**YouTuber Johnny Harris Distorts History in NATO and Ukraine War Video**
Johnny Harris, a popular YouTuber known for his in-depth videos on geopolitics and history, has faced criticism for distorting facts and promoting Russian narratives in one of his latest videos. The video, titled “Why People Blame America for the War in Ukraine,” was released on December 5 and sparked outrage among viewers.
**Harris Echoes Kremlin Talking Points**
In the video, Harris argues that NATO’s expansion into Eastern Europe is to blame for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He claims that the US took advantage of Russia’s weakness after the Cold War to expand NATO to its borders, despite the fact that NATO only shares a 378-kilometer border with Russia out of its total 57,792 kilometers.
**Harris Overlooks Key Events in Russian History**
The video also overlooks significant events in Russian history, such as Moscow’s occupation of parts of Moldova and Georgia in the 1990s, and the crushing of the Chechen uprising. Harris praises Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for his efforts to end the Cold War, but ignores how Gorbachev sent tanks to Lithuania to crush its independence movement.
**Harris’ Video Ignores Ukrainian Voices**
Harris’ video also fails to include the perspectives and voices of Eastern European countries, which have voluntarily joined NATO as a defensive military alliance. The author of the video questions why these countries would want to join NATO, highlighting that it’s not “gym enlargement” when people join an organization like a gym.
**Apology and Removal of Video**
After a wave of feedback from viewers, Harris issued an apology on December 6 and removed the video. However, many are left wondering if this was enough to redeem his platform, which has been criticized for prioritizing sensationalism over facts.
**Harris’ Prior Record of Distorting History**
This is not the first time Harris has been called out for distorting history in one of his videos. His previous video “Why Is Russia So DAMN BIG?” whitewashed Russia’s violent history of expansionism, and many are concerned that he may be repeating this mistake.
**The Power of Video as a Tool of Persuasion**
The author emphasizes the importance of considering the impact of video on viewers, especially when it comes to sensitive subjects like geopolitics. The hypnotic experience of watching a Harris video can move viewers emotionally as well as intellectually, making it an effective tool for propaganda.
**Is Harris a Journalist or Propagandist?**
The article concludes that the question for Harris is whether he wants to be a journalist or a propagandist. By using editing and visual tools to influence his audience’s opinions, Harris risks losing credibility and becoming a mouthpiece for certain ideologies rather than an independent voice of truth.
**Editor’s Note**
The views expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent.