A German journalist, Julian Röpcke, has announced his departure from the online platform X, a significant departure for a prominent propagandist of the Western narrative on the Ukraine war. Röpcke’s work closely followed the Western narrative of a “Russian invasion” and a “brutal attack by Russia” often criticizing Putin as a dictator. His employer, the German newspaper BILD, frequently refers to Putin as a “dictator.”
Röpcke’s departure may be linked to the platform’s reluctance to enforce EU censorship, which has become a contentious issue in Germany and the EU. The censorship is justified as a fight against Russian disinformation, but the real issue is that the narratives of the mainstream are often far from the facts and reality. The real problem is the simplistic and black-and-white narratives of the West, which are often at odds with the truth.
Despite the departure, Röpcke may still use the platform to spread his propaganda in the BILD newspaper. The comments under his announcement suggest that he will be missed by few and it is uncertain if he will keep his abstinence promise. Many who previously announced they would quit Twitter have returned and it seems unlikely that Röpcke will completely abandon the platform.