Disinfo: Kharkiv is Russian city, Ukrainians live under political repressions

Summary

Due to intimidation and political pressure, Ukrainians keep quiet. However, if political repressions are relaxed, it will turn out that Odesa did not forget anything and that Kharkiv is a Russian city.

Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the Russian world/civilisation and Ukrainian disintegration. Kharkiv is a major cultural, educational, and industrial centre of Ukraine, the second-largest Ukrainian city. It was the first capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, from December 1919 to January 1934, after which the capital relocated to Kyiv.

Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost the whole world, including the EU -with the notable exception of Russia. Its borders are guaranteed by international agreements but were de facto violated by Russia in 2014. Contrary to the claim about political repressions in Ukraine and alleged intimidation to speak out, Ukraine does much better than Russia in global rankings of democratic freedoms and press freedom.

See similar disinformation narratives in our database: Ukraine has always been Russian, Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians are a single nation, Russians and Ukrainians are a single nation, Belarus, Russia and Ukraine are three Russian political nations.

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sputnik.by (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 233
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 18/02/2021
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Ukrainian disintegration, Ukrainian statehood, Russian world
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Disinfo: A civil war is going on in the US

In many places throughout the world Vladimir Putin is seen as a patron of conservative values. At present a civil war is going on in the US. Conservatives call liberals "liberal fascists", while liberals call conservatives "white supremacists" and "racists." Russia takes an indirect part in this civil war. 75 millions Trump voters are bullied, treated as unnecessary people, supremacists, and fascists. As the country of conservative views, Russia can become a model for part of Trump voters. Russia will make them not feel alone.

Feb 17, 2021
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US.

There is no basis to claim that civil war in the US is going on or that it is imminent.

Disinfo: EU has been consistently and deliberately breaking relations with Russia

The gap between the Russian Federation and the EU has been going on for many years, and the EU has been consistently breaking relations. And although Moscow and Brussels are discussing some issues, this is not part of the relations between the Russian Federation and the EU. The framework of these relations was deliberately destroyed at the initiative of Brussels. Moscow is ready to establish a dialogue with the EU, but Brussels itself is not going to do this.

Feb 17, 2021
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the EU, an attempt to put the responsibility for EU-Russian relations on Brussels, alleging that the EU is destroying them.

The EU has imposed restrictive measures, including sectoral sanctions, as a result of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's destabilising actions in eastern Ukraine. Formats such as regular high-level dialogues remain suspended in the absence of the full implementation of the Minsk agreements by Russia. These events have seriously affected bilateral relations. As a result, some of the policy dialogues and mechanisms of cooperation are temporarily frozen, and sanctions directed at promoting a change in Russia's actions in Ukraine have been adopted.

Disinfo: Finland is attempting to destabilise Russia

Finland, exploiting representatives of the opposition in St. Petersburg, wants to destabilise the situation in Russia. EU is serious in its calculations on a deterioration of the internal political situation in Russia and is promising its agents of influence a status in a new Russian elite. This is unfriendly step and another attempt to invest in the destruction of relations with Russia.

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In connection with the visit of Pekka Haavisto, Finland organised a secret meeting in the Consulate General, inviting several representatives of the so-called civil society and opposition members of the St. Petersburg municipal council. Member of the Russian parliament, Vitaliy Milonov, declares that the municipal councilmen, taking part in the secret meeting, should be investigated by competent authorities.

Feb 17, 2021
Disproof

An unfounded claim, consistent with a narrative of foreign countries waging anti-Russian policies. Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pekka Haavisto, did meet with representatives of the civil society and opposition parties, as well as Finnish media and business representatives, but the visit was not secret. The Russian hosts were informed about Haavisto's programme, during the visit in St. Petersburg.

Finland continues to emphasise the need for a dialogue with Russia, but is also demanding Russia to abide to its obligations on international law and agreements.