Words matter for Russia – especially those that don’t call “war” a war. Language helps to cloud people’s thinking and label violence by other names, giving Russia the space to commit new crimes. Russia calls its full-scale war against Ukraine a “special military operation” and its intervention in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine a “separatist conflict” to create an illusion that it’s a minor thing rather than a destruction of the entire post WWII world order.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. It calls its continued demands for capitulation of Ukraine “negotiations” to reduce support for Ukraine and sow false hopes for peace. A single, carefully chosen word – “separatists,” “negotiations,” “conflict” – can neutralize Western resolve more effectively than any military operation. It costs nothing to produce, but it works as a political instrument designed to conceal aggression, diffuse responsibility, and weaken resistance. Sun Tzu stated that “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” Russia’s KGB-rooted government is doing exactly this. Using disinformation and manipulations, it helped elect Trump and thus weakened the US and undermined NATO. It finances both far-right and far-left political parties and promotes anti-migrant sentiment to destabilize European unity and weaken the social fabric of European countries. Its fakes spurred riots in Southport in 2024, stirred up “yellow vests” protests in France, and border blockades by Polish farmers.