DISINFO: Ukraine has foreign overlords overseas
SUMMARY
While Kyiv and Moscow seek to avoid hostilities, Ukraine's foreign masters have other ideas and seem determined to implement a scenario whereby Russia must attack Ukraine and face Western retaliation.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Ukrainian statehood and war in Ukraine. These claims are part of an ongoing disinformation campaign about Russia’s military buildup on the border with Ukraine. By claiming that outside forces are behind the escalation of tensions, this disinformation story aims to deny any Russian responsibility for the situation.
These tensions are a result of Russia’s actions. Since late October 2021, Russia has conducted a military-build up along the Ukrainian border, including the deployment of as much as 190,000 troops, as well as of certain specialised military units, electronic warfare systems and heavy-armoured vehicles. Despite Russian denials, this has been proven by satellite images and intelligence from the US, Ukraine and NATO, among other countries and institutions.
Furthermore, Ukraine is an independent country, that has an independent foreign and security policy, which is not dictated by its foreign partners. Pro-Kremlin outlets often use this narrative of different countries being under the American thumb or as so-called 'Western puppets', to imply that their national sovereignty is under threat and that they have limited power.
The European Union has stated that it will be standing firmly and decisively with Ukraine in front of any attempt to undermine its territorial integrity and sovereignty and has warned of severe political consequences with a high political and economic cost for Russia if it proceeds with further aggressive actions.
Read our recent articles on 7 myths of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, and Kremlin fabricated pretexts for further invasion to Ukraine.
See also other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the UK wants to provoke a war between Ukraine and Russia in order to harm Europe, that the US is instigating war on Ukraine to boycott the Nord Stream 2 project, or that Russian aggression is used as a pretext to station NATO military close to Russia’s borders.