DISINFO: Russia was forced to attack Ukraine in February 2022
SUMMARY
Most publications in the Western press give the impression that Russia's opponents have chosen a rather convenient position for themselves, which is also suitable for propaganda purposes. They claim that on 24 February 2022, Russia suddenly launched a "comprehensive aggression against a sovereign state provoked by nothing" - as if nothing had happened before that date.
Against the backdrop of the armed escalation in the Donbas in early 2022, Russia was forced to take decisive military action to protect the civilian population from armed attacks by the Kyiv regime. On 24 February 2022, Moscow launched a special military operation aimed at ensuring long-term security in the region and ending the militarisation of Ukraine by the NATO states.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is justified. These aim to deflect responsibility for the war waged by Russia in Ukraine.
Russia and President Putin are responsible for the war in Ukraine. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. See our 5-volume series of debunks of Putin 'What he said. What it really means'.
Russia's aggression against Ukraine was unprovoked and unjustified. Contrary to Russian claims, Ukraine had not planned to attack Russia, and did not commit genocide in the non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Ukraine was striving to implement the Minsk Agreements, but the Moscow-backed military formations there were constantly disrupting their implementation.
Western nations did everything they could to prevent the war and have only been reacting to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, but Moscow has been ignoring these efforts. The West is not interested in the continuation of the war at the heart of Europe and supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence against the unprovoked Russian invasion - as enshrined in the UN Charter, Charter 51.
Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. In several Western countries instructors train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use modern weapons and NATO officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but there are no NATO troops fighting on the front.
See similar cases that claiming that Russia is at war with NATO and the Pentagon and only the soldiers are Ukrainians; that NATO is at war with Russia with the hands of Ukrainians; that NATO was turning Ukraine into an enemy of Russia; that NATO has no interest in peace in Ukraine; and that the West is using Ukrainians to fight Russia in Ukraine.