TV News Coverage of Russia's Victory Day Celebrations.

[T13A]

Hi

Watching the TV (and particularly the BBC) news coverage of the Russian 'Victory Day' celebrations yesterday it occured to me that any one watching and not knowing wouldn't have a clue that anyone else apart from Russia was involved in the defeat of Germany in WWII. We literally never got a mention that I saw. 

Cheers Paul

[Gwydion]

We live in  censored world, even in the West:

We are aware that US veterans who wanted to come to the parade in Moscow were actually forbidden to do so. But I want them to know: We are proud of your deeds and your contribution to our common Victory.

We honour all soldiers of the allied armies – the Americans, the English, the French, Resistance fighters, brave soldiers and partisans in China – all those who defeated Nazism and militarism.

Vladimir V Putin

[Heedless Horseman]

West tends to view WW2 as a World War. Russians... Great Patriotic War. THEY were attacked... again.. and suffered immensely... but beat the invader. I am ok with any parades.
If Putin mentioned Allies... will give him just a little credit for that.
Did not watch... but... any reference to current war losses... or a 'silence'?

WE know what is going on... somewhat... But Most Russians do not... just the 'flag flyers' impressions. Not unknown thing in Uk and US.
Putin def looks ill! Best wishes.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

As I understand it none although the pundits were expecting a war declaration.

[sultanbev]

Putin did reference that there were losses in his speech, but nothing on numbers. Western estimates are now 40,000 Soviet Russian casualties.

[Gwydion]

Hardly surprising he didn't mention numbers of losses:

It was a parade commemorating Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and

He's in a war (whatever he calls it) and you don't encourage your enemy by stating how well or badly he is doing.

Zelensky doesn't give Ukrainian military losses.

A month ago Russia was claiming 23,000+ Ukrainian military dead.

[John Cook]

We live in  censored world, even in the West:

So Putin says it, it is repeated by TASS.  So, it must be true.  Can't find anything to substantiate his claim, so it is probably just more Putin BS.  Were it to be true though, it would be perfectly reasonable and understandable under the circumstances.

[John Cook]

Zelensky doesn't give Ukrainian military losses.

Yes he does.  He was asked by CNN in  mid-April and said that Ukrainian military dead was between 2500 and 3000.

[Gwydion]

I should have said Zelensky gives no credible figures. He said 1,300 dead on 12 March, 2,500 to 3,000 on 16 April and a US official said c3000 in mid March.

I have no greater belief in Russian claims - what I can find of them.

What's Putin got to do with what I said about censorship?

I based that on the fact the West has imposed a blanket ban on RT.Com, Novosti, Sputnik and any other official Russian media.
 
As we saw in that post, even the BBC is tailoring its reporting to suit an agenda.

PS - Under what circumstances? We aren't at war with anyone.

[Gwydion]

.

[flamingpig0]

As we saw in that post, even the BBC is tailoring its reporting to suit an agenda.

Always has done, but it has got somewhat worse in recent years. 

[John Cook]

What's Putin got to do with what I said about censorship?

You said "We live in  censored world, even in the West:", and then seemed to quote Putin to substantiate it.   So, that is what Putin has to do with it.  Perhaps something is missing from the thread or your post was 'garbled in transmission'.   

Censorship is relative and any comparison with Putin's Russia to what happens in the West is absurd.  We have access to multiple sources of news and information, of varying quality and political hues, in sharp contrast to what is available to Russians.  RIA Novosti is still available on-line,  I just looked at it, as is TASS.

As for Ukrainian military losses, how do you know they not credible?  The US seems to agree with them but none of us have the means of verifying them, so we really don't know and any comments in this context are just conjecture without any evidence.

The BBC has always had a left-wing bias, not as blatant as Channel 4's admittedly, but I'm unclear what you think the BBC's agenda is in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

[John Cook]

WE know what is going on... somewhat... But Most Russians do not.

I think that's right.  Bear in mind, however, that the Soviet Union was originally a fellow traveller with Nazi Germany.  They get little sympathy from me.  They divided Poland up between them in 1939, including what is now part of western Ukraine from where they deported, or killed, hundred of thousands of people, including my late father-in-law's family, and attacked Finland a couple of months later.  A proportion of their military losses in that war, and WW2 generally, where self-inflicted insofar as the Red Army had been emasculated by Stalin's purges  They also have a history of barbarity - Katyn massacre for but one example, so there's not much to choose between Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany.  Putin seems to behaving in much the same way. 

[Gwydion]

John, I don't want to get into an argument on what is obviously an emotive issue.

First my apology for the RT.Com/Novosti matter - Ofcom withdrew the license to broadcast for RT and its parent body ANO TV Novosti and I should have been clearer

Then I'll answer your misunderstanding of the quote which I posted in response to T13A, who said

Hi

Watching the TV (and particularly the BBC) news coverage of the Russian 'Victory Day' celebrations yesterday it occurred to me that any one watching and not knowing wouldn't have a clue that anyone else apart from Russia was involved in the defeat of Germany in WWII. We literally never got a mention that I saw. 

Cheers Paul

I simply supplied the quote from Putin's speech where he paid tribute to the allies in WWII, which presumably the BBC cut. ( I haven't seen their coverage) The comment on censorship was mine, not Putin's.


If you think the BBC has a left wing bias I suspect that probably means they are politically neutral, as I believe the opposite (not that 'left/right' has any relevance to this or much else in modern politics).

[flamingpig0]

The BBC has always had a left-wing bias,

I suppose that depends on how right-wing you are.