DISINFO: The conflict in Ukraine was unleashed by the West
SUMMARY
The conflict unleashed by the West in Ukraine and the use of the Kyiv regime as an instrument of aggression against the Russian Federation pose a very serious threat.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, claiming that the so-called 'collective West' deliberately provoked Russia into attacking Ukraine. It aims to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It also attempts to portray Ukraine as a Western puppet state.
Russia's aggression against Ukraine was unprovoked and unjustified. Contrary to Russian claims, the West or Ukraine had not planned to attack Russia. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.
Russia is the only country responsible for the invasion of Ukraine. It has been coming up with different false explanations and pretexts for its aggression since the beginning of its hostilities. See our past analysis, Twelve myths about Russia’s war in Ukraine exposed.
It is Russia who has been violating international law since 2014 occupying and then annexing Crimea and then starting a conflict in Donbas. The Russian invasion is aimed at destroying Ukraine as a state and annihilating the Ukrainians as a nation. These plans were openly laid out in an article titled “What Russia should do with Ukraine” in April 2022. Along with calls to de-Nazify and demilitarise Ukraine, the article advocates its de-Ukrainisation, meaning the eradication of Ukrainian culture and everything related to it, plans to divide Ukraine into several entities subordinate to Russia, but without the word “Ukraine” in their names. Thus, Russia is not protecting itself, or anyone else, in its war. Instead, some Russian politicians and experts are threatening to attack Western nations after Ukraine.
See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.