In Russia, the participation of the Russian military in the war against Ukraine is called “heroism”. The so-called “heroes” illegally cross the border of another state, occupy part of it, thereby allegedly “liberating Ukraine from the Nazis”. They kill Ukrainian civilians, rape, and loot. At the same time, it is precisely such actions that are presented in Russian propaganda as “heroism”.

In addition, the Russian military receives state awards for this. Thus, Putin, for example, noted the “heroism and courage” of the 64th separate motorized rifle brigade of the Russian Ground Forces, which carried out a massacre in the city of Bucha, Kyiv region. The head of the Kremlin gave this brigade the name “Guards” for “heroism and courage, steadfastness and courage shown by the brigade’s personnel in combat operations to defend the fatherland and state interests in armed conflicts”.

Also in Russia, children are raised by promoting the cult of war and cultivating their willingness to imitate the “heroism” of the participants in the Russian-Ukrainian war. That is, in this way, there is a legitimation of the occupation, encouragement to violate the laws and customs of war, and the commission of actions that international justice regards as war crimes. This is evidenced, for example, by special ideological lessons, in particular, “Conversations about what is important” and the so-called “Lessons of Courage”; cadet classes; opening memorial plaques in schools to Russian soldiers who died in the war against Ukraine; opening of the “heroes' desks”.

In particular, the rhetoric about the “heroism” of Russian “liberators” is intended to justify the war crimes of the Russian army, to give this war a different, righteous content.

Read also: “The Crucified Boy” became the “hero Fiodor”: How Russian propaganda invents heroes – MediaSapiens.