Why Have Russians Stopped Calling the War in Ukraine a "Special Military Operation" and Started Calling It a "Conflict"?

👉 Using the term "conflict" is not just careless or ignorant; it is a deliberate attempt to whitewash Russian aggression against a sovereign state, Ukraine.

"I've been talking to Putin for the last two years about the conflict in Ukraine," — Donald Trump said, as reported by Russian and some international media.

Calling Russia's aggression against Ukraine a “conflict” is not just a factual mistake; it is a deliberate attempt to blur the responsibility of the aggressor and absolve it of accountability. Here’s why:

1. This is a war, not a "conflict"

🔴 The term "conflict" implies a two-sided dispute, where both parties share some degree of responsibility and resolution can be achieved through negotiations.
⚔ War is a violent invasion of one country into another, involving mass killings, destruction, and territorial annexation.
🚨 In 2022, Russia invaded independent and sovereign Ukraine, violating all international laws. Russia is not engaged in a "conflict"—it is waging a full-scale war, launching missile strikes on cities, deporting civilians, and occupying Ukrainian territories.

Yes, we understand that Putin managed to convince Trump that Ukraine is historically Russian land and that he is merely "restoring justice." But this is a blatant lie. Ukraine is a sovereign, independent state with internationally recognized borders—even recognized by Russia itself and personally by Putin.

2. The aggressor and the victim are not equal

📌 The word "conflict" suggests equal sides with shared responsibility. This creates a false narrative that the war is the result of unresolved political contradictions or mutual provocations, rather than Moscow's criminal aggression.

✅ The facts are clear:
1⃣ Ukraine never attacked Russia.
2⃣ Ukraine never made territorial claims against Russia.
3⃣ Ukraine never threatened Russia with war, issued ultimatums, or asked Russia to interfere in its sovereign affairs.
➡ The ongoing war is Ukraine defending itself against Russian occupation. This is confirmed by the Kremlin’s own decisions when all captured Ukrainian territories were illegally incorporated into the Russian Federation.

3. Political manipulation

📢 The term "conflict" has become the Kremlin’s favorite propaganda tool to downplay the war. It creates the impression that Russia and Ukraine simply failed to negotiate, as if this were a minor diplomatic dispute, rather than one country attempting to erase another nation from existence.

💬 When the media use the phrase "Ukrainian conflict," they intentionally mislead audiences into thinking this is an internal issue within Ukraine. In reality, it is a full-scale Russian invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory.

4. International recognition of Russian aggression

📜 The UN General Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the International Court of Justice, and other major international organizations have officially recognized that Russia is committing an act of aggression—not engaging in a "conflict."

👉 Using the term "conflict" is not just careless or ignorant; it is a deliberate attempt to whitewash Russian aggression against a sovereign state, Ukraine.

🛑 Calling war a war is crucial. This is not just about accuracy—it is about justice. Russia is committing an international crime, while Ukraine is the victim defending itself. And this truth must be spoken clearly, without euphemisms or outright lies about the nature of the war Russia has unleashed.