A rephrasing of the title: Deceptions under Putin's rule
In the literary world, a new book titled "With Russia. For a Political Change" has caused quite a stir. Written by Stefan Luft, Jan Opielka, and Jürgen Wendler, this publication, published by Westend Verlag, Frankfurt, offers 320 pages of insights for 28 euros.
The book, however, is not about Russia as one might presume, but rather focuses on the West, NATO, Germany, and Eastern Europe. The authors challenge the status quo, claiming that armament and confrontation have become the new guiding principles of NATO.
The authors also accuse heads of state in the EU of being "Propagandists of war," not the gentlemen in the Kremlin. This assertion has sparked heated discussions, with some viewing it as a bold critique, while others see it as a dangerous narrative that serves the Kremlin's rhetoric.
The book further alleges that NATO's goal is to encircle and weaken Russia, a claim that has been met with scepticism by many. It also repeats the long-disproven claim that NATO promised Gorbachev not to expand further east.
Stefan Luft's text implies that Germany is becoming a militarized society, with military preparation taking place in schools, universities, and kindergartens. This assertion has sparked concern among many Germans.
Meanwhile, Jürgen Wendler uses the term "the West" as a propaganda bogeyman, accusing it of prioritizing economics and power over freedom and democracy in Ukraine. However, he does not explain what "the West" is.
Jan Opielka does not explain what "the Eastern" is, but claims that the EU and the USA are driving it out of Eastern European states. He also repeats the claim that Ukraine was used as a staging area and that "fascists" seized power there in 2014.
Interestingly, Opielka does not criticize Putin for openly expressing his imperialistic aspirations, most notably in the summer of 2021 when he wrote 20 pages asserting that Ukraine is part of Russia.
The book does not mention the invasion of Ukraine, war crimes, internal politics, the systematic silencing of critical media, the ban on NGOs, and the repression apparatus in Russia. This omission has led to criticism that the book is one-sided and lacks balance.
Susanne Schattenberg, the director of the Research Center for East European Studies since 2008, has not commented on the book. Born in 1969, she is a historian and the professor of contemporary history and Eastern European culture at Bremen University.
The authors of the book follow Putin's arguments that Europe is conducting an "anti-Russia project." Wendler criticizes Putin's imperialistic aspirations as racist, but Opielka portrays "the West" as an empire that has expanded too far eastwards, implying that this is the cause of the conflict in Ukraine.
The book's controversial claims and omissions have sparked a lively debate, with many questioning its accuracy and impartiality. Despite this, it has undeniably succeeded in capturing the attention of the public and the academic community.
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