Memes

I don't doubt that the Ukrainian army is full nazis and fascists. I also don't doubt that the Russian army is full of nazbols and fascists. Armies tend to attract those sorts.

I wouldn't really know, but I would not imagine that Ukraine is a progressive country. Outside of the liberal enclaves of the bigger cities, I imagine it's pretty bad actually. But here's my surface level view.

Russia:

• has invaded a neighbouring sovereign country,
• puts people in prison for being openly gay,
• has banned legal and healthcare provision for trans people, and
• openly declares to the world stage that it is fighting a rearguard action against western degeneracy in favour of Christian family values. (Admittedly I do not speak Russian and I can't speak to what is translated as degeneracy or satanism or what-have-you, but no one has credibly disputed that this is the essence of what Russian ministers are saying on camera.)

Ukraine:

• has not invaded any of its neighbours recently,
• has, on paper at least, legal protections for LGBT people, and
• is still signed up to the European Convention of Human Rights.

Regardless of the specific iconography that the less pleasant members of its citizenry choose to display their chuddery, one of the countries is prima facie more nazi than the other in its behaviour at this moment in time. And it's going to take a lot more than "hurr durr imperialist propaganda" to convince me that it's Ukraine, given those bare facts.