DISINFO: German tanks again moving to Russia because war is on Russian soil
SUMMARY
German tanks have left for Ukraine and American ones will follow them. This is not quite the right phrase. German tanks are moving towards Russia because the line of contact is on Russian soil.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are expected to invade Russia with Western-supplied armoured vehicles. This claim was made in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
Kyiv does not intend to invade Russia with armoured vehicles, including German Leopard tanks, which are expected to arrive in Ukraine in soon.
Ukraine is using Western military aid with the sole aim of protecting its territory from unjustified Russian aggression, liberating all of its territories and restoring its territorial integrity in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter which states the following:
“Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.”
The fact that Western nations, including NATO member states, provide Ukraine with military assistance does not mean that these countries or NATO as an organisation are involved in fighting on internationally recognised Ukrainian territory. Ukraine is fighting Russian ground troops on Ukrainian soil. The line of contact is running on Ukrainian territory because the temporarily occupied non-government-controlled territories are internationally recognised parts of Ukraine. These are certain areas of the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson. Ukrainian troops also hit some Russian military facilities in Crimea, which is also an internationally recognised part of Ukraine.
Read more disinformation cases about the Russian unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, in particular about NATO’s allegedly negative role in the war.