Do not fall for disinformation: Ukraine and Ukrainians are victims of Putin's aggression and need our prayers, concrete help, solidarity, and support.
It is alarming how many people around us, our neighbors, and even our relatives are adopting pro-Russian attitudes, relativizing Russian aggression in Ukraine, and uncritically believing in disinformation.
The true extent of Russian aggression cannot be precisely described during the war, but even from the data of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, it is clear how much suffering Russian soldiers have caused in Ukraine. The office has verified at least 16,431 killed and 48,613 injured civilians. Among them are 803 children killed and 2,960 injured. More than 20,000 children have been deported or forcibly displaced (according to the Children of War portal), of whom only two and a half thousand have been able to return home. According to the International Organization for Migration, approximately 3.7 million Ukrainians remain internally displaced within Ukraine. In the European Union, 4.41 million people who fled the war in Ukraine have found temporary protection. The Russian army repeatedly attacks civilian infrastructure with destructive weapons, shopping centers, schools, hospitals, and churches. And according to recent reports, the Russian army has crossed another taboo by attacking civilians using autonomous drones that independently identify targets without operator supervision. Not to mention the repeated Russian threats of nuclear weapons against Ukraine and European countries.
Russian aggression fulfills all criteria for an unjust war, unlike the Ukrainian defense, which can be morally called a just war according to the criteria listed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (articles 2307-2314). Human decency itself dictates that we stand with those who are attacked, suffering, and victims, not the aggressor. And yet, there are many people who believe that "Ukrainians are responsible for their own war, because of how they treated ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine," that "they are fascists," "deliberately prolonging the war," and "do not want to negotiate peace." All these and similar arguments have been refuted, and yet some politicians and public figures, including clergy, continue to repeat them. And what is worse, the number of citizens who agree with them is increasing rather than decreasing.
The main reason for this can be found in the annual report of the Czech Intelligence Service (BIS) for 2025, which states that "information isolation continues among a part of Czech society that has adopted channels producing disinformation and conspiracy theories as their regular source of information about social events. This makes them vulnerable to influence operations by foreign powers..."
It is much more difficult to answer the question of why someone would accept disinformation channels as a credible source of information. Is it due to a lack of education or critical thinking? The almost unlimited ability to spread "non-conformist views" on social networks and thereby boost self-esteem? All this is true, but psychologists point out even deeper reasons why people are susceptible to disinformation.
The brutal war in Ukraine awakens fear, anxiety, uncertainty, and concerns about the future within us. Subconsciously, we try to cope with inner pain by finding and accepting quick solutions, such as peace according to Russian terms, justified by the arguments mentioned above.
The instinct to turn to an authority in times of crisis is understandable. A more mature attitude is to acknowledge one's fears and not let them control us. "The truth is subtle," says Pope Leo XIV, "it reveals itself to us in our inner dialogue with God and in open and respectful dialogue with our neighbors. Truth is not a territory to be defended, but a good that should be shared." Let us share our concerns and the desire for peace that protects the dignity of every person with others - a peace that is impossible in Ukraine or elsewhere without acknowledging injustice, without clearly distinguishing between the aggressor and the victim.
Bishop Thomas Holub, Chairman of the Iustitia et Pax Council of the Czech Republic
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The Iustitia et Pax Council of the Czech Republic operates under the auspices of the Czech Bishops' Conference and is dedicated to promoting justice, peace, human dignity, and solidarity in society in light of Catholic social teaching.
It is based on the mission of the Church to contribute to building a society based on respect for the person, protection of human rights, responsibility for the common good, and care for the most vulnerable. It monitors current social issues, promotes dialogue, and provides suggestions on topics such as peace, social justice, poverty, migration, environmental protection, or ethics in public life.
Its name is based on the international initiative "Iustitia et Pax" ("Justice and Peace"), which was supported by Pope Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council. Today, the issues of justice and peace are part of the agenda of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
The Chairman of the Iustitia et Pax Council of the Czech Republic is Bishop Thomas Holub of Pilsen.
