Western media criticized for amplifying Russian narratives on Crimea strike

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed striking a crucial Russian space surveillance facility in Crimea, used for targeting civilians in Ukraine, but leading Western media outlets focused their reports on Russian civilian casualties based on Russian statements, which were incoherent.

Jul 1, 2024 - 07:00

Western media criticized for amplifying Russian narratives on Crimea strike

crimea attack

Western experts accused leading media outlets, including the BBC, The Guardian, and CNN of unwittingly promoting Russian narratives in their coverage of Ukraine’s recent strike on a military facility in occupied Crimea.

The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine confirmed the strike on the Space Surveillance and Communication Center in Crimea, an important military site that helped Russians target civilian objects in Ukrainian cities.

However, initial reports from major news organizations focused heavily on Russian accounts emphasizing civilian casualties on Crimean beaches.

German commentator Jürgen Nauditt pointed out apparent inconsistencies in Russia’s official statements, which initially claimed to have intercepted a US-supplied ATACMS missile over the beach before shifting to accusations of a deliberate Ukrainian attack on civilians.