DISINFO: Ukraine is a terrorist state and the West is to blame for guiding Kyiv
SUMMARY
Ukraine is a terrorist state. [...t]hey included themselves in that category. The West [is] directing Kyiv and [...] should answer for the threats against the Russian President.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about terrorism and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to discredit Ukraine and justify the criminal invasion of the country, as well as the use of terrorism by Russia that lead to PACE and EP resolutions.
The definition of terrorism is the use of violence to create a state of terror in the population to achieve a political goal. Encyclopedia Britannica defines it as follows: Terrorism, is the calculated use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective.
With this narrative, the Kremlin aims to de-legitimise international support for Ukraine. The claim also fits well in the recurrent disinformation narrative about the West’s alleged support for terrorism and manifests Russia as the only power actually “fighting terrorism” in the world.
Ukraine is illegally attacked by Russia and has the right to self-defence by all means available. The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s effective self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
The use of terrorism has been documented in Russia and on 13 October 2022 the PACE recognized the Russian regime as terrorist.
On the 23 November, 2022 the European Parliament voted on a resolution labelling Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. As this body has argued, the deliberate attacks and atrocities committed by Russian forces and their proxies against civilians in Ukraine, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and other serious violations of international and humanitarian law amount to acts of terror and constitute war crimes. In light of this, MEPs recognise Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism and as a state that “uses means of terrorism”.
Read also related cases: Kyiv commits wild provocations and crimes to get West’s attention, The Kyiv regime actions around the Zaporizhzhia NPP is nuclear terrorism, Ukraine plans terrorist attacks to sow panic in Russia.