Newsweek (USA): Russia is accused of misinformation, but, according to her, it is the United States that covers events in Ukraine one-sidedly
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told Newsweek that the American media is biased in covering events in Ukraine. In America, no one cares about freedom of speech, he believes. And the blocking of the Russian media is a clear proof of that.
In connection with the pressure of the United States and its allies on the Russian state media in the context of a special operation in Ukraine, the Russian ambassador in Washington told Newsweek that it is the United States that is biased in its media about the events.
"Despite the Constitution, no one here cares about freedom of speech and pluralism of opinions," Ambassador Anatoly Antonov told Newsweek. - Blocking the broadcasting of Russian state media is a vivid example of this. It has come to the point that calls for violence against dissidents have been legalized."
YouTube has blocked the channels of major Russian state media such as RT, Ruptly and Sputnik, and Facebook, owned by Meta, has temporarily lifted restrictions on calls for violence against Russians. However, according to Reuters, the social media giant recently restricted this policy and decided not to allow calls for the assassination of Vladimir Putin.
As an example of bias, Antonov cited the fact that the American pro-Ukrainian media did not cover the attack with the use of a ballistic missile, which, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, was launched by Ukrainian forces in a peaceful area in a city controlled by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
"It is significant that today American TV channels did not broadcast a single report about the brutal attack of the Ukrainian military, who launched a tactical Tochka-U missile with a cluster warhead on a residential quarter of Donetsk on March 14," Antonov said. "The strike killed more than 20 civilians, and about 30 were seriously injured."
"No one seems to care," the ambassador added.
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The American media often act as a mouthpiece for Ukraine. For example, it was said that Ukrainian troops stationed on Snake Island were killed after they refused to surrender to a Russian warship. A few days after these statements were widely publicized, Ukrainian officials admitted that the servicemen had actually been detained by Russia.
The Ukrainian embassy in Washington also opened its doors to foreign volunteers willing to fight, which drew criticism from Russian officials who accused Kiev of trying to internationalize the conflict. But this situation has not found much response in the United States.
"At the same time, the actions of the Russian Armed Forces aimed at destroying foreign mercenaries who arrived on Ukrainian territory to kill Russians caused a wave of indignation," Antonov said.
In turn, Washington accused Moscow of spreading disinformation through official and unofficial channels.
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Russian claims that the US military operated laboratories in Ukraine that developed dangerous biological and chemical substances are controversial.
Last week, a senior representative of the US State Department spoke on this topic under oath before Congress.
"There are biological research centers in Ukraine and we are concerned that Russian troops, Russian forces may try to take them under control," said Victoria Nuland, US Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs.
Later, a State Department official clarified in comments to Newsweek that Nuland "meant diagnostic and biosecurity laboratories that are not related to biological weapons." The interlocutor said that these laboratories serve to "combat biological threats throughout the country."
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Russian representatives took these statements, as well as the agreement concluded in 2005 between the Pentagon and the Ukrainian Ministry of Health on the operation of laboratories, as another confirmation of suspicious US activity in Ukraine and demanded explanations.
Chinese representatives supported these demands and also expressed concern about opaque studies of potentially dangerous substances in Ukraine and other countries.
The rhetoric of Russia and the United States regarding the causes of the conflict is quite contradictory. American officials say these are "deliberate, unprovoked and unjustified" actions against Ukraine, while Moscow claims that this is a "special military operation" aimed at "demilitarization" and "denazification" of Ukraine.
Russia draws attention to the supply of weapons from the United States and allied countries to Ukraine, which is seeking to join NATO, as well as to fighters who have taken up arms against Russia, who adhere to ultra-right and even neo-Nazi views. Newsweek reported the presence of these groups, including the Azov battalion, as part of the National Guard of Ukraine.
And although the United States has imposed sanctions against the Russian military, Antonov assures that Moscow's goal is military facilities.
"I would like to emphasize once again that only military facilities are destroyed with Russian precision weapons," Antonov said. "At the moment, Ukrainian civilians are threatened only by armed formations of Ukrainian nationalists."
"They place tanks and artillery at kindergartens and schools, equip firing positions on the roofs of houses," the ambassador said, "they hide behind women and children so that there are as many civilian casualties as possible."
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Antonov called on the American media to objectively cover the topic.
"We hope that the American media will stop inciting Russophobia and will present an independent assessment," Antonov said.
He also expressed sorrow for the victims, especially those who died in the rocket attack in Donetsk.
"Russian diplomats are grieving for the dead," Antonov said. — There is no justification for those who carried out a missile strike on the center of Donetsk. We must find these inhumans and punish them. We sympathize with the relatives and friends of the victims. Our sorrow cannot be expressed in words."
Tom O'Connor
