Has Vladimir Putin been Q all along?! OK, probably not. But as CNN reports, both the Russian dictator and those wacky QAnon conspiracy theorists have been pushing the same lie: That Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine had nothing to do with being a tyrannical maniac—it was all about him being a quiet superhero. Essentially, the theory goes that biological weapons are being mass produced in Ukraine, and Putin wanted to rid the world of such dangers. (Yay! Hooray, Putin!) Except, none of that is true. Obviously.
As CNN’s Donnie O’Sullivan writes:
A new conspiracy theory has become popular among some of the online communities that formed around QAnon—one simultaneously being promoted by the Kremlin as a justification for its invasion of Ukraine. The false claim: the United States is developing bioweapons in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin has stepped in to save the day and destroy the weapons.
QAnon’s core prophecy has always been that there is a “plan” and that former President Donald Trump will rid the world of an evil cabal, culminating in the unmasking, imprisonment or even execution of cabal members. But that prophecy dates back to when Trump was actually president—now that he’s not, believers have been convincing themselves there is evidence that the plan is still very much in place, maybe even more so than ever before. In the Kremlin’s disinformation, some have seen that hope.
Unfortunately for fans of Q, Putin, and/or Trump, it’s all a big lie. And it’s not the first time Russia has made this sort of claim against a foreign country. They spun the same story about a secret biowarfare lab existing in Tbilisi, Georgia, too, as CNN notes.
For those of you thinking, “Well, it might be true,” remember that Russia also claimed that the HIV/AIDS virus was created by America in a lab, too.
On the bright side: there’s still a chance that JFK Jr. could materialize and be Trump’s running mate in 2024.
(Via CNN)