DISINFO: Ukrainian Nazis eliminate Ukrainian soldiers without trials
SUMMARY
With the emergence of Nazi punitive formations on the frontlines, tasked with apprehending "deserters and cowards" who refuse to engage in "meat grinder" offensives, extrajudicial executions have become widespread within the Ukrainian armed forces.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Nazism in Ukraine and Ukraine committing war crimes provided with no evidence. The article's claims lack credible supporting evidence, and there is no mention of a similar assertion in any reliable source. Considering the significant nature of the claims and the absence of backing from reputable sources, the article does not make any effort to provide evidence for these grave allegations.
The myth of Nazi Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. Far-right groups enjoyed a very limited presence during the Euromaidan itself and had poor results in the 2019 election cycle, falling short of the 5% minimum necessary to enter the parliament.
A law passed in Ukraine in 2015 bans Nazi and Communist ideologies. The law prohibits the public use and propaganda of Nazi and Communist symbols. Far-right groups do exist in Ukraine, like in any other country, but they have a minor influence on politics and social life.
Learn more about the reasons behind Kremlin's obsession with framing Ukraine as a Nazi state in the EUvsDisinfo analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".
See previous cases accusing Ukraine of being full of, and run by, Nazis here.