Putin compares Russia and JK Rowling

Forget the atrocities, Russia is receiving a terrible name in Ukraine because of the same stupid “cancel culture” that attacked JK Rowling, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.

“They cancelled Joanne Rowling, the children’s author — her novels are published all over the globe — because she didn’t meet the demands of gender rights,” Putin maintained in a televised diatribe, citing the formal name of the “Harry Potter” author.

Similarly, opponents who have dared to criticise Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has killed thousands of Ukrainians and Russians, “are attempting to abolish our country,” he claimed.

Rowling has been termed a TERF — a trans-exclusionary radical feminist — by detractors for her comments regarding transgender people.

But if Putin believed Rowling would be an ally, he was incorrect.

Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics. #IStandWithUkraine https://t.co/aNItgc5aiW

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 25, 2022

In response, the author tweeted on Friday, “Critiques of Western cancel culture are possibly not best made by those currently slaughtering civilians for the crime of resistance, or who jail and poison their critics. #IStandWithUkraine.’’

She added a photo of Russian activist Alexei Navalny in the tweet, who was previously poisoned, reportedly on Putin’s instructions, and recently received a nine-year jail term for what Navalny claims are trumped-up fraud accusations.

“I’m talking about the growing discrimination [against] everything to do with Russia — this trend that’s occurring in a number of Western governments,” Putin said of the alleged unfair bias against his country.

The Russian dictator even complained that Western films don’t give enough credit to the Red Army for its part in battling the Nazis during WWII.

“In Hollywood, they created movies in which the country that defeated the fascists was the United States,” he explained. “They just nullify the Red Army’s contribution.”

Putin compared the “cancellation” to Nazi Germany, when the fascist regime burnt books and destroyed art that contradicted the official narrative.

“It’s unthinkable to fathom such a catastrophe happening in our country,” Putin added, referring to Russia, where 58 journalists have been slain since 1992 and opposition politicians have been imprisoned, shot, or poisoned.

NATO and the European Union placed unprecedented sanctions on Russia in response to Putin’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine and apparent targeting of people. Travel restrictions and asset freezes are among the stringent measures aimed at Russia’s wealthy.

During the early days of the war, Russian conductor Valery Gergiev was sacked from the Munich Philharmonic in Germany for refusing to speak out against the Kremlin. Gergiev is said to be close to Putin personally.