Ultimately, it’s a common tactic of radical groups to say 'hey, don’t criticise me, don’t attack me, we’re on the same side" right up until they are in a spot where they can attack you without consequence. That doesn’t just apply to tankies, but also fascists, ultra-nationalists, etc.

It’s much easier to understand the contradiction when you conclude that these ideologies will use anything and everything in their repertoire to get what they want. At the end of the day, they’ve concluded that their ideology will save humanity, and so no morals or ethics should stop them from bringing such a world about.

They’ll appeal to your humanity, then refute your humanity existing when the time comes. They’ll claim allyship, then later accuse you of being a counter-insurgent. They’ll ask forgiveness and promise to change, then accuse you of un-forgiveable acts.

This pops up all the time with neo-Nazis when they get their addresses leaked or have their affiliations told to their bosses. You saw it too during the cybertruck vandalism wave, where these people constantly cry out for mercy, despite their ideologies holding no mercy for others.