DISINFO: Without external financing, puppet-like Ukrainian statehood is a house of cards
SUMMARY
Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive attempt in the Mikolayiv and Kherson regions points at the serious degradation of the Kyiv regime. Without monthly foreign financing worth USD 5 billion, the puppet-like Ukrainian statehood will collapse like a house of cards. Therefore, in the coming months the Ukrainian military forces are doomed to be sacrificed to secure new western loans and arms supplies.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about ‘Nazi Ukraine’ and lacking or artificial Ukrainian statehood.
The claim about USD 5 billion foreign assistance monthly probably stems from Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement that due to Russia's full-scale offensive Ukraine's monthly budget deficit is currently assessed at USD 5 billion.
The devastating blow to Ukraine's economy -- not speaking of huge human toll due to the Russian aggressive war -- does not however back the recurring disinformation claim about a "puppet-like statehood". On the contrary, in the face of large-scale aggression the Ukrainian people has demonstrated a resolute will to defend Ukrainian statehood. Available sociological surveys show high levels of Zelenskyy’s public approval. IRI Ukraine poll of late June 2022 showed that 91% of Ukrainians approve of Zelenskyy’s performance. The poll also found strong confidence in victory over Russia, little desire for territorial concessions, and a spike for NATO membership.
The claim about Ukraine's financing support is intended to question the viability of Ukrainian statehood. Pro-Kremlin media outlets often cast doubts on Ukrainian statehood and claim that Ukraine either does not exist as a state or is going to tumble down very soon. In reality, present-day Ukraine has been on the world map since 1991 when the Soviet Union disintegrated. It has elected six presidents since then and changed parties in government several times which illustrates political diversity and democratic dynamics even during economic hardship in the wake of Russian aggression in 2014.
One of the Kremlin’s most common disinformation narratives to justify its devastating war against Ukraine is the lie that Russia is pursuing the “denazification” of Ukraine. In reality, Ukraine is not a Nazi state, does not have a Nazi ruling elite and Nazism is not Ukraine’s ideology. Read a more detailed debunk here, as well as our analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".
See similar disinformation cases that target Ukraine's statehood: that Ukraine became an American colony since the coup; that Ukraine does not exist as a state; that Ukraine will be split up; that Ukraine is a quasi-state with a failed economy; or the imminent collapse of Ukraine.
See also our articles on Lost Sovereignty and The Imminent Collapse.