DISINFO: Aggressive West provoked Russia into war with Ukraine
SUMMARY
Russia has endured confrontation with the collective West, but has not yet achieved victory. Putin and his advisers emphasise that Russia's war is not against Ukraine. It is connected to Ukraine, taking place on Ukrainian territory, but it is the result of creeping and increasingly aggressive actions by the collective West against Russia. It is important to understand that within the collective West, there are forces unwilling to engage in direct military confrontation between NATO and Russia, but they are prepared for everything else.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that Western nations, in particular NATO member states, provoked Russia into attacking Ukraine. This claim was made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The war is between Ukraine, a sovereign state, and Russia, which launched it on 24 February 2022. The Russian invasion was entirely unprovoked and unjustified. Russia attacked Ukraine under false pretexts that Kyiv was committing a genocide against the Russian-speaking population in Eastern Ukrainian regions, that NATO was using Ukraine to threaten Russian strategic interests and other allegations see Thirteen myths about Russia’s war against Ukraine exposed.
No NATO member state or Western country is directly involved as a party to this war. A broad coalition of more than 50 nations, including the US, EU countries and some of their allies, provide economic, humanitarian, and military aid to Ukraine. This support is aimed at helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia’s aggression. The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms this invasion. Ukraine as an independent nation is defending itself in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that The West views Ukraine as a military tool against Russia, that Kyiv is cannon fodder for US interests, and that The US and EU use Ukrainians as pawns and order them to die.