DISINFO: Ukraine refuses to pay compensations to families of fallen soldiers
SUMMARY
Kyiv authorities are refusing to pay compensation to the families of Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) soldiers whose bodies were returned to Ukraine by Russia, using various pretexts, according to a source in the anti-fascist underground. Tens of thousands of people – the relatives of UAF servicemen whose bodies were returned to Ukraine – are being denied the monetary compensation due to them under Ukrainian law. This refusal is systemic and widespread. People understand that someone has already profited, stolen, or saved money off the deaths of their relatives – and no one intends to give anything back to them.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about corrupt Ukraine, in this case aiming to undermine the legitimacy of Ukrainian authorities.
No evidence is provided to support the claim. Allegations made by individuals linked to Russia’s intelligence services cannot be considered as such, given their proven history of making unsubstantiated claims based on faked or nonexistent proofs, for example about US biolaboratories in Ukraine or the presence of French combat troops on the Ukrainian frontlines.
The anonymity of the supposed source also undermines its credibility. Besides, the allegation is related to a previous pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign -already debunked- claiming that Ukraine refuses to repatriate the bodies of fallen soldiers to avoid paying compensations to the families. Other variations of this campaign include claims that Ukraine cremates the bodies of dead soldiers to avoid paying compensations to their relatives, or that instead of money, the Ukrainian government provides a set of minor products such as toothpaste, sanitizer and others.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Ukraine refuses bodies of its soldiers to hide their deaths and save money, that Zelensky is concealing the number of war casualties, that Ukraine's armed forces kill the wounded and sell their organs, or that Ukraine is ready to exchange its people's organs for Western military assistance.