[gernb]

I was listening to "This American Life" and they had a segment on someone who setup an site to give you a random number to call in Russia where you were supposed to give them info about what's happening in the Ukraine. It was someone shocking to hear their side of the story, that Russia is a hero for helping oppresed Russians in Ukraine.

But then I stepped back and wondered, I'm assuming that the story I've been told is also 100% correct. What proof do I have it is? I get my news from sources who've been wrong before or who have a record of reporting only the official line. My gut still tells me the story I'm being told in the west is correct, but still, the bigger picture is how do I know who to trust?

I see this all over the news. I think/assume the news I get about Ukraine in the west is correct but then I see so much spinning on every other topic that it's hard to know how much spinning is going on here too.

[RobertRoberts]

I was asked "What are we going to do about Ukraine!?" And I said, "It's a civil war that's been going on for almost 10 years, what is different now?" and their response was "what? I'd never heard that." And I added, "In 2014 there was an overthrow of an elected president there and it started the war." Blank stares.

I have a friend who traveled to Europe regularly for tech training, including Ukraine, and he was surprised about how little people know what is going because people's news sources are so limited. (mostly by choice I assume)

No special tech needed to manipulate people, just lack of multiple information sources?

[HyperSane]

The president that lost power in 2014, Viktor Yanukovych, was a Russian puppet who refused to sign the European Union–Ukraine Association Agreement in favor of closer ties to Russa. The Ukrainian parliament voted to remove him from office by 328 to 0. He then fled to Russia.

[synu]

It’s hard to fathom believing there’s nothing new or relevant happening with the 2022 invasion, or why if there was a lead-in to the conflict that would be on its own a reason to conclude that there’s nothing to be done now.

[RobertRoberts]

See this is the problem. While I follow plenty of international news, I didn't know this.

There is often times just too much to know to fully understand a situation. So how can anyone form a valid opinion?

As a follow up, was the election of Victor Yanukovych lawful? If not, then why not point out he was a puppet from a manipulated election? That would be worth a coupe, but not because you disagree with his politics, that's just insanity. Look what Trump believed and supported, we didn't start civil war because Trump wouldn't sign a treaty and he was accused of being a Russian puppet too. There is just more to this story than you are letting on.

[mcphage]

> what is different now?

Um. Is this a serious question?

[RobertRoberts]

Yes, I didn't know there was an invasion when asked about Ukraine, but I knew about the past history. (some at least)

[mcphage]

So you were asked something about a major current event, you're surprised that they don't know about what happened 10 years ago, and they're surprised you don't know about what's happening now. Blank stares all around, I guess.

[RobertRoberts]

Yes, it was the morning after the Russian invasion. I just wasn't on the internet. Before that moment, Russia was just posturing on the border.

This is my point, it's easy to just not know something at any point in time, let alone some things you will only know if you have varying news sources, even if it's many years old.

How many of your friends, family and acquaintances know about the civil war in Ukraine for the nearly past decade?

[synu]

Everyone I know knew, but we live in Europe. Your mileage may vary depending on where you live.