Sadly, I'm afraid you give them way too much credit. 😓
In our most regrettably "post truth era", they have "their truths" and nothing else can touch them.
That's why, when they do respond, it's almost invariably with insults and personal attacks.
What can I say?
“when they do respond, it’s almost invariably with insults and personal attacks.”
True.
This makes an open Russian-invasion discussion very difficult on FR.