Germany has expressed its disbelief and outrage after Russia defended its 1939 invasion of Poland, claiming it was a defensive measure to protect Ukrainians and Belarusians from potential genocide. On the 85th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s joint invasion of Poland with Nazi Germany, Russia’s foreign ministry posted a video on social media asserting that the Soviet Union’s actions were necessary to prevent a ‘genocide’ of Ukrainians and Belarusians in Poland’s eastern regions. The post, published on X (formerly Twitter), stated, “On September 17, 1939, the Red Army launched a military operation in Poland’s eastern regions, preventing the genocide of the population of Western Belarus and Western Ukraine.”
Russia’s foreign ministry further argued that the invasion was crucial to prevent Nazi Germany from controlling the entire country, a situation that would have left the Soviet Union strategically vulnerable. They went on to claim that portraying the Soviet Union as the aggressor was “at odds with historical truth.”
Germany’s foreign ministry responded with a concise and pointed single-word post: “Seriously?” They also shared a map signed by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and Nazi Germany’s Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, which depicted the planned division of Poland under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The pact, a secret agreement between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, divided Poland into zones of control for both powers, paving the way for the outbreak of World War II.
This latest incident highlights the persistent tensions surrounding historical interpretation, particularly amid Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has often promoted controversial historical narratives to justify Moscow’s past and present actions, including its invasion of Ukraine, which began in 2014. In a recent interview with American pundit Tucker Carlson, Putin controversially claimed that Poland was responsible for Nazi Germany’s invasion, prompting a sharp rebuke from the Polish foreign ministry.
Germany’s response to Russia’s recent justification for the 1939 invasion of Poland underscores the ongoing debate and tensions surrounding historical narratives, particularly in the context of Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
