Vladimir Putin, who are in control of the situation,” the president said.