The antisemitism animating Putin’s claim to ‘denazify’ Ukraine

The Russian leader's pretext for invasion recasts Ukraine's Jewish president as a Nazi and Russian Christians as true victims of the Holocaust

When Russian president Vladimir Putin announced Russia's invasion of Ukraine at dawn on Thursday, he justified the special military operation" as having the goal to denazify" Ukraine. The justification is not tenable, but it would be a mistake simply to dismiss it.

Vladimir Putin is himself a fascist autocrat, one who imprisons democratic opposition leaders and critics. He is the acknowledged leader of the global far right, which looks increasingly like a global fascist movement.