DISINFO: The West is getting more and more directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine
SUMMARY
We are already seeing the active involvement of the West in the Ukrainian conflict. The collective West is the main instigator and driver of the military aggression of the Kyiv regime. They are more and more openly showing their direct participation as an interested country.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing the so-called 'collective West' of having a belligerent and hostile agenda and of being involved in the war in Ukraine.
The ultimate goal of this disinformation story is to advance a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Ukraine as a Western puppet, and Ukraine’s defence as a proxy war against Russia, targeting international aid for Ukraine’s self-defence against Russia’s invasion and aiming to deflect Moscow’s responsibility for its aggression. This narrative has gained traction in the face of Russia’s setbacks in Kursk.
Western countries are not waging war against Russia, only the Ukrainian Armed Forces are fighting Russian invaders in Ukraine. Accusations of Western direct involvement in perpetuating the conflict often serve to deflect attention from Russia's role in fueling the crisis and undermine Western credibility.
It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. In response to Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine which was launched on 24 February 2022, a broad coalition of more than 50 nations, including Western countries, are providing Ukraine with military and technical assistance with the aim of repelling Russia's aggression, but they are not involved in direct fighting. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Western instructors train Ukrainian soldiers how to use modern weaponry and NATO officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but no NATO troops are fighting on the front. Kyiv is acting in self-defence, in accordance with UN Charter article 51.
Our analysis of the recent communication strategy of pro-Kremlin outlets explains how they attempt to portray Russia as a victim and to deceive audiences into believing that Russia is fighting Western powers.
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.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that The West uses Ukraine to destroy Russia, that The conflict in Ukraine was unleashed by the West, that The West pushed Ukraine towards war with Russia, that The West is fighting a proxy war in Ukraine, that When the West became a participant in the conflict in Ukraine, the special military operation became a war, that The West / NATO fighting a hegemonic proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, or that The conflict in Ukraine is a proxy war waged by NATO against Russia.