The Kremlin has changed its rhetoric: the ‘special military operation’ is now a ‘war’
This wording marked a noticeable shift in the Kremlin’s public rhetoric; since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it had officially insisted on using the term ‘special military operation’.
What Peskov said
Peskov stated that the events which Moscow refers to as a “special military operation” had allegedly turned into a war due to Western countries’ support for Ukraine.
“It all began as a special military operation. It is continuing as a war because Kyiv is backed by Berlin, Paris, The Hague, Oslo and, unfortunately, Washington,” the Kremlin spokesperson said in a comment to propagandist Pavel Zarubin.
According to Peskov, Western countries are helping Ukraine by supplying foreign weaponry and providing satellite data. He also described Ukrainian strikes on Russian targets as “terrorist”, even though Russia regularly attacks Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has avoided using the word ‘war’ at the state level when referring to its aggression against Ukraine. The Kremlin’s official line has remained unchanged: ‘special military operation’.
Peskov’s use of the phrase “is continuing as a war” does not imply a legal change in the status of the hostilities in Russia. However, it is politically significant, as the Kremlin is effectively acknowledging the scale of the conflict, which for years it has sought to describe as a limited “operation”.
That said, Peskov has used similar phrasing before. In particular, in March 2024, he stated that ‘de jure’ for Russia this remains a ‘special military operation’, but ‘de facto’ it has turned into a war due to Western interference. Therefore, this latest statement is not the first time Peskov has used the word ‘war’, but rather a new public reiteration and intensification of this rhetoric.
The context of the statement
Peskov’s statement came against the backdrop of intensified Russian strikes on Ukraine and Ukrainian attacks on military, energy and logistics facilities on Russian territory.
Reuters reported that, following a massive strike on Kyiv, Russia declared its intention to continue stepping up pressure on Ukraine. According to the agency, in the fifth year of the war, Moscow has stepped up its missile and drone attacks, whilst Ukraine has intensified strikes on the Russian energy sector, leading to damage and fuel shortages in Russia.
Within Russia itself, the economic consequences of the war are becoming increasingly apparent. According to Gallup, 60 per cent of Russians believe that the economic situation in their region is deteriorating, whilst 56 per cent reported a decline in their standard of living. Reuters noted that this survey was conducted before the recent fuel shortages caused by strikes on Russian oil refineries.
What the polls in Russia show
Against the backdrop of a shift in the Kremlin’s rhetoric, war fatigue is also growing among the Russian public. According to a study by the Kyiv-based Institute for Conflict Studies and Analysis of Russia, 81 per cent of Russians would support a decision to end the war ‘as early as tomorrow’. The authors of the study claim this is the highest figure since the full-scale invasion began.
At the same time, such data should be interpreted with caution, as this is a survey conducted in an authoritarian state where respondents may avoid giving direct political answers or alter their behaviour for fear of persecution.
Peskov’s statement does not indicate that the Kremlin is prepared to end its aggression against Ukraine. On the contrary, following the same line of reasoning, Moscow is attempting to shift the blame for the war’s duration onto the West and justify further escalation.
At the same time, the shift from the phrase ‘special military operation’ to ‘continues as a war’ shows that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Kremlin to maintain its old propaganda narrative. The scale of the fighting, casualties, strikes on Russian infrastructure, economic pressure and public fatigue make the word ‘war’ virtually inevitable, even in the rhetoric of Russian officials.
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