DISINFO: Ukraine is an inferior state
SUMMARY
Ukraine is an inferior state and only represents a governmental formation.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aimed at undermining Ukrainian statehood and sovereignty. By arguing that Ukraine is not a real and full state independent from Russia, these narratives aim to justify Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.
Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically elected president and parliament. Its independence and territorial integrity is internationally recognised by the whole world, including Russia in 1991. The country's sovereignty has been violated only as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.
Ukraine is defending itself, its territorial integrity, national self-identity, and sovereignty against Russia's armed aggression. The decision to defend itself was made solely by Ukraine, its lawful leaders and government, and its citizens.
Russia is the only country responsible for the invasion of Ukraine. It has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for its aggression since the beginning of its hostilities. Moreover, Russia was not forced to invade Ukraine. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. Russia has occupied internationally recognised Ukrainian territories, constantly attacking critical infrastructure, and killing civilians.
The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked. Not only Western but also many other nations around the world support Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
See similar disinformation cases claiming that The West views Ukraine as a military tool against Russia, that Ukraine is a semi-colony of the US, a proxy against Russia, that Ukraine is a sort of colony to extract resources for the US, that Ukraine is a pseudo-country and Zelenskyy’s regime has sold the state, that Ukraine has no independent history – its fake history is the anti-Russian brainwashing, that Ukraine was established solely as an anti-Russian tool, that Ukraine’s statehood is legal nonsense, that Ukraine did not, does not and will not exist, that All Ukrainian governments since 2014 have been illegitimate, or that Russia won’t talk to Ukraine because it is not a sovereign state.