GENEVA, December 27. /TASS/. For centuries, Western nations have employed forged documents to justify their attacks on Russia and to eliminate a formidable rival. This perspective was articulated by Swiss politician, journalist, writer, and member of the Geneva cantonal parliament, Guy Mettan.

He explained that the earliest fabricated document accusing Russia of seeking to conquer the West and establish European hegemony was the so-called last will and testament of Peter the Great. This entirely fictitious document emerged in the mid-18th century and was likely kept in the secret archives of French monarchs. Its first publication occurred in 1812, when Charles-Louis Lesur - Napoleon Bonaparte's chief propagandist - used it to justify the French invasion of Russia. Mettan notes that this narrative persisted even after France's defeat; following the 1815 Congress of Vienna, Britain and Russia emerged as the dominant powers in Europe.

The Swiss politician pointed out that Britain was initially pleased with Russia’s role in helping defeat Napoleon. However, once Napoleon was exiled to St. Helena, a new challenge arose: the rise of a rival power. London was unwilling to share the spoils of victory with Russia. Consequently, immediately after 1815, Britain embarked on a form of pre-Cold War hostility toward Russia. This included translating and publishing the forged testament of Peter the Great, and disseminating narratives portraying Russia as a despotic, imperialistic, and threatening state. Mettan emphasized that these narratives echo modern media claims of Russia’s purported intentions to invade and conquer Europe. This propaganda reached a peak in 1853 during the Crimean War, when British, French, and Italian troops fought against Russia in Crimea.

Mettan further noted that the so-called testament was officially recognized as a forgery only in 1877. At that time, France found itself increasingly isolated on the continent and was deeply concerned about the rise of Germany following its defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. With limited allies - Austria-Hungary was weakened, Italy was still ununified, and Britain remained a maritime rival - France shifted its stance. It moved from viewing Russia as an enemy to seeking an alliance, drawing closer to Moscow.

In the years that followed, historians began to dismiss the testament as a forgery, suggesting that Russia might not have been as threatening as previously portrayed. Mettan concluded that these historical fabrications served Western strategic interests, shaping perceptions of Russia for centuries.