Tulsi Gabbard, Rand Paul Placed on List of Russian Propagandists by Ukraine

Authored by newsweek.com and submitted by mepper
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Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and former Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard have been listed by Ukraine among a number of American politicians, academics and activists Kyiv claims have promoted "Russian propaganda."

The list was compiled by the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, founded in 2021 by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to study the impact of Russian disinformation. The center is part of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

The list—which also includes retired U.S. Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor, military strategist Edward Luttwak, political scientist John Mearsheimer and journalist Glenn Greenwald—does not explain what the consequences are for those who Ukraine clearly considers responsible for promoting the Kremlin's line. But it offers explanations for inclusion on the list.

In April, Paul said President Joe Biden provoked Russia to invade its neighbor by advocating Ukraine's entrance into NATO.

He also said: "You could also argue the countries they've attacked were part of Russia. Or part of the Soviet Union."

Paul was immediately rebuked for this by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said Russia was not justified in invading Ukraine.

Former Rep. Gabbard said that the U.S. had provoked Putin for many years and that there are 25 dangerous biolabs in Ukraine that could release deadly pathogens.

The former representative has been accused of of lending credibility to Russian propaganda.

There are 25+ US-funded biolabs in Ukraine which if breached would release & spread deadly pathogens to US/world. We must take action now to prevent disaster. US/Russia/Ukraine/NATO/UN/EU must implement a ceasefire now around these labs until they’re secured & pathogens destroyed pic.twitter.com/dhDTH5smIG — Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) March 13, 2022

The biolab claims have also been supported by Greenwald, who Ukraine says didn't want the U.S. to help Ukraine to avoid provoking Russia into a nuclear war.

Macgregor is listed as having said that the Russian army was highly skilled and "invincible," while Mearsheimer is on Ukraine's blacklist for having said NATO provoked Vladimir Putin into war.

Luttwak is listed as having given support to holding referendums in the breakaway Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Newsweek has contacted Paul, Gabbard, Macgregor, Mearsheimer, Greenwald and Luttwak for comment.

Greenwald told UnHerd that the list was "standard McCarthyite idiocy." Mearsheimer told the news site he was disappointed with being listed as a Russian propagandist, while he defended his claim that the war was provoked by the U.S. wanting to accept Ukraine into NATO.

Luttwak also objected to the label of Russian propagandist. Talking to UnHerd, he said he was not "exactly Putin's most faithful agent," saying he has argued for Western powers to send weapons to Ukraine since "day one of the war."

As well as U.S. citizens, the list of "Russian propagandists" includes political figures, experts and public figures from Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Poland and France.

Other Americans on the list are: political and business advisor Harlan Ullman, author Paul Pillar, economists Jeffrey Sachs and Steve Hanke, political analyst Brian Berletic, academics Patrick Basham and Clifford Kiracofe, former army officer David Payne, ex-diplomat Michael Springmann, retired intelligence officer Scott Ritter, finance specialist Jason Ross, businessman Mike Callicrate, politicians Geoff Young and Diane Sare, journalists Caleb Maupin and Tony Magliano, retired business consultant George Koo, Republican former Senate staffer Jim Jatras, former CIA officer Ray McGovern, former Virginia State Senator Richard Black and political analyst Graham Fuller.

sir-cums-a-lot-776 on July 26th, 2022 at 13:58 UTC »

At the start of the war didn't Tulsi Gabbard state Ukraine should surrender because they had no hope of resisting, and all they were going to do was drag it out resulting in more deaths?

Nano_Burger on July 26th, 2022 at 12:24 UTC »

Macgregor is listed as having said that the Russian army was highly skilled and "invincible," while Mearsheimer is on Ukraine's blacklist for having said NATO provoked Vladimir Putin into war.

The mighty Russian Army seems very "vincible."

DigMeTX on July 26th, 2022 at 12:24 UTC »

Of all the people listed in the article this one might be the most embarrassing: “Macgregor is listed as having said that the Russian army was highly skilled and "invincible," “