The media inflated the news value of the ISW report, was assessed in the Last Word program. There is a lot of news about Russia, but is it reasonable to grasp every statement?
Vladimir Putin preparing for war against NATO.
This is the assessment of the report of the American think tank ISW, which was widely circulated by the Finnish media on Thursday.
There is nothing new in the report, according to ‘s Last word program.
– I think it’s quite obvious that he is preparing to fight more wars, says Ilta-Sanomie’s special editor Arja Paananen.
According to Paananen, the Russian president has been claiming for a long time that NATO is waging war against Russia through Ukraine.
– Putin has no other choice but to continue the same policy and increase steam.
There is nothing wrong with the ISW report, but its news value has been exaggerated, says the leading researcher of the Foreign Policy Institute Sinikukka Saari.
– The concern about Russia’s actions is justified, but it has been discussed many times elsewhere, as well as in this very short report on the latest stages of the war in Ukraine.
Saari understands that the media has to sell its stuff. However, exaggerating the importance of individual studies and statements is inaccurate reporting, says Saari.
Also ‘s former Moscow correspondent Erkka Mikkonen criticizes the media’s way of reporting on Russia.
– There was news in Finland [torstaina] that now Putin has also started talking about war instead of special operations, although he has actually talked about war many times before.
According to Mikkonen, the problem is that journalists unfamiliar with Russia may translate their stories directly from articles in other media.
– They don’t necessarily know how to look for the original source to see what it’s really about.
The importance of expertise and familiarity is emphasized by Arja Paananen, who was awarded the Grand Journalist Award for his Russia journalism at the beginning of March.
According to Paananen, all statements coming from Russia should be questioned and put into context.
– If a journalist only has to quote briefly, he will accidentally repeat Putin’s propaganda.
How can you understand the Kremlin from Finland? See the whole Last word in Areena.