DISINFO: Neo-Nazis are increasingly influential in the Ukrainian parliament and government
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: RT Germany (old) (archived)*
  • Date of publication: January 29, 2019
  • Outlet language(s): German
  • Reported in: Issue 135
  • Countries / regions discussed: Ukraine
Tags:
Euromaidan Coup War in Ukraine Nazi/Fascist

DISINFO: Neo-Nazis are increasingly influential in the Ukrainian parliament and government

SUMMARY

In Ukraine, neo-Nazis are increasingly influential in the parliamentary system and government. Their presence in political system is the result of the Maidan coup in Ukraine. “Reports about the murderous activities of the neo-Nazis and their dominating influence on parliament and government are completely taboo”. “The East Ukrainian population resisted the Maidan coup and since then has to suffer Poroshenko leading one military attack after another against them”.

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about Ukraine and the Nazis that has been repeated since the outbreak of the Euromaidan revolution and coup in Ukraine. There are no Nazis in the government nor in the parliament of Ukraine. The insignificance of the "Right Sector" is evident from the election results – their candidate received 0.7% of the vote in the May 2014 presidential elections, and the party received 1.8% of the vote in the October 2014 parliamentary elections. It is far short of the threshold needed to enter the parliament. Currently, only 7 out of 450 deputies in the Ukrainian parliament Verkhovna Rada represent the so-called right-wing forces: 6 deputies from the "Svoboda" party and one from the "Right Sector". Therefore they do not have any significant influence on the decision making neither in Ukrainian parliament nor in government. For background: The spontaneous onset of the Euromaidan protests was a reaction of numerous parts of the Ukrainian population to former President Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013. There were democratic Presidential elections held on 25 May 2014 in Ukraine. The OSCE characterised the elections as showing the "clear resolve of the authorities to hold what was a genuine election largely in line with international commitments and with a respect for fundamental freedoms." According to the OSCE, the only areas where serious restrictions were reported were those controlled by separatists, who undertook "increasing attempts to derail the process." This fact was reconfirmed by the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2014. The OSCE characterised the vote as "an amply contested election that offered votes real choice, and a general respect for fundamental freedoms". Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about the war in Ukraine. It was Russia that provoked a war in Ukraine. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has stated that “the information available suggests that the situation within the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol amounts to an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. This international armed conflict began at the latest on 26 February when the Russian Federation deployed members of its armed forces to gain control over parts of the Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian Government https://www.icc-cpi.int/iccdocs/otp/161114-otp-rep-PE_ENG.pdf

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Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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