Why a Russian screening of an 81-year-old Soviet-era film to a tiny audience has alarmed Taiwan

Key Points:

• Russian officials in Taipei hosted a private screening of the 1945 Soviet documentary "The Defeat of Militarist Japan," alarming Taiwan's government, which views it as part of Russia and China's effort to promote a narrative of a rising Japanese military threat.
• Taiwan suspects the screening aims to sow discord between Taipei and its key unofficial ally, Japan, amid regional tensions including Japan's hypothetical military response to a Chinese attack on Taiwan.
• Taiwan's National Security Council is closely monitoring Chinese-Russian cooperation in "cognitive warfare," noting that Russia's activities pose a challenge due to potentially less legal scrutiny compared to Chinese operations.
• The Russian office in Taipei, which maintains a low profile since the Ukraine invasion, plans to hold similar events, emphasizing the Soviet and Chinese sacrifices in World War II, while Taiwan urges respect for democracy and historical accuracy.
• China dismissed Taiwan's concerns as political manipulation, while Russia continues to back China's claims over Taiwan and remains involved in territorial disputes with Japan over the Kuril Islands.