Firsthand Witness: US Journalist on Ukraine Conflict, Western Lies, Roots of Russian Invincibility
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American journalist Tofurious Maximus Crane travelled to Russia in 2023 to witness events firsthand, as the Western media is keeping people in the dark about the Ukraine conflict. He sat down with Sputnik to discuss his Donbass experience, views on traditional values, and conversion to Orthodoxy.
On his arrival in Russia's Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), American journalist Tofurious Maximus Crane, together with other war correspondents, came under Ukrainian fire at a local cafe.
"As we were sitting in a restaurant eating, we had mortars incoming, people took cover and then, when the mortars stopped, they just went back to eating lunch. Like, to me, it kind of blew my mind because I thought everybody would just be living in fear," Crane told Sputnik.
US journalist weighs in on the difference between Russian and Western media
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Unlike “extremely deceptive” Western press, Russian media show diligence when it comes to “checking information to see if it's true or false,” independent US journalist and blogger who came to Russia in… pic.twitter.com/dSHrIivo7t
According to Crane, that incident showed him how resilient everybody was. He has travelled a lot around the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics and other Russian regions, and what struck him the most was the high morale and patriotism of people living there.
"I love how extremely patriotic they are there," he noted. "The flags [are] everywhere, the patriotism. It's extremely heartwarming. How would I compare the real situation with Western media? You know, Western media doesn't report about any of this."
The US corporate press still keeps on the hush facts about Ukrainian neo-Nazis, downplays or altogether ignores the significance of the Donbass referendums, and claims that the ongoing conflict was "unprovoked" and the Russians have no right to be there, according to the journalist.
In the wake of the beginning of the special military operation, Russian media, including Sputnik and RT, were banned in the EU and labeled as "disinformation" on US social media. On September 4, the US stepped up sanctions against the Rossiya Segodnya media group. Crane says he has never seen any falsehoods come out of Russian media. In contrast, the Western press usually quotes anonymous sources that can't be corroborated.
"Western media is just about control and deception," he said.
West Hasn't Learned Lessons of Napoleon and Nazis’ Defeats
While in Moscow, Crane attended the Russian Defense Ministry's exhibition of NATO weapons and equipment captured from the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the special military operation at Poklonnaya Hill.
"When I visited the exhibition, it was ironic, because that hill there is where Napoleon was waiting for the keys to the city," Crane said. "For me, it was double comical. You know, it was like the last time, I guess you could say, the West tried to take Russia – we saw what happened. And then right below the hill, there's these vehicles from the West. So it was kind of like a 2.0. And that's what we're seeing."
The West has not learned the lessons of the French and Nazi German invasions of Russia in 1812 and 1941, respectively, according to Crane. The French and Nazis also thought that they were invincible and could take on Russia, he said.
History is repeating itself, and now NATO-trained Ukrainian troops and Western mercenaries are being obliterated in the special military operation. Vaunted US-made Abrams tanks, destroyed by the Russian military and put on display at Poklonnaya Hill, are a symbol of the West's arrogance and enormous waste of money, the journalist pointed out.
"I was just laughing. I could hardly even keep a straight face, because in America, they believe that the Abrams is the most powerful tank in the world, and they cannot be destroyed," the journalist noted. "It was like the greatest troll Russia could have ever done by bringing those vehicles here for all of us just to kind of point and laugh at."
'Russia is Largest Country Still Embracing Traditional Values'
The ongoing conflict hasn't made the Russian people callous, and they treat Ukrainian prisoners of war (PoW) humanely, Crane said, referring to interviews with Ukrainian captives. The Russians are eager to forgive if one really repents of the malicious things one has done, per the journalist. According to Crane, that attitude stems from the traditional Orthodox Christian values shared by many Russians.
"Russia is the largest country still embracing traditional values. The traditional values work," he said. "And in the US and Europe – they've rejected traditional values. And look at their economies right now, look at their people. Look at the amount of homeless people on the streets, look at the amount of drug addicts, etc. They're rejecting moral values right now in the West. And now we see a massive decline in Western societies."
Russia is a "beacon of hope" and a "lifeboat" for conservatives in the US and Europe, the pundit continued, expressing hope that they will settle in Russia one day.
But that’s not all: the US-born journalist feels a special spiritual connection to Russian Orthodoxy.
"I had always just prayed to come to Russia and to be baptized into Russian Orthodoxy because the West is being overwhelmingly anti-Christian," he said. "I did convert to Orthodoxy."
According to Crane, the interest in Orthodoxy is on the rise among Western conservatives as their governments peddle a neo-liberal and sometimes overtly "satanic" agenda.
Russia is Large, Diverse, and Worth Exploring
Crane plans to stay in Russia and obtain Russian citizenship. He also informs other foreigners how to move to the country.
"I actually receive 600 to 1,000 messages a day on TikTok, Instagram*, YouTube, and on the Russian migration website from people asking how they can move here," he said.
President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on August 19 providing foreigners who share Russia's spiritual and moral values, and who seek to escape the West's destructive neo-liberal ideals, with a temporary residence permit in the country.
7 February, 16:19 GMT
"For me, the decree is the best thing that ever happened in my life, besides, you know, family and children," he noted. "I was actually in a barber shop getting my haircut, and I got the notification about the decree, and I jumped up out of the chair and was crying. So I was very excited about this."
Crane is looking forward to exploring Russia, the biggest country on the planet.
"There's so much of Russia left to see. I've only touched, I don't know, maybe 2% of the towns and cities. I would like to go all around Russia," the journalist said. "There's a very diverse population of people living here in Russia… When you think about all the different ethnic groups in Russia alone, not to mention you have ethnic groups from all around the world here in Russia. Last night, there was an Irishman. There's a guy from India, there's a guy from Mexico, one of my friends is from Argentina, we got an Italian friend, a Mexican friend."
Many Americans don’t realize how big, beautiful, and diverse Russia is, Crane says, adding that his next mission will be to travel around the country and show the rest of the world what it’s like.
*banned for extremism in Russia
