In April 2014, the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed LPR and DPR, which declared independence after the coup d’etat in Ukraine in February of the same year. According to the latest UN data, about 13 thousand people became victims of the conflict. Kyiv has repeatedly accused the Russian Federation of intervening in the conflict in the region. Russia denies these charges. Moscow has stated more than once that it is not a party to the internal Ukrainian conflict and is interested in seeing Kyiv overcome the political and economic crisis.
NATO’s Secretary General is trying to substantiate NATO’s actions in the region with fabricated pretexts. Recently, the number of aggressive actions by the alliance near the Russian border has significantly increased. It is obvious that NATO’s actions are creating tension in the region. For example, military exercises in Romania and Georgia, or a strong desire to establish a base in Georgia. as well as the constant provocations organised by NATO and the United States.
Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on NATO belligerence towards Russia and on Russophobia.
Every nation has the right to conduct military exercises, but it is important that they are conducted transparently and in line with international obligations.
NATO is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. During the Warsaw summit in July 2016 NATO made it clear that:
"The Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia".
NATO's exercises and military deployments in the Black Sea are not directed against Russia or any other country. Exercises are designed to ensure that NATO forces are trained, able to operate together and ready to respond to any threat from any direction. NATO has reached out to Russia consistently, transparently and publicly over the past 29 years.
The allegation about NATO's plans to wage a war against Russia was addressed on NATO's official website:
"Any claims that NATO is preparing an attack on Russia are absurd." Every country that joins NATO undertakes to uphold its principles and policies, and this includes the commitment that "the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia," as reaffirmed at the Brussels Summit.
For more information about NATO-Russia relations and disinformation narratives about NATO, see here and here.
Please see other examples of disinformation on NATO's alleged goals in Crimea and its intentions to introduce a fleet to the Azov Sea, provocations against Russia in the Black Sea or the dangers created by the Alliance’s activities in those waters, preparations for big war, NATO provokes Russia in the Black Sea region.