【Text/Observer Network Zhang Zhaodong】
The Russian-Ukrainian border is about to rain, and the US Embassy in Ukraine has moved quickly, retreating all the way to Poland... At the same time as the rapid evacuation, the US Embassy in Ukraine did not forget to carry the hand to make a terrier and tweet, satirizing Russia. However, this wave of operations can not be home, overturned...
On the evening of February 22, the official Twitter of the U.S. Embassy in Kiev released a meme of "When the church was built in Kiev, Moscow was still a primeval forest", intended to satirize Putin's previous remarks in the national speech that "modern Ukraine is completely created by Russia". However, this picture seems to have helped, and many netizens have voiced sarcasm, making a comparison between Moscow and Washington. Other scholars scoffed: "Isn't this a reiteration of Putin's remarks?" Michael Doherty, a writer for the National Review, was even more outspoken: "The embassy did not stay in Kiev to help American citizens, but retreated to Poland to make a plot." ”
Screenshot from the official Twitter of the U.S. Embassy in Kiev
The meme released by the U.S. Embassy depicts Kiev and Moscow at four different time periods in 996, 1011, 1070, and 1108. In these four years, Kiev has built the Deschatina Church, the Hagia Sophia, the Vidubic Monastery and the St. Michael's Golden Dome Monastery, while Moscow has always been a primeval forest. Moscow was not yet built until 1147.
Kiev was the capital of the Rus' Principality of Kievan during the Medieval period. The country was founded by the Vikings in 882 AD, and the East Slavs were the main body of the country. In 1240, Kievan Rus died in the Mongol Expedition.
Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians all originated in the Principality of Kievan Rus, and their ancestors were All East Slavs. After the 13th century, the Russians rose, and Moscow gradually replaced Kiev as the center of Kievan Rus' culture. In the mid-16th century, the Grand Duchy of Moscow was renamed Tsarist Russia; by the 18th century, Peter I was proclaimed emperor, and Tsarist Russia became a Russian Empire spanning a vast area from Poland to the Pacific.
Kievan Rus' territory in the 10th-11th centuries
Us media said that the US Embassy in Kiev released this picture to satirize Putin's previous remarks in the national video speech that "modern Ukraine was completely created by Russia".
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a national video address announcing the recognition of the independence of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic, and signing relevant agreements and presidential decrees.
In his speech, Putin called Ukraine a product of the Soviet era, that "modern Ukraine was created entirely by Russia," and that historical Ukraine was part of Russia, "and that Ukraine never had its true statehood." ”
"For us, Ukraine is more than just a neighbor. It is an integral part of our own historical, cultural and spiritual space. Putin said in his speech, "They are our comrades, relatives, not only colleagues, friends or former colleagues, but also relatives who are related to us by blood and have family ties." ”
Putin signed the presidential decree from TASS
This meme of the US Embassy in Kiev did play a certain effect, and was affirmed by many US media and many netizens, but many netizens also scoffed at it, saying that this just supported Putin's statement.
"When these churches were built, the country was called Kievan Rus'." Ross', later Russia, you know you've agreed with Putin, but you didn't realize it yourself? ”
"Vladimir I (Prince of Kievan Rus) did not know that he was building a church in Ukraine..."
Writer Josh Barro commented: "Isn't this reiterating Putin's own views? ”
Historian David Perry points out that the meme of the U.S. Embassy is academically accurate, but it still conveys the wrong message. Indeed, the early pioneering of Kiev and the rise of Moscow in the post-Mongol era are an important piece of medieval history. But...... I'm really not sure if the appeal of medieval history on diplomatic social media has played a role that embassies want it to play. ”
Someone else replied, "Hahahaha, what about Washington?" ”
"When it comes to the date of the nation's founding, the United States should work harder. I remember it as bad as Africa. ”
Some netizens made a comparison chart of Kiev and Washington: "Then come on, this history is more accurate." ”
There are also netizens who have produced a comparison of Moscow and Washington:
British netizens are not willing to be lonely, holding a comparison map of London and Washington, taunting: "What strange things are sent, but okay, I will play with you." ”
Michael Brendan Dougherty, a veteran writer at National Review, angrily criticized: "The U.S. State Department is abandoning its core function in Kiev, which is to serve the American citizens living there; it is retreating to Poland to do the map." Ironically, this will confirm in the minds of Russians that Kiev is the cradle of their civilization. Nicely done. ”
The incident also attracted the attention of the Russian media. Bryan MacDonald, head of Russia Today, scoffed: "First, it's naïve; second, it really just reinforces Russia's view that Kiev is the cradle of their civilization; third, the U.S. embassy has fled to Poland, while the embassies of other Western countries remain in Ukraine." ”
According to previous reports, at a time when the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border was tense, US Secretary of State Blinken announced on February 14 that it would close the embassy in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, and relocate related operations and remaining diplomatic personnel to the western city of Lviv, citing "a significant acceleration in the concentration of Russian troops." After the United States had ordered most diplomats to leave the country and suspended consular services, the number of personnel at the Kiev Embassy had been drastically reduced.
After Putin announced the recognition of the "Donetsk People's Republic" and the "independence of the Luhansk People's Republic," Blinken announced the overnight evacuation of U.S. State Department staff who had previously been evacuated to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv for "overnight stay in Poland" on the grounds of "security reasons."
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