Russian President Vladimir Putin is ironic after studying a map of Eastern Europe from the 17th century that he wanted to prove Ukraine didn’t exist at the time, but he misread the document — a new Russian propaganda blunder.
Vladimir Putin examines a 17th-century map of Eastern Europe with the head of the Russian Constitutional Court, Valery SorkinPhoto: Mikhail Klimentiev/Kremlin Pool / ZUMA Press / Profimedia
On Tuesday, the Kremlin released a video on its website in which Vladimir Putin welcomes the head of the Russian Constitutional Court, Valery Sorkin, to his office.
Valery Sorkin came to show him a map of Eastern Europe, through which the Ukrainian people never existed in history, supporting the thesis that it would justify the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
“Soviet government created Soviet Ukraine. This is known. Until then, there was no Ukraine in the history of mankind,” Vladimir Putin said firmly in front of the map.
“Ukraine or Land of the Cossacks”
But observers of Russia’s war in Ukraine on social media say the Kremlin leader may not have seen the map correctly.
The map is signed “S’Sanson” by Alexis-Hubert Jaillet, one of the greatest cartographers of the 17th century. Available online.
It is divided into “kingdoms, duchies, principalities, provinces, and populations under the rule of the Tsar of Russia, known as White Russia or the Grand Duke of Muscovy”.
On the map, it is easy to see the words “Vkraine ou Pays des Cosaques” (“Ukraine or Land of the Cossacks”) next to the present-day Ukraine.
Along the Dnieper is the city of Kiev, pronounced “Kiev”.
“Ukraine” is also seen north of the Sea of Azov.
At the time this map was created, present-day Russia was called the “Grand Duchy of Muscovy”, and members of the Polish nobility ruled much of present-day Ukraine.
This apparent error by the Kremlin caused reactions on social networks, News.ro writes.
Paula Sherdog, a lawyer specializing in Russian propaganda, commented on Twitter: “The pathetic war criminal is still trying – and failing – to justify the catastrophic wrongs of a genocidal war.
\uD83E\uDD21Can’t Putin read French? A 17th century map he dug up with Ukraine (check the map) has Ukraine on it!
VKRAINE ou PAYS DES COSAQUES=Ukraine or Land of the Cossacks
15 months & the pathetic war criminal is still trying & failing to justify his disastrous mistakes in the genocidal war. https://t.co/xx6LQnnSSl pic.twitter.com/QErMy6CRU2
— \uD83C\uDDFA\uD83C\uDDE6Paula Chertok\uD83D\uDDFD (@PaulaChertok) May 24, 2023
A CNN anchor condemned the images from the Kremlin as “the absurdity of the day” in a comment.
___
“Evil gamer. Amateur music trailblazer. Alcohol geek. Problem solver. Coffee advocate. Troublemaker. Infuriatingly humble zombieaholic.”