DISINFO: Ukraine is violating the Minsk agreements and the West prefers to ignore it
SUMMARY
Western political circles and mainstream media don’t talk about the violation of the agreements signed by Ukraine, the Minsk agreements. Ukraine is not complying with those agreements signed by former president Petro Poroshenko, that have been on the table for 7 years, and Donbas is not getting the special status required by this agreement.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing Kyiv of non-adherence to the 2014 Minsk Agreements and the 2019 Normandy accords. Through this accusation, this disinformation aims to frame Ukraine as the party to blame for the recent escalation in Donbas, exempting Russia of any responsibility for its military buildup at the border.
In reality, Moscow-backed separatists have been mounting tensions in Donbas over the recent weeks under the pretext that Ukrainian troops are planning an offensive. Four Ukrainian soldiers were killed on 26 March 2021, which is the largest daily death toll for government troops since the fragile truce that took effect last July. Nonetheless, Moscow and its proxies in Donbas keep on accusing Kyiv of continually breaking the truce and preparing for a full-scale attack.
Since end of March / early April 2021, Russia has started sending troops near to the Ukrainian border and increased bellicose language in key Russian state media. The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, has expressed 'severe concern' over Russian military activity near Ukraine's border.
See also the Statement of 12 April by the G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU High Representative here. It addresses the "large-scale troop movements, without prior notification, represent threatening and destabilising activities. We call on Russia to cease its provocations and to immediately de-escalate tensions in line with its international obligations."
See other examples in our database, such as the claims that by provoking Russia, Ukraine fills the role assigned by NATO, that the US may be sending Ukraine to a meat grinder in Donbas, that Ukraine intends to commit genocide in Donbas, or that by accusing Russia of playing a role in Donbas, Ukraine has renounced the Minsk agreements.
This disinformation message appeared in the same TV programme as the claims that “Joe Biden has senile dementia and is a puppet of the Obamas and the Clintons”, that “Russia is not directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine, which was the result of a Western coup” and that “Pro-Nazi Ukrainian battalions may carry out a purge in Donbas, leading Russia to intervene”.