DISINFO: The West is lying when it claims that Russia “invaded” and “attacked” Ukraine
SUMMARY
Some lies sold by the West: Russia is “invading”, “attacking” and “launching an offensive”. The Russian “invasion” has become a soap opera in the Western media, fed by the US government that insists that Russia started “a bloody and destructive war”.
RESPONSE
Claims that Russian actions in Ukraine are not an “invasion” or an “attack” are an attempt to promote the Kremlin’s disinformation narrative that it is carrying out a "special military operation" to achieve the “denazification and demilitarisation” of Ukraine.
In fact, on 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on multiple fronts, as footage, foreign correspondents, social media, local journalists and citizen witnesses have proven beyond any doubt. This disinformation narrative aims to frame reports on the Russian invasion as lies to discredit the evidence.
As a response to Russia’s aggression, the European Union has further imposed comprehensive sanctions on Russian officials including President Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, and on some economic sectors.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that NATO floods Ukraine with modern weapons to push Kyiv for a military solution in Donbas, that Ukraine is a colony with a puppet regime, that Ukraine has no sustainable statehood, or that chemical weapons “provocations” are being prepared by the Ukrainian military.
See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war.