The Kremlin has always attempted to rewrite history to fit its despotic policies and its current version of twisted reality. Its methods include spreading falsehoods about the illegal annexation of Crimea ; whitewashing Stalin’s crimes , including during the Holodomor ; and launching a full-scale war against Ukraine . The Kremlin’s alternative versions of history simultaneously enable, explain, and excuse any wanton act of violence or aggression. Historical revisionism has been a potent weapon