Russia slams *Telegraph* for glorifying ‘White Death’ sniper Simo Häyhä
A recent Telegraph article about Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä has sparked controversy after Russian officials condemned it as Russophobic. The piece, titled ‘I Killed 500 Russians’, recounts Häyhä’s role in the 1939–1940 Soviet-Finnish war. Moscow’s response accuses the West of distorting history and promoting neo-Nazi narratives.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova criticised the article, written by historian Jukka Rislakki, for glorifying Häyhä as a Second World War hero. She argued that the sniper himself never took pride in his actions, calling his killings sinful. According to Zakharova, Häyhä lived a troubled life—disabled, unable to start a family, and dying alone.
The dispute highlights ongoing historical disagreements between Russia and the West. Zakharova’s remarks position the Telegraph article as part of a wider pattern of what she calls anti-Russian sentiment. The debate over Häyhä’s legacy remains tied to broader conflicts over wartime memory and modern political narratives.
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