This is leagues better than the Western narrative.
That said, there are still so many missed opportunities to drive the point home. Such as, pointing out that all the Allies had connections with the Nazis too, much more cozy connections at that.
It's hard to believe he just casually was poking around Sovietepedia and discovered unknown things about Czechoslovakia that shifted his perception. But it's equally weird to imagine why he would be disingenous with this.
I like a lot about Putin but he's someone I find impossible to fully trust.
I think it's possible he was reviewing documents for potential release or even was looking because he found recent revisionism irritating and he found the sheer absurdity all the more striking based on information he observed therein.
I neither like nor trust Putin generally, but he frequently tells the truth about his enemies because that is enough to condemn them*
*aside from the "The West is sending homosexual ideology here to make Russia weak" type stuff, obviously that is bullshit and should be called out.
Putin has done a lot of good, Russia under his leadership may have fundamentally altered world history for the better by choosing to risk their neck and invade Ukraine. Someone had to stand up to the Americans in an immediately tangible and assertive way; Chinese assertion is civil and slow.
That being said, he has plenty to criticize, namely his anticommunism and queerphobia. It's hard to rationalize away that all as 5D chess, even if I think Putin is an extremely strategic man who has helped both his people and the entire world.
As long as we all agree he is a net good for the world and that Russia was absolutely in the right to invade Ukraine--and not otherwise fall in line with American lies about the Russians--there is no reason good faith ML comrades shouldn't have room to criticize him a bit.
โFrom Venezuela, all our support for President Vladimir Putin, Venezuelaโs brother,โ
President of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez:
Thank you very much, dear President Putin.
...
We appreciate all efforts of the Russian Federation and your role in orienting the world towards multi-polarity, in encouraging it to move in this direction. In this sense, you have a very strong leadership role. I would also like to exchange views on this.
... I was very interested in your speech on the reunification of a group of regions with Russia. You made a very meticulous, clear-cut analysis of the events since the Soviet Unionโs disintegration, denouncing the role that the imperialist powers tried to play. You made a very thorough analysis of what is happening in the world. You made it clear that the world should come to its senses and described those who are imposing their rules on us. You explained why they impose these rules on us and why they violate them later.
I think this is very structured thinking and analysis, and it is worth sharing with the world. I was happy to listen to this speech. We have identical approaches and views on global issues."
We salute the great Russian people, you, your government, and the families of all Russia, in these moments of great challenges... to you, comrade President Vladimir Putin, our affection, in revolutionary brotherhood.
โRussia has risen for a sacred fight to protect its national sovereignty and safety against hegemonic forces,โ Kim said ahead of negotiations on Wednesday. โWe will always stand together [with Russia] against imperialism.โ
Xi, for his part, praised Putin, saying: โUnder your strong leadership, Russia has made great strides in its prosperous development.โ
Beijing and Moscow are friendly neighbors and reliable partners, Xi Jinping said upon his arrival in the Russian capital on a state visit.
โIt gives me great pleasure to once again set foot on the soil of Russia, our friendly neighbor, and pay a state visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin,โ the Chinese leader said.
โOn behalf of the Chinese government and people, I wish to extend warm greetings and best wishes to the Russian government and people,โ he added. โChina and Russia are friendly neighbors and reliable partners connected by shared mountains and rivers,โ Xi Jinping stressed.
โTen years ago, I paid my first state visit to Russia as Chinese President, and together with President Putin, opened a new chapter in the all-round development of China-Russia relations,โ the president said.
Do they really love him though? My sense was mainly that this was an โenemy of my enemy is my friendโ type of situation. Russiaโs breakaway from western economies is an opportunity for countries in the global south. As such it makes sense that the left in those countries would aim to foster positive relations with Putin and the Russian government. Thatโs regardless of what they privately think about the guy.