Swiss Col. Jacques Baud
© CC/SoctalairRetired Swiss Col. Jacques Baud

Comment: That's the truth. Now for the spin:


The EU has placed a former Swiss army officer on its sanctions list. Ex-Colonel Jacques Baud undermined the stability of Ukraine with pro-Russian propaganda and conspiracy theories

The EU has added a former Swiss army colonel to its sanctions list (PDF). According to the EU, 70-year-old Jacques Baud spread conspiracy theories in connection with Russia's military invasion of Ukraine and acted as a mouthpiece for pro-Russian propaganda.

The "strategic analyst" is a "regular" guest on pro-Russian television and radio programs, according to the EU executive order published on Monday. Baud has, for example, accused Ukraine of having brought about its own invasion in order to join NATO.


Comment: In a round about way, this is true. Putin gave his famous Munich speech in 2007. Alarmed by his tough realism, Ukraine due to its strategic location, had NATO membership, along with EU membership dangled in front of it back in 2008.

After the Maidan coup, the neonazi junta began eight years of shelling the eastern provinces of Donbass and Lugansk, which rebelled against the regime's goal of wiping out Russian culture within the borders of Ukraine, especially in the eastern oblasts of Donbas and Lugansk. With backroom encouragement and promises of support from the West (along with the promised NATO membership), Ukraine was preparing an invasion to finish the job in early 2022. Russia said enough is enough, recognized the two oblasts' declarations of independence and began the SMO.


Baud is helping to undermine or threaten stability or security in Ukraine through his use of information manipulation and influence operations, it added. The Council of the EU, in which the 27 member states are represented, followed a proposal by the European External Action Service on Monday.

Blocked assets and travel ban

The Swiss national is subject to an asset freeze, the Council also announced. In addition, EU citizens and companies are prohibited from making funds, financial assets or economic resources available to him. He is also subject to a travel ban, which prohibits him from entering or passing through the EU.

The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) in Bern has stated that it is aware of the EU's decision and therefore also of the sanctions against Baud. However, Switzerland is not adopting the latest sanctions list, as Seco informed the Keystone-SDA news agency on request.

The reason: Switzerland did not join a sanctions regime adopted by the EU in October last year regarding Russia's hybrid threats. This is in contrast to the sanctions against Russia adopted by the EU at the end of February 2022 following its military invasion of Ukraine.

The "special operation" set up by Russian President Vladimir Putin for a few days is still ongoing four years after it began, without Russia having achieved its war aims in Ukraine - despite being vastly outnumbered in terms of soldiers and equipment.


Comment: Four bloody years later, the survival of Ukraine as a nation is in serious doubt. Russia has taken over 20% of the country comprising the richest part of its resources, is laying waste to the power grid, and is on track to reach the Dniper near Zaporizhzhia by the early spring.

What part of 'war of attrition' do the authors not understand?


In addition to Baud, the EU sanctioned a further eleven people as well as a Russian military unit and a propaganda group on Monday for destabilizing activities, according to the statement. The regulation currently lists 59 individuals and 17 organizations for "destabilizing activities by Russia".