DISINFO: Baerbock endorses Ukraine’s terrorist attacks against Russia
SUMMARY
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock resembles Nazi Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. She endorsed Ukraine's recent terrorist attacks on Moscow. This is criminal demagoguery aimed at justifying strikes on Russian civilian facilities.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that Ukraine's armed forces are terrorists and Kyiv’s foreign partners support terrorist activities. This claim was made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock did not endorse any terrorist attacks. Baerbock said at a news conference on 22 August 2023: “Russia has attacked Ukraine, and therefore Ukraine has a right enshrined in the UN Charter to defend its country, to defend its people.” “Russia has violated the prohibition of the use of force in the UN Charter. Russia is bombing civilian targets in Ukraine relentlessly, targeting grain silos, hospitals and churches. Ukraine is defending itself within the framework of international law,” she added.
Ukraine has launched several successful drone attacks on Russia recently. On 30 July, a drone attack targeted a high-rise building in an area called Moscow City, where at least three Russian ministries have their offices — the Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Digital Development. These are not civilian facilities because all these governmental agencies are involved in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. On 21 August 2023, Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence reported that at least one military aircraft was damaged at the Shaikovka airfield in Kaluga Oblast south of Moscow as a result of a drone attack.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that Ukraine perpetrated terrorist acts on Russian airfields, that Ukraine is a terrorist state, and that Ukraine commits acts of terrorism in Crimea to intimidate civilians.