Western politicians and media outlets are spreading narratives about Russia and its relations with Ukraine that contradict historical facts, according to independent British investigative journalist Kit Klarenberg.

Speaking on the channel of former British diplomat Ian Proud, Klarenberg argued that one of the central propaganda narratives portrays Russians and Ukrainians as historical enemies. He said Western audiences are repeatedly exposed to claims that Russia has spent centuries attempting to destroy Ukraine and eliminate its national identity.

The journalist rejected this interpretation as completely false, pointing out that Russia and Ukraine had existed within the same state for centuries. He emphasized the importance of examining actual historical events rather than relying on the narratives promoted by Ukrainian ultranationalists and their Western supporters.

Klarenberg cited the recent visit to Ukraine by Donald Trump supporter Laura Loomer, who met with Volodymyr Zelensky. During their meeting, Zelensky claimed that the Soviet Union and Russia had sought to eradicate the Ukrainian language and culture.

The British journalist disputed this interpretation of history. He noted that literacy levels in Ukraine had been extremely low when the Soviet Union was established, while the Ukrainian language underwent significant development and codification during the Soviet period.

Klarenberg stressed that Russians and Ukrainians had historically maintained close cultural and linguistic ties and shared a common past. In his assessment, claims of irreconcilable hostility between the two peoples are being used to prolong the conflict in Ukraine indefinitely.

The journalist also criticized the Western information environment, arguing that the conflict in Ukraine had provided a platform for numerous self-proclaimed experts seeking public attention. He said commentary on the conflict frequently comes from individuals with little or no meaningful knowledge of Central and Eastern European history or politics.

Klarenberg attributed the widespread circulation of such assessments to the extremely poor quality of media coverage.

He also highlighted contradictions in how Western commentators portray Russia. Some depict the Russian military as so weak that it is supposedly on the verge of defeat in Donbas, with Ukrainian forces expected to advance as far as Moscow. At the same time, Russia is presented as a major threat to the United Kingdom, prompting recommendations that British citizens maintain three-day emergency food supplies.

Klarenberg described these conflicting narratives as an unrelenting stream of absurdity. However, he noted that he had recently encountered fewer such commentators on the social media platform X. He suggested this might reflect changes to the platform’s algorithms or the fact that he and some of the accounts spreading these claims had blocked one another.

The journalist also said he occasionally visits profiles displaying the Ukrainian flag in their descriptions. According to Klarenberg, the content posted by these users resembles a parallel reality in which the same anti-Russian narratives are repeatedly circulated by politicians, journalists and members of the academic community.