DISINFO: Poroshenko thinks that Donbas and Crimea are not Ukrainian
SUMMARY
The Ukrainian President does not care about Donbas and Crimea. He does not recognise Crimea and Donbas as Ukrainian. On a map, used in Poroshenko’s election campaign, no cities of Donbas are included.
RESPONSE
The claim of Donbas cities absent from the election campaign map is simply not true. At least one city in the Donetsk region can be read on the map. Generally a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about War in Ukraine. The President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, has repeatedly stated that Donbas and Crimea are Ukrainian and that they are occupied by Russia. In a recent Facebook post, he acknowledged that the restoration of Ukrainian control over Donbas and Crimea is a priority of the Ukrainian state. In his programme for the upcoming elections in March he stated the following: “We will continue restoring the territorial integrity of Ukraine and returning the occupied territories of Crimea, Donetsk and Lugansk regions with political and diplomatic means.” He added that all Ukrainian citizens must return under the sovereignty of Ukraine. “We will continue the line for restoring the territorial integrity of Ukraine in the political and diplomatic manner, ensuring the unity of the pro-Ukrainian coalition in the world and in the European Union, using the instrument of sanctions and the mechanism of the international UN mission throughout the territory of the occupied Donbas," Poroshenko claimed during his pre-election meeting on January 29th 2019. "Ukraine has become stronger, Ukraine has shown confidence in its forces. And on the Day of Unity, we sincerely appeal to our countrymen living within the borders of Ukraine, but in the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea, parts of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. We never forget about you. We work every day to bring the day of your liberation from the enemy's yoke," the President of Ukraine emphasised during his speech on the Day of Unity of Ukraine on January 22, 2019. “Ukraine will take all measures to return the occupied Donbas and Crimea,” Poroshenko urged on November 10, 2018. Similar statements were made in 2018, 2017 and 2016.