The Claim:
The Russian Foreign Ministry, through spokesperson Maria Zakharova, claims that Jewish religious circles in Poland were outraged by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Auschwitz. It falsely asserts that Poland’s Chief Rabbi, Michael Schudrich, referred to Zelensky as a “dictator” who has “tamed Nazis on a leash,” suggesting that Ukrainian leadership is aligned with neo-Nazism.
The Facts:
- No Verifiable Source for the Quote:
- There is no credible report or statement from Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich confirming that he made such remarks about Zelensky. If the Russian Foreign Ministry had a genuine source, they would have cited it directly rather than making an unverified assertion.
- Rabbi Schudrich has previously spoken out against Russian disinformation narratives, including those alleging widespread Nazism in Ukraine.
- StopFake has posted a statement from Chief Rabbi Schudrich, stating that the quote is false.
- Zelensky’s Jewish Identity and Russian Disinformation about “Nazism” in Ukraine:
- Zelensky is Jewish, and his family suffered under Nazi persecution. The claim that he is aligned with “Nazis” is a longstanding Kremlin narrative that distorts reality.
- The Russian state has repeatedly tried to frame Ukraine as a neo-Nazi state despite Ukraine having a democratically elected government that includes Jewish leaders and a multiethnic society.
- Poland’s Jewish Community Has Rejected Russian Narratives:
- Jewish organizations in Poland, including the Auschwitz Museum and the Polish Chief Rabbi, have consistently denounced Russia’s misuse of Holocaust history.
- Russia has a record of attempting to manipulate WWII history to justify its aggression against Ukraine.
Narrative Context:
- Classic Kremlin “Ukraine as a Nazi State” Disinformation:
This claim fits into a well-documented Russian propaganda campaign alleging that Ukraine is controlled by neo-Nazis. The narrative is used to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and to delegitimize its leadership on the international stage. - Target Audience:
- Domestic Russian audience: Reinforces the Kremlin’s justification for the war.
- Western far-right and anti-Ukraine voices: Attempts to sow division by linking Ukraine with Nazi ideology.
- Poland: Tries to create friction between Poland and Ukraine by falsely suggesting Jewish outrage in Poland over Zelensky’s presence at Auschwitz.
- Discrediting Holocaust Memory Institutions:
- The Russian state frequently weaponizes Holocaust remembrance for its own political ends.
- By falsely claiming that Zelensky’s presence at Auschwitz caused Jewish outrage, the Kremlin seeks to undermine Ukraine’s moral standing and deflect from its own historical revisionism and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
