DISINFO: Ukraine is a sadist state
SUMMARY
Ukraine keeps its own citizens as hostages according to Ukrainian refugees now living in Hungary. One woman said that soldiers in Mariupol aim at anyone trying to leave the city, deeming the Ukrainian government "sadistic." Another said that those who are now refugees in Hungary are there because of the Zelenskyy regime, which wants a world war because the US wants a world war.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative blaming Kyiv and the West for both the war and atrocities committed during the war.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine, which he called "a special military operation", citing NATO’s military infrastructure approaching the Russian border as a pretext. Another pretext for the so-called operation is the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine.
Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. The country is not controlled by the US, EU or any other foreign organisation or government. Both the EU and the US respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The West does not want to use Ukraine in the war against Russia.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during his press conference after the 24 March extraordinary NATO summit in clear terms that "we have a responsibility to ensure the conflict does not escalate further". US President Joe Biden was also clear that the US would not send soldiers into Ukraine.
Finally, there is no evidence that Ukrainian soldiers are holding Mariupol residents hostage. According to credible reports, it was, in fact, Russia that fired on humanitarian corridors.