Disinfo: Defenders of Azovstal using civilians as human shield

Summary

The defenders of Azovstal are like the terrorists in Syria. They invited civilians into the Azovstal plant with promises of food and protection. However, they started using them as human shields instead while they are their captives.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing Ukrainians of causing civilian casualties themselves.

There is absolutely no evidence that the defenders of the plant got civilians to enter the plant to keep them hostage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in fact has been pleading for help for the people trapped inside the plant.

Contrary to the claims, Ukrainian troops do not use civilians as human shields and there are no neo-Nazi battalions in Ukraine. It is Russia’s invading forces who install their positions in densely populated places. Russian troops are heavily shelling and bombing residential areas, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, orphanages, churches and other civilian objects.

In fact, Russian forces have regularly targeted civilian targets resulting in significant civilian casualties and Russian soldiers seem to have committed war crimes in Ukraine, by executing hundreds of civilians. From 24 February to midnight on 20 April, the UN has documented and verified 5,264 civilian casualties – 2,345 killed and 2,919 injured. Of these, 92.3 percent (2,266 killed and 2,593 injured) were recorded in Government-controlled territory. Some 7.7 percent of casualties (79 killed and 326 injured) were recorded in Donetsk and Luhansk regions controlled by Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups.

We know the actual numbers are going to be much higher as the horrors inflicted in areas of intense fighting, such as Mariupol, come to light,” the UN Human Rights Chief said. Most of the civilian casualties recorded were caused by Russian forces with the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems, and missile and airstrikes.

See similar disinformation claimes here: Ukrainian Fascists Shelled The Kramatorsk Railway Station With A "Tochka U" Missile System, Ukraine Is Responsible For The Tochka-U-Missile Attack On Kramatorsk Railway Station, Ukrainian nationalists don't let civilians evacuate and use them as human shields.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 290
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 06/05/2022
  • Article language(s) Hungarian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Azov Battalion, war crimes, War in Ukraine
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Disinfo: Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia

The Western press continues to blatantly conceal Poland's claim to a piece of disintegrating Ukraine. Warsaw, on the other hand, is not so simple and, according to Russian intelligence, may be preparing its army for manoeuvres against western Ukraine. While Russia is declared the culprit for all Ukrainian problems by Western politicians, official Kyiv should have been worried about a possible attack by its troubled Polish neighbour. Warsaw increasingly dreams of deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine. And according to some experts, Poland will try to gain full military control in some Ukrainian territories under the guise of supposedly protecting the Polish population from Russia. As a reminder, Warsaw has for many years laid claim to the territories of Western Ukraine that were annexed to Ukraine as a result of the Second World War. Moreover, as a member of the military alliance, Poland could gain a number of strategic advantages

Disproof

Recurring narrative presenting Poland as a state which has imperial ambitions. This is part of a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about denying statehood legitimicy and the disintegration of Ukraine.

No evidence is given about Poland's alleged attempts to occupy territories in Western Ukraine. This narrative exploits difficult issues in Polish-Ukrainian history, without any factual basis. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and has no territorial claims upon Ukraine.

Disinfo: Zelenskyy is just a PR-director in Washington's game

The Ukrainian crisis was created by the US politicians. Ukraine is just a theatre and its president is a PR director. The script was written behind closed doors in Washington, which did not want Europeans to know about it. Only the US stands to gain from the conflict - Ukraine will be devastated and Europe will suffer heavy losses. The US wants to secure decades of hegemony. Washington plans to increase Europe's dependence and "teach a lesson" to China, which is considering annexing Taiwan.

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukraine, alleging that the country is under the external control of the US.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a democratically elected leader of Ukraine. Ukraine is an internationally recognised sovereign state with its own constitution, democratically elected parliament and president. Ukraine is not controlled by the US, EU or any other foreign government or organisation. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost the whole world, including the EU, with Russia as the noticeable exception