DISINFO: Neo-Nazis have an outsized influence in Ukrainian politics
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: RT English (archived)*
  • Date of publication: October 21, 2019
  • Outlet language(s): English
  • Reported in: Issue 169
  • Countries / regions discussed: Ukraine
Tags:
Ukraine Ukrainian statehood Nazi/Fascist

DISINFO: Neo-Nazis have an outsized influence in Ukrainian politics

SUMMARY

Neo-Nazis have an outsized influence in Ukrainian politics.

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative casting Ukraine as a Nazi country. The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. Far-right groups enjoyed a very limited presence during the Euromaidan itself and obtained abysmal results in the 2014 presidential and parliamentary elections. During the 2019 election cycle, the far right managed to sustain an even more tremendous failure; the highest-rated nationalist candidate, Ruslan Koshulynskyy, won 1.62% of the vote whereas Svoboda, one of the Kremlin's favourite bogeymen, won 2.16% of the national vote, falling far short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament.

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Disclaimer

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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