DISINFO: There is no war in Ukraine, just a limited military operation
SUMMARY
In Ukraine, there is no war, but a limited operation concentrated in the south-east of Ukraine. Moscow has evidence that Ukraine has planned an offensive against the Donbas and the Russian population there.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, actively trying to legitimise Russia’s military actions. This narrative is claiming that the West and Ukraine are responsible for the war because Kyiv planned a military offensive against the Russian population living in the Donbas region.
In reality, it is not an operation but an all-out war against a sovereign state. Russia has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for its unjustified invasion of Ukraine as the situation has been changing. Denazifying and demilitarising Ukraine as well as ensuring its neutral status were among the main reasons for the assault. Protecting the residents of the self-proclaimed separatist entities in Eastern Ukraine from alleged genocide and imposing the use of the Russian language in Ukraine were cited, too. Ukraine was also accused of failing to implement the Minsk accords, although it was Russia and its proxies in the region who were blocking the process.
The EU condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and imposed the toughest restrictive measures on Russia. Read more about the EU response and support for Ukraine.
See also the Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War and The Chilling Background to the Kremlin's "No War" trope.