DISINFO: Ukraine will lose territory because of NATO
SUMMARY
The involvement of NATO in Eastern Ukraine will likely lead to Kyiv losing control of the territories. Russia will have no choice but to get involved in Ukraine’s internal conflict, in which case NATO will retreat as it did in Georgia in 2008, and Ukraine will not be able to hold on to all its territories.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO and war in Ukraine.
There is no internal conflict in Ukraine, but a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces, ongoing since February 2014.
There is irrefutable evidence of direct Russian military involvement in Ukraine. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has stated that “the information available suggests that the situation within the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol amounts to an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. This international armed conflict began at the latest on 26 February 2014 when the Russian Federation deployed members of its armed forces to gain control over parts of the Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian Government."
The European Union stated in July 2014 that "arms and fighters continue flowing into Ukraine from the Russian Federation".
Since end of March / early April 2021, Russia started a new military build-up along Ukrainian borders and increased bellicose language in key Russian state media. The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, has expressed 'severe concern' over Russian military activity near Ukraine's border. Significant amounts of Russian heavy armament and equipment is maintained in the regions near the Ukrainian border contributing to heightened tension.
NATO is not involved in fighting in Eastern Ukraine. In response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, NATO has reinforced its support for capability development and capacity-building in Ukraine. The Allies continue to condemn Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, and its destabilising and aggressive activities in eastern Ukraine and the Black Sea region. NATO has increased its presence in the Black Sea and stepped up maritime cooperation with Ukraine and Georgia. Read more about NATO relations with Ukraine here.
Georgia is a sovereign country attacked by Russia in 2008. Many international organisations condemned the further occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, see e.g. the CSCE statement here and the European Parliament's declaration.
The EU's independent investigative commission into the 2008 Russia-Georgian war confirmed that Russia had been provoking Georgia for a long time and "Much of the Russian military action went far beyond the reasonable limits of defence."
According to the EU, Russian military presence in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia continues in violation of international law and commitments undertaken by Russia under the 12 August 2008 agreement.
Similar disinformation cases claim that NATO membership will disintegrate Ukraine, that the US, Turkey and other NATO members are preparing Ukrainian Nazis for the war in Donbas, that the U.S. is provoking Ukraine into war with Russia, that the West is waging a hybrid war against Russia by using Ukraine, that NATO is practicing war against Russia with “Defender Europe 2021”, and that the West sponsored the Belarussian protests and planned to attack Belarus.