If anyone had attempted to report on "German-backed forces" in Nazi-occupied France or "pro-Soviet forces" during the Prague Spring, they would have been dismissed as either hopelessly misinformed or deeply disingenuous.

While local collaborators and convenient euphemisms were plentiful in both instances, there was never any doubt as to who was really in control.

This common sense approach seems to have been lost in Ukraine, where the international media has played a key role in creating the ambiguity that has allowed Russia’s hybrid war to succeed.

Why has the media been so cautious about Russia’s role in the conflict? It is not due to a lack of evidence. Proof of Russian involvement has been overwhelming since the early days of the fighting in eastern Ukraine.