Analysis: Blunders in domestic politics can be tidied up, but they will be ruthlessly exploited on the world stage
• Russia-Ukraine crisis: live news
During the second world war, a poster famously read “Careless Talk Cost Lives” – based on the premise that German spies might be in the pub listening out for secret ops being divulged over a pint of beer.
Over the past three days, some careless talk at the top of government has served to underline how difficult it is in a modern war for ministers to get their messaging right. Run of the mill ministerial blunders in domestic politics can be tidied up with little consequence, but in a propaganda battle such as this, minor errors and misspeaks can be ruthlessly exploited by Moscow to justify escalation or to sow division.
