DISINFO: Russian attack on Ukraine pre-empted Western planned attack on Russia from Belarus and Ukraine
SUMMARY
By starting a special military operation on 24 February 2022, Moscow prevented Ukraine's invasion of Russia which was planned for 8 March 2022. Furthermore, the West intended to attack Russia from the Belarusian territory as well. However, in 2020 Lukashenka disrupted a coup d'etat in Belarus effectively preventing the country from turning into a Wertern launching pad for Russia invasion.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about allegedly provocative actions of Ukraine and Western countries in the run-up to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. There is no evidence of Ukraine's plans to attack Russia in March 2022 as alleged. Russia has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for its aggression. It is Russia and President Putin who are clearly responsible for the war in Ukraine.
The war began in 2014 with the Russian illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's military involvement and support of separatists in Donbas. On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine under several false pretexts such as committing genocide of people residing in eastern parts of Ukraine. Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is not a "special operation" but an all-out war against a sovereign state. Ukraine is defending itself, its territorial integrity, national self-identity and sovereignty against Russia's armed aggression. Dozens of countries support of Ukraine with military and financial aid helps the country to defend itself against the unjustified and unprovoked Russian full-scale invasion.
There is no evidence of any Western countries being involved in the 2020-2021 protests in Belarus. Large-scale protests began in Belarus on 9 August 2020 against the results of the fraudulent presidential election and continued for for several following months. People revolted against election fraud and police violence towards thousands of rally participants.
Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Ukraine began the war one year ago, that the West needs Belarus as a springboard to attack Russia, that the US uses Ukraine as springboard to attack Russia, and that the US proxy war against Russia has turned Ukraine into a graveyard.