Disinfo: Kyiv does not want rebel held territories to rejoin Ukraine

Summary

Ukraine does not want a return of the LDNR because of fears that voters in the Donbas will throw out the Nazis in power.

Disproof

This is another story that Nazis and nationalists are in power in Ukraine and are encouraging the war in Donbas. According to the results of the 21 July 2019 vote, only one political party claiming to be 'nationalistic' passed the threshold for representation in the Verkhovna Rada. The Parliament of the ninth convocation got 424 candidates. Ukraine is also interested in the return of the occupied territories, but to Ukrainian jurisdiction. The United States and the EU have repeatedly stated that the implementation of the Minsk agreements is impeded precisely by Russia and the militants of the so-called LDNR. They are the ones who violate the ceasefire, hold unrecognised elections in the occupied territories and distribute Russian passports to residents of occupied Donbas. Also, the Ukrainian leadership signed the so-called Steinmeier formula. The document provides that the occupied territories of Donbas will receive special status on the day of local elections. First, temporarily, and then on an ongoing basis - if the democratic process is confirmed by the OSCE. The key is that the elections will be held in accordance with the Constitution of Ukraine and the law of Ukraine. Read more about the war in the Donbas here.

Go to search

publication/media

60 minut @Rossiya 1 - YouTube (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 169
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 11/10/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine
  • Keywords: DNR, Stepan Bandera, LNR, Elections, Donbas, Nazi/Fascist
see more

Disinfo: Ukraine derailed the plan to renew disengagement of forces in Donbas

Ukraine, under the far-fetched pretext of violation of the ceasefire, did not start the practical part of the disengagement [in Petrivske and Zolote]. Ukrainian armed formations derailed the plan on the renewal of disengagement of forces in the Petrovskoye area endorsed by the Contact Group.

Oct 10, 2019
Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative blaming Ukraine for the disruption of the agreed disengagement of the troops and hardware in Donbas. It also repeats common disinformation narratives about the war in Ukraine. On October 7, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vadym Prystaiko mentioned that the disengagement has been thwarted by ongoing attacks on the areas where the disengagement should have taken place. "To our deep regret, you know that Petrivske and Zolote came under attack several days ago. As you remember, we agreed to begin the disengagement on the seventh day of truce in this area," Prystaiko said at a press-conference. Ukraine’s Defence Minister Andriy Zahorodniuk mentioned Ukraine’s readiness to withdraw troops from the agreed areas after the shelling stops. OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine confirmed the ceasefire violations in the Zolote disengagement area on October 5-6 and in Petrivske on October 9. In accordance with the Trilateral Contact Group Framework Decision the disengagement of forces and hardware begins only after a seven-day ceasefire is achieved and verified by the SMM.

Disinfo: EU integration means property restitution from a large part of Ukrainian territory in favour of EU countries

Poland and possibly Hungary are preparing documents on property located in Western Ukraine. Restitution is the key rule of EU integration. This is what Latvia went through and it had to return almost a half of Riga’s historical centre to previous owners. Restitution of property on the territories of Bessarabia, Zakarpattia, Bukovina, Galicia, Volyn, and part of Podillia regions are open questions. One may wonder if the rights of the Russian empire over Kyiv can be treated as restitution too.

Oct 10, 2019
Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about massive restitution claims that Ukrainians will face in case Ukraine joins the EU. In reality, property restitution is not a condition for EU membership and is not on the agenda of EU-Ukrainian relations. "Restitution is one of the most mythologised issues in Ukrainian politics. Politicians and experts contribute hugely to the belief that European integration will inevitably lead to a review of property rights and many ordinary citizens will lose their homes or have to pay compensation to foreigners, primarily to Poles," Europe Insight analysis reads. It includes an expert opinion that the property restitution issue is "above the EU's competence" and could not be inserted into the EU-Ukraine Association agreement even theoretically. Read an earlier disinformation case alleging that Poland wants restitution of II Rzeczpospolita from Belarus [Second Polish Republic] property and a total clean-up of the political sphere.

Disinfo: Ukraine is turning into neo-feudal state, ruled from the outside

Ukraine is increasingly legitimizing neo-feudalism. The land market will create regional landowners, who will become nobles with serfs and titles. Central overlords will be located outside Ukraine. Therefore Ukraine will return in the situation similar to periods in Polish history when the nobles had rather wide competences and the king did not have real power.

Oct 10, 2019
Disproof

This is a recurrent narrative aimed to discredit Ukrainian statehood and to draw imminently negative consequences of Ukraine's integration with the EU.

See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Zelenskyy has neither army nor police, he is surrounded by corrupted predators, post-Soviet countries are feudal principalities governed by the West, and that the idea of Ukraine is based on a mythologised lie.