that branding (of) Ukrainians

[güey]

Hi there,
Am I correct that it should have been that branding of Ukrainians?

A few voices who have been allowed to talk on Kremlin-affiliated key TV are beginning to wonder if it is productive to keep denying that Ukrainians exist as a people and nation. That branding Ukrainians may be counterproductive.
KEY NARRATIVES IN PRO-KREMLIN DISINFORMATION - EUvsDisinfo

 

[RM1(SS)]

Yes.

 

[lingobingo]

I think you may be misreading it (partly because of the way it’s written, with the last clause as a separate sentence)?

A few voices who have been allowed to talk on Kremlin-affiliated key TV are beginning to wonder if it is productive to keep denying that Ukrainians exist as a people and nation – [and [to think]] that branding Ukrainians may be counterproductive.

 

[PaulQ]

with the last clause as a separate sentence)?

I considered that, but the OP has copied it faithfully.

Perhaps the full-stop should be a colon?

 

[lingobingo]

That still doesn’t work. It would just read as though the floating that-clause was sharing, as its verb, “to wonder if”. But you can’t “wonder if that” something may be a bad idea.

What it’s trying to say is surely that the “voices” in question are beginning to both wonder if A and think that B.

 

[bennymix]

Hi there,
Am I correct that it should have been that branding of Ukrainians?

A few voices who have been allowed to talk on Kremlin-affiliated key TV are beginning to wonder if it is productive to keep denying that Ukrainians exist as a people and nation. That branding Ukrainians may be counterproductive.
KEY NARRATIVES IN PRO-KREMLIN DISINFORMATION - EUvsDisinfo

I don't see a problem or a need for of. But 'of' would not be a mistake. The last item is not a full sentence, of course, it's a roughly parallel, as lingo suggests, to 'to wonder', and (implied) 'to consider' (or something similar). The whole thing is awkward.

ADDED: Here is a simple fix: A few voices who have been allowed to talk on Kremlin-affiliated key TV are beginning to say that it may not be productive to keep denying that Ukrainians exist as a people and nation; that branding Ukrainians may be counterproductive.