Disinfo: An American was arrested in Ukraine for wearing a T-shirt with "Russia" writen on it

Summary

Ukrainian police arrested an American citizen for wearing a T-shirt with "Russia" written on it. The police accused the American of behaving in a "provocative manner and causing a quarrel with citizens."

Disproof

A clear “cherry-picking” approach for covering the mentioned incident trying to portray Ukrainians as Russophobic.

The man was not arrested just because he was wearing a white blue red t-shirt with the word “Russia” on it.

The reported article has failed to mention the additional information from the GUNP (National Police of Ukraine) which noted that along with asking him to stop provoking citizens celebrating the tradition of unfurling the Ukrainian flag during the Vyshivankovy Festival, the American man “unsuccessfully tried to escape the police”, thus he was detained.

Read similar cases in our database that claims that Ukraine is a Russophobic state; or that the West dislikes Russia and imposes sanctions; or that Ukraine is being racist against Russian culture.

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  • Reported in: Issue 258
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 24/08/2021
  • Article language(s) Arabic, Russian, English
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Russophobia, Media, Freedom of speech
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Does the KGB kidnap people from Iraq or Afghanistan and bring them to the border by force? Or maybe it pays for their transport and accommodation, and then these people are sent on a “mission” to cross the border with Poland?

The truth is very simple, but it is difficult to accept. After the introduction of the EU sanctions on Belarus, President Lukashenka publicly announced the “désintéressement” in the protection of the EU border by Belarusian border services. During recent years, the Belarusian authorities, in consultation with partners in the West, tried to control this route, preventing the movement of potential migrants to the EU. After the EU did everything possible to support the oppositional plotters, Lukashenka stated that he would not help Europe anymore. Why would he help it at all? Moreover, the May sanctions against Belarusian aviation forced Belavia to look for new markets, so it turned out that the immigrants wanted to use these new routes.

Disproof

Recurring disinformation narrative about the ongoing migration crisis on the eastern border of the EU directly inspired by the Belarusian authorities.

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Disinfo: People of Crimea legally decided their fate in 2014

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Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the illegal annexation of Crimea, claiming that it voted to rejoin Russia through a legal referendum.

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Disinfo: Ukraine wants to take away Crimea from Russia with the support of Russophobes

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Disproof

Recurring narratives about Russophobia in the context of the illegal annexation of Crimea and summit of Crimea Platform.

The so-called incorporation of Crimea into Russia was not recognised. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine”, stating that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 17 December 2018, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.