Have you heard of the phrase a "Potemkin village"? Over hundreds of years, the term came to be used for almost any alleged sham. Its origins are rooted in a myth around Russia's Catherine the Great and her lover, Grigory Potemkin. More recently, as Ukrainian defenses held off Russia’s military invasion, pundits scoffed that Vladimir Putin was duped by his “Potemkin military,” whose leaders misrepresented the war outlook. When Putin tried to prop up Russia’s economy amid international sanctions, U.S. officials talked of Moscow’s “Potemkin market.” And, after Russia offered to end the war in return for control of southern Ukraine, critics ridiculed the notion of a “Potemkin peace.” To read more about how this myth has gained relevance today, tap the link in our bio.