Disinfo: The list of those killed on the Maidan has a very weak connection with reality

Summary

The list of those killed on Maidan in February 2014 has a very weak connection with reality. People who were not killed at the Maidan were still awarded the title ‘Hero of Ukraine’.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory perpetuating pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the Euromaidan protests. Such statements are another attempt to discredit Euromaidan and those who died during the protests in 2013-2014. The list of the Heavenly Hundred contains 130 identified deaths on both sides of the conflict. The majority of those listed were civilian protesters who supported the revolution; 18 police officers who were killed by the protesters are also included. The stories of the victims and the causes of their death are covered in different investigations and dedicated websites. The numerous articles promoted by the Russian media quote Elena Lukash, who in 2013 was the Minister of Justice of Ukraine under President Yanukovych. Lukash refers to anonymous sources in her accusations that the "list of those killed has a weak connection to reality", however, she herself is wanted for committing crimes against the Maidan protestors as well as "official forgery" and has been placed on the EU sanctions list. It's easy to compare information provided by Lukash and information that was collected by journalists and human rights defenders to see the many inconsistencies. For example, Olga Buru who Lukash claims “suffered from a number of serious diseases that caused the activist’s death and not the events on the Maidan”. According to Radio Liberty, Olga injured her hand when she was laying paving stones for the construction of barricades. An infection got into the wound and after a while, the hand began to throb and hurt. At the hospital, she was injected with drugs that her body didn't accept and convulsions started. She died March 10, 2014, from injuries sustained during the events on the Maidan and therefore is on the list of the “Heavenly Hundred”. The other evidence of falsification that Russian media used is that not all of the “Heavenly Hundred” were killed on February 20, 2014, at Institutskaya Street. However, all activists who died because of the events on Euromaidan were included in the list, no matter the date of death. Russian media use the example of Vasiliy Aksenin, who died on March 11 “in Poland, because of a medical error”. In fact, snipers shot at Vasiliy Aksenin on February 20 at Institutskaya Street, and he died after complex operations and treatment in Poland. These and other examples show how stories are pulled out of context and not all the facts are given and accurately represented. Read more about the story on The Insider.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 176
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 30/11/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine
  • Keywords: Ukraine, Euromaidan
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Disinfo: Russia has nothing to do with Donbas conflict

As for the conflict in Donbas, Russia has repeatedly asserted that it is not a part of it, blaming the Ukrainian authorities for the continuing clashes in the region.

Disproof

One of the most common disinformation narratives about the "conflict" in Donbas, claiming that Russia has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. See a similar case denying Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

There is irrefutable evidence of direct Russian military involvement in Eastern Ukraine. The EU has condemned the clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since February 2014.

Disinfo: Ukraine broke the Minsk agreements by allowing the National Police on the contact line

Ukraine knows that it can’t allow the National Police to be on the line of contact [in Donbas]. It violates the agreements. And Ukraine broke the agreement before the Normandy Format meeting.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Minsk agreements, portraying Ukraine as the only violator of the agreements. See previous cases about the Minsk agreements and the war in Ukraine. On 20 September 2016, the Framework Decision of Tripartite Contact Group on the Withdrawal of Forces was signed. The document listed violations such as the movement of forces and means on the contact line, shelling or placing mines on the contact line, etc. However, there is no mention of the use of the National Police for controlling order there. Ukrainian Defence Minister Andrii Zagorodniuk said in October 2019 that the condition of the withdrawal of forces and means is the fulfilment of the condition of observing the ceasefire regime at both sections of the contact line and the verification of the absence of fire should be carried out by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission. He also stated that the National Police will protect civilians on the contact line.

Disinfo: Euromaidan was a coup fomented by Victoria Nuland

Maidan was a coup fomented by Victoria Nuland.

Disproof

No supportive evidence is given to this recurrent conspiracy narrative on the coup in Ukraine in 2014, fomented by the West, Georges Soros or Victoria Nuland in person, often also portrayed as a "Nazi coup". There was no coup d'état in Ukraine. The spontaneous onset of the Euromaidan protests was the people's reaction by numerous segments of the Ukrainian population to former President Victor Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the promised Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013. See other disinformation cases on Euromaidan and their debunks.