DISINFO: NATO floods Ukraine with modern weapons to push Kyiv for a military solution in Donbas
SUMMARY
NATO countries flood Ukraine with modern weapons and ammunition to push Kyiv for a military solution in Donbas. At the root of this escalation in Donbas are provocations of the Ukrainian security forces.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that NATO is pushing Ukraine towards a military solution in Donbas.
This message appeared in the context of renewed Russian military buildup along the Ukrainian border. Speaking about "flooding with weapons" then the proper adress is that it is the Kremlin "flooding weapons" near Ukraine's borders and on occupied Crimea.
It can be perceived as an attempt to legitimise a likely invasion after the repeated massing of Russian military forces near Ukraine in the last months.
Some NATO allies indeed provide Ukraine with weapons. For example, Ukraine received over 80 tons of ammunition from the United States and Bayratkar unmanned combat aerial vehicles in 2021 from Turkey and is expected to acquire two smaller British warships. However, all these deliveries are not aimed at pushing Kyiv towards a military solution for the Russian-Ukrainian war in Donbas. Their main goal is to enhance Ukraine’s defence capabilities.
Amid the continuous military escalation at Ukraine’s borders, Russian state-controlled media continue to cultivate disinformation narratives about imminent or even ongoing atrocities against the population in Donbas. All obviously, in an attempt to create a “casus belli”, a pretext for invasion and to keep the option of renewed, direct military aggression against Ukraine open.
“Ukrainian forces are about to launch a major offensive in Donbas” is one of the most prominent pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives that are or may be used as a pretext for further escalation of military aggression against Ukraine.
Read similar cases claiming that US arms' deliveries drive Ukraine towards a military solution in Donbas and that Russia does not intend to invade Ukraine while Kyiv is planning to attack Donbas
See also: More myths from the Kremlin's playbook.