The True Story of "Babushka Z"

An elderly Ukrainian woman brandishing a red Soviet flag has become the unlikely face of Kremlin propaganda after a video of her encounter with Ukrainian soldiers went viral. The BBC tracked down "Babushka Z" to try to establish the truth behind the incident.

~ ~ ~

The Kremlin propaganda machine got to work. Within days, her image - a throwback to a stereotypical peasant woman of the Soviet era in her orthodox headscarf, felt boots and thick skirt - started to appear everywhere, from Moscow and Siberia to Sakhalin Island in the far east.

She has now been immortalised in murals, placards, postcards, sculptures and bumper stickers. Songs and poems have been dedicated to her. Russian officials even unveiled a statue of her in Mariupol, the Ukrainian city that has been bombed to the ground.

But ....

.... all is not as it seems ....

She does not support the war.

"How can I support my people dying? My grandchildren and great-grandchildren were forced to go to Poland. We live in fear and terror."

So why did Anna greet soldiers with a Soviet flag? She says she has been misunderstood. She claims she confused the two Ukrainian soldiers offering her food with Russian soldiers.

"I was just happy that Russians would come and not fight with us. I was happy that we would unite again."

~ ~ ~

"If I could speak to Vladimir Putin I would say, you've made a mistake. Us Ukrainian workers, what have we ever done to deserve this? We are the ones who are suffering the most."

www.bbc.co.uk...

I am guessing that this aspect of the story will not be reported in Russia! And no doubt some of Putin's Nazi-apologists will simply dismiss it as BBC lies (after all, we all know the BBC are biased!)

a reply to: AndyMayhew

Ah yes BBC..

The same BBC that had been defending the Jihadists in Syria to.

a reply to: AndyMayhew

we all know the BBC are biased

You already had forgotten how the BBC tried to lie about the Syrian chemical weapon attack in Syria Duma i believe? they faked it so they would try push for a international regime change of militarily intervention.

originally posted by: vNex92
a reply to: AndyMayhew

Ah yes BBC..

The same BBC that had been defending the Jihadists in Syria to.

I'm not aware of that BBC.

The only BBC I know is biased against the Socialists, Tories, Liberals, Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, EU, Brexiters, Remainers, environmentalists, conspiracy theorists, flat earthers, round earthers, hollow earthers, Muslims, Jews, Christians, rich people, poor people, the USA, Russia, Australia, China, Martians and the Lunar Cheese Miners

originally posted by: vNex92
a reply to: AndyMayhew

we all know the BBC are biased

You already had forgotten how the BBC tried to lie about the Syrian chemical weapon attack in Syria Duma i believe? they faked it so they would try push for a international regime change of militarily intervention.

Ah yes, the BBC faked it. Like they faked 9/11, the Kennedy assasination, the true identity of the Queen and still lie to us about covid not being caused by 5G waves bounced off chemtrails by HAARP

Meanwhile, I am sure Putin and his Nazi propaganda machine never lie about anything at all, ever. Except in this case they been caught out!

Got any links to this from russian sources even just about the woman.

Otherwise this is just more western propaganda.

originally posted by: Nexttimemaybe
Got any links to this from russian sources even just about the woman.

Otherwise this is just more western propaganda.

I don't read Russian, but are you saying the statue and posters do not exist?

politiko.al...

www.france24.com...

www.breakinglatest.news...

medium.com...@deborahlarmstrong/babushka-z-68fd81b35b8c

originally posted by: AndyMayhew

originally posted by: Nexttimemaybe
Got any links to this from russian sources even just about the woman.

Otherwise this is just more western propaganda.

I don't read Russian, but are you saying the statue and posters do not exist?

politiko.al...

www.france24.com...

www.breakinglatest.news...

medium.com...@deborahlarmstrong/babushka-z-68fd81b35b8c

I'm saying I read a couple of Russian news websites everyday and have seen no mention of this woman.

a reply to: Nexttimemaybe

ruskline.ru...

lenta.ru...

www.ruptly.tv...

Edit: woah, I didn't realize links work automatically if you just copypaste them. Been doing it wrong all this time.

originally posted by: vNex92
a reply to: AndyMayhew

Ah yes BBC..

The same BBC that had been defending the Jihadists in Syria to.

How about a link to that story or are you making it up??

Out of all the news media groups that gets shoved in our faces 24/7 I'd say the BBC is one of the least biased.

originally posted by: AndyMayhew

originally posted by: vNex92
a reply to: AndyMayhew

Ah yes BBC..

The same BBC that had been defending the Jihadists in Syria to.

I'm not aware of that BBC.

The only BBC I know is biased against the Socialists, Tories, Liberals, Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, EU, Brexiters, Remainers, environmentalists, conspiracy theorists, flat earthers, round earthers, hollow earthers, Muslims, Jews, Christians, rich people, poor people, the USA, Russia, Australia, China, Martians and the Lunar Cheese Miners

Don't fall for big lunar cheese mining propaganda.

a reply to: vNex92

Ah yes BBC..

Oddly enough they're not reporting it on TASS.

Found a Russian report from Pushilin of the unveiling of the Babushka statue - so yes, it must be fake

denis-pushilin.ru...

a reply to: vNex92

So, you're stating that, there's Babushka Z?

a reply to: AndyMayhew

Babushka Z lived 12 kilometers from Russia in the liberated Kharkiv region.

Russian soldiers offered to evacuate them but they wanted to stay for the animals.
t.me...



After the video went viral there was stuff like this going around Pro Ukraine channels




Here is the video of Babushka Z.



I take it that she is now in the care of Ukraine. I don't think BBC is on the up and up with this one. That is just my opinion.

She knew damn well they were Ukrainians when they were standing on the USSR flag and wouldn't give the poor old lady her flag back, Russians wouldn't do that.