# Putin's humanitarian claims

> Putin's humanitarian praise contradicts his actions in Ukraine and on Americans.
- Title: Putin's humanitarian claims · New York Post | Shortify
- Summary: Putin's humanitarian praise contradicts his actions in Ukraine and on Americans. Putin's self-proclaimed humanitarian status clashes with his treatment of…
- Keywords: vladimir putin, russian president, ukraine war, americans detained, special envoy, steve witkoff, news, entertainment, Putin's, humanitarian, claims, New York Post
- Source: New York Post — https://nypost.com/2026/10/21/opinion/putin-the-great-humanitarian-of-our-time-all-the-reasons-hes-anything-but
- Published: 2026-10-21T23:07:56+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: vladimir putin, russian president, ukraine war, americans detained, special envoy, steve witkoff, news, entertainment
## Putin's humanitarian praise
Steve Witkoff called Putin a humanitarian, commending his selfless service.

> You are a humanitarian, sir, and I salute that, I commend you, and I thank you
## Putin's treatment of Russians
Putin's actions toward Russians include the deaths of opposition leaders like Yushenkov and Litvinenko.

> Sergei Yushenkov, the liberal leader shot dead outside of his home in 2003
## Ukraine war casualties
Over 450,000 Russians died in Ukraine with 1.4 million casualties as of July 2026.

> 450,000 Russians have died and 1.4 million have been counted as casualties
## American detainees
Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, Brittney Griner, and Stephen Hubbard were detained by Putin.

> Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter arrested in 2023 on bogus espionage charges
## Detainee releases
Gershkovich and Whelan were released after Russian agents returned from crimes.

> Gershkovich and Whelan were only released upon the return of detained Russian agents who had actually committed crimes
## Consequence
Putin's actions contradict his humanitarian claims, showing a pattern of violence.
## Key takeaway

Putin's self-proclaimed humanitarian status clashes with his treatment of Ukrainians and American detainees.