DISINFO: In Ukraine, political opposition is ruthlessly suppressed
SUMMARY
In Ukraine, political opposition is ruthlessly suppressed, nonetheless the country is classified as partly free by Freedom House
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing the West of double-standards and violating freedom of speech.
It is not true that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is attempting to eliminate the opposition as recently stated by several pro-Kremlin outlets.
The claim Zelenskyy wants to suppress the Opposition Platform for Life and Anatoly Shariy’s Party is not backed by any evidence.
These two parties have a certain pro-Kremlin propensity, so affiliated politicians and media outlets are trying to portray Zelenskyy as a blatant Russophobe, whom the West ordered to wipe out everything Russian in Ukraine.
In reality, neither pro-Kremlin parties nor politicians/media are persecuted in Ukraine as long as they obey the law. Three Ukrainian TV channels – 112 Ukraine, ZIK and NewsOne – were taken off the air on 2 February 2021 because economic sanctions were imposed on their owner Taras Kozak. According to the Ukrainian Government and President, these channels were supposedly financed from the separatist region of Donbas in Eastern Ukraine and from Russia.
One of the leaders of the Opposition Platform for Life, Viktor Medvedchuk, is a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader is also the godfather of Medvedchuk’s daughter. Medvedchuk often visits Russia and is considered by many observers to be including Kremlin's views in his own policies in Ukraine.
Anatoly Shariy is an opposition blogger who is residing in Spain. Living abroad, he created a pro-Kremlin political party in Ukraine and called it after his name (Shariy’s Party). However, it showed a modest result in last year’s local elections. In February 2021, Ukraine’s security service (SBU) declared that Shariy is suspected of committing high treason.
Read here a similar case claiming that West hails Zelenskyy’s attempts to eliminate opposition.