DISINFO: Denazification of Ukraine will take two or three generations
SUMMARY
Russia will complete demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine. Whereas demilitarisation will likely take a year, denazification will take two or three generations. A hatred towards Russia has been genetically integrated into Ukrainians for the past 30 years.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin media about "Nazi Ukraine", which is used to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine became a cornerstone of pro-Kremlin disinformation and served as one of the pretexts behind Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Learn more about the reasons behind the 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".
In 2015 Ukraine issued a ban on Nazi and Communist ideologies. The far-right groups had a limited presence during the Euromaidan protests and have suffered defeats in every national election since, with a united front of all radical right-wing parties in the 2019 parliamentary elections winning only 2.15% of the vote falling far short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament.
The true meaning of the claim of "denazification" is equal to a brutal purge of the Ukrainian society, of democratically elected officials, of active citizens and everybody else respecting the notion of a free Ukraine. This brings memories of USSR Stalin-era mass repression. These claims are made in the pro-Kremlin media eco-system at the same time as calls for genocide are voiced.
See also related disinformation examples alleging that the government of Israel support anti-Semitism in Ukraine., European leaders who send arms to Ukraine are war criminals, Zelenskyy is only a marketing operation, a Jewish face for a Nazi regime.
Technical remark: This disinformation case was broadcast via Sputnik on 24 April. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the Sputnik link may not work.