Listen to the article
Ukrainian Canadian Congress Slams Globe and Mail for “Pro-Russian” Photo Essay
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) has launched a scathing critique of The Globe and Mail, one of Canada’s most prominent newspapers, for publishing what it describes as Russian propaganda disguised as journalism. The controversy centers around a photo essay titled “Putin’s War” by Serbian photographer Goran Tomasevic, which depicts the daily lives of Russian soldiers occupying Ukrainian territory.
At the heart of the dispute is Tomasevic’s access to fighters from Russia’s “Akhmat” unit, a military formation affiliated with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. The UCC condemned the newspaper’s characterization of these soldiers, stating that referring to them as a “special forces” unit is “akin to calling the mafia a ‘business association.'” The organization emphasized that the Akhmat fighters are “well-known sadists with a long, sordid and well-documented record of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other outrages.”
The Globe and Mail attempted to justify the publication with an editor’s note claiming the photo essay represented objective journalism. The UCC rejected this defense, suggesting that the need for such a note indicated the newspaper’s own awareness of potential ethical problems with the content.
“That you would pen an Editor’s Note to accompany this essay, and try to justify it as objective journalism, suggests that, at a minimum, you may have had an inkling that what you are publishing was not, in fact, objective journalism,” the UCC stated in its response.
A particular point of contention was the portrayal of a Russian “field hospital” in the photo essay, which the UCC described as a deliberate attempt to generate sympathy for the Russian military. The organization emphasized that Russian soldiers in Ukraine are “highly paid war criminals who came voluntarily to kill, maim, rape, steal, and commit massacres,” challenging any humanizing portrayal of the invading forces.
The UCC also raised legal concerns about the photographer’s presence in Ukraine, suggesting that Tomasevic may have entered sovereign Ukrainian territory illegally. “Abetting the violation of Ukrainian law is not a proud moment for Canadian journalism,” the organization noted.
Questions about the authenticity and objectivity of the photographic coverage were also raised. The UCC pointed out that in Russia’s tightly controlled media environment, foreign journalists are only shown what the government permits them to see. Access to military units would only be granted if Russian authorities were confident the resulting coverage would align with official propaganda narratives.
This is not an isolated incident in the strained relationship between The Globe and Mail and the Ukrainian Canadian community. The UCC cited previous controversies, including the newspaper’s 2008 publication of Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s “disgraceful denial of the Holodomor as a Genocide.” The Holodomor was the man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine from 1932-1933 that killed millions of Ukrainians. The UCC also referenced what it described as “naive and uncritical” coverage of a Russian propaganda film titled “Russians at War.”
The dispute highlights the ongoing information war surrounding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022 but has roots dating back to Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. As the military conflict continues, media representation remains a contentious battleground, with Ukrainian advocacy groups vigilant against what they perceive as the normalization of Russian aggression in Western media outlets.
The Globe and Mail has not yet issued a public response to the UCC’s criticism.
Fact Checker
Verify the accuracy of this article using The Disinformation Commission analysis and real-time sources.
10 Comments
While I appreciate the Globe and Mail’s desire for balanced reporting, the UCC makes a fair point. Characterizing Chechen fighters with a history of war crimes as ‘special forces’ is concerning. Journalists must be extremely careful not to inadvertently legitimize Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Responsible, nuanced journalism is essential, especially on sensitive geopolitical issues. I hope the Globe and Mail learns from this experience and adjusts their coverage accordingly.
This is a concerning situation. While objective journalism is important, I agree that the Globe and Mail should be more careful about how they portray Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Depicting Chechen fighters as ‘special forces’ seems like a poor editorial choice that could be seen as downplaying their war crimes.
I appreciate the Ukrainian Canadian Congress calling this out. The media has a responsibility to report accurately and avoid language that could be viewed as whitewashing atrocities.
The Globe and Mail’s decision to publish this photo essay is puzzling. Giving a platform to Russian propagandists, even under the guise of ‘objective journalism’, seems misguided and could undermine public trust. I hope they learn from this experience.
It’s good that the Ukrainian Canadian Congress is holding the newspaper accountable. Responsible journalism is crucial, especially when covering sensitive geopolitical conflicts.
This is a complex situation, but I tend to side with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress on this. The language and framing used in the Globe and Mail piece seem problematic. Journalists must be vigilant about not amplifying Russian propaganda, even unintentionally.
The media plays a crucial role in shaping public understanding of conflicts like this. I hope the Globe and Mail takes this criticism to heart and re-evaluates their approach.
While I understand the desire for balanced reporting, the UCC raises some valid concerns. Referring to Chechen fighters with ties to war crimes as ‘special forces’ is troubling. The media must be careful not to inadvertently legitimize Russia’s brutal tactics in Ukraine.
Agreed. The Globe and Mail should reconsider how they frame these issues going forward. Objective journalism is important, but not at the expense of downplaying human rights abuses.