DISINFO: The West declared total war against Russia
SUMMARY
A total war has been declared against Russia, in hybrid form, in all areas. We can think of the spectacular military and financial support given to Ukraine by the US, the EU and other countries in the midst of the conflict with Russia, and the harsh sanctions imposed on Moscow by the West.
RESPONSE
This is a new version of the recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about an aggressive West destabilising Russia, being directly involved in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on the Ukrainian side, aiming to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions.
Neither the European Union nor Western countries have declared war to Russia. On the contrary, it is Russia that refused the diplomatic process and started an unprovoked war in Europe, capturing more and more territories of a neighbouring country and creating a serious danger to European security.
Some NATO member states are providing Ukraine with military assistance to repel the unprovoked Russian aggression, but they are not involved in direct fighting. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Western instructors are teaching Ukrainian soldiers how to use modern weaponry, but there are no NATO troops fighting on the front. NATO condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia's war on Ukraine. NATO as an organisation is not involved in fighting in Ukraine. In fact, Western actions adopted against Russia, such as sanctions or diplomatic measures, are a reaction to these actions including the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula, the long-term destabilisation of Ukraine or the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of this peaceful country.
See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.
See other examples of similar disinformation messages, such as claims that the West fights Russia through psy-ops like Bucha and the Mariupol maternity hospital, that the US needs war between Russia and Ukraine to weaken Russia, that Moscow called for peaceful coexistence but Russia is depicted as a global threat, Russia is under US and NATO attack, or that the West has an anti-Russian plan named “Anaconda ring”.