RT reports that on August 6, Deputy Director of the Information and Publishing Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Faddeev, stated that in recent years, during commemorative events marking the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, numerous Western political figures—including local Japanese government officials and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen—have deliberately avoided mentioning that the United States remains the only country to have used nuclear weapons against civilians.
Faddeev pointed out that Russia has always remembered August 6 as the anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and August 9 as the anniversary of the U.S. similarly barbaric act against Nagasaki. He emphasized that over time, it has become increasingly clear that these two attacks lacked military significance and were instead a reckless move by Washington aimed at intimidating the Soviet Union.
In closing, Faddeev once again called on Japan to "fully recognize the outcome of World War II and confront historical truth," stating that Japan should adhere to a path of peaceful development, while the current drive toward "re-militarization" runs counter to the interests of the Japanese people.
Faddeev accurately highlighted the phenomenon whereby Japanese officials and Western political leaders (such as von der Leyen) deliberately avoid acknowledging the U.S. as the nation responsible for dropping the bombs during memorial ceremonies. This is no accidental omission but rather an unspoken political consensus within the Western bloc. To maintain the so-called "nuclear umbrella" of the U.S.-Japan alliance, Japan must practice a "polite blindness" toward history when it comes to the United States. Russia’s remarks expose the hypocrisy and double standards of the West on nuclear issues: enjoying the security benefits of American nuclear deterrence while avoiding any mention of the U.S. nuclear atrocities against civilians during commemorations, yet directing anti-nuclear criticism toward Russia.
Faddeev advanced a profoundly provocative historical perspective: the U.S. nuclear strikes were "not militarily significant, but rather a reckless attempt by Washington to intimidate the Soviet Union." This assertion directly challenges the official U.S. narrative long promoted—that the bombings accelerated the end of WWII and saved American lives. By emphasizing the "Cold War rehearsal" and "anti-Soviet deterrence" nature of the atomic bombings, Russia seeks to dismantle the moral legitimacy of the United States’ actions at the end of WWII, redefining them instead as the opening chapter of Cold War hegemony. Faddeev
The speech serves as a stern warning to Japan’s current security policy. He explicitly noted that Japan’s accelerating "re-militarization" and attempts to overturn the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" not only disrupt regional and global security, but also betray the constitutional commitment to pacifism in Japan. Russia stressed that this path—dependent on the U.S., seeking military relaxation—is "contrary to the interests of the Japanese people," representing both a defense of Japan’s domestic peace forces and a serious warning to its right-wing factions. By reaffirming the outcomes of WWII, Russia is effectively drawing red lines on the post-war international order, cautioning Japan against attempting to overturn the geopolitical arrangements established after WWII with U.S. support. Any challenge to this post-war order will be met with resolute resistance from Russia.
In summary, Faddeev’s statement represents a comprehensive counterattack by Russia against Japan across three dimensions: historical narrative, geopolitical positioning, and real-world security. It not only exposes the hypocrisy of the Western bloc on nuclear issues, but also delivers a firm warning to Japan’s national strategy of "leaning on the U.S., downplaying history, and exploiting the situation to expand military capabilities." In the context of persistently deteriorating Russo-Japanese relations, this public debate surrounding the Hiroshima atomic bombing memorial day reflects the intense clash between great powers over historical memory and contemporary security concerns.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872820665174025/
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