In Russia’s dystopia, the truth is a crime

In Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, the purpose of the Ministry of Truth was to rewrite history, by falsifying any facts which did not fit in with party doctrine.

In a chilling case of life imitating art, Vladimir Putin is doing precisely that in Russia today. There is no war in Ukraine, he says, and anyone who says there is will go to prison for up to 15 years.

The Kremlin is trying furiously to shut down independent sources of news that show their leader to be a bare-faced liar. But this is the age of the internet. The truth will out. The actual truth.

There were anti-war demonstrations in 44 Russian cities yesterday, with more than 4,000 protesters herded into police vans. They know what’s happening and so does everyone else.

The idea that the population can be kept in the dark is simply risible.

It’s easy to see Putin’s twisted logic. If there is no war, then it can’t be going badly. But it is. Very badly. What was meant to be a stroll into Kyiv has become a deadly war of attrition.

The heroic resistance of Ukrainian forces has caused such disarray among the invaders that Britain’s chief of the defence staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, believes Russia could even lose this campaign.

Meanwhile, there is also dissent in Belarus – Russia’s staunchest ally.

There are claims deputy defence minister Major General Viktor Gulevich has resigned, saying he couldn’t support the invasion and some Belarusian military personnel were refusing to engage in hostilities.

General Gulevich is among those facing UK Government sanctions, suggesting that asset freezing and travel bans are already concentrating minds.

Putin himself has described the sanctions regime as ‘an act of war’ and threatens reprisals – a sure sign that they are hurting him and his cronies.

In a six-point plan to overcome Putin’s aggression and end the horror of war in Ukraine, Boris Johnson pledged to ratchet up sanctions further still.

As we reveal today, more than 100 oligarchs, politicians and companies have been sanctioned by the US or eU but not yet by the UK. Legal and bureaucratic hurdles are being cited as the reason. They must be cleared without further delay.

Short of military action, sanctions are the West’s most potent weapon. For Ukraine to have any chance of being saved from tyranny, they must be deployed at full speed – and with utter ruthlessness.