Disinfo: Ukraine is a state formation, not a country

Summary

It is hard to name Ukraine a country because of external influence over it. It is rather a state formation, an engineered state.

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative, challenging Ukrainian statehood and painting the West as the puppet-master of Ukrainian politics.

Ukraine is recognised in international law as a sovereign nation-state, with its own flag, nationality, language and with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine is not controlled by any foreign government, while its sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by most of the free world but were violated by Russia in 2014. The EU works closely with Ukraine and supports the democratic development of Ukraine in accordance with the UN Charter’s principles of non-interference into internal affairs and respect towards territorial integrity and political independence.

See earlier disinformation cases claiming that Ukraine is an anti-Russian state under Western control, that Ukraine has become a vassal of Germany and Ukraine is under US control.

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Reported in: Issue 168
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 07/10/2019
Language/target audience: Russian
Country: Ukraine
Keywords: Sovereignty, Ukrainian statehood
Outlet: Sputnik Belarus @ Gorizont Sobytiy time 26:56 - 27:08

US and NATO military preparations remind Hitler’s intervention

The U.S. and NATO have finished all the research and development of weapons and are currently putting them into service. This reminds of the intervention of the collective West in the person of Hitler in the USSR. He was allowed to gather the whole of Europe to attack our lands.

October 14, 2019

Disproof

This is a manipulative message consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about aggressive West and Western anti-Russian activities. By drawing groundless parallels between the present-day U.S. and NATO, on the one hand, and Nazi Germany, on the other, this publication also brings up West / Nazi narrative.

The Nazi ideology and the present-time Western countries are based on opposite values and principles. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing the causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. Read a past summary on how pro-Kremlin outlets use the accusation of Nazism to discredit the Western countries.

Orthodox world splits over “Ukrainian question”

The [Orthodox Church of Ukraine] was created as a political tool needed for its backers to expand their influence and financial wealth. Agressive actions of the OCU undrmine the concept of the Orthodox Church as a traditional religious system [sic]. These agressive actions will apparently lead to a further split among the Orthodox Church [sic].

October 14, 2019

Disproof

No evidence given. Conspiracy theory and recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to instigate revolutions in EU neighbourhood. Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets have frequently attacked the establishment of an autocephalous Ukrainian church.

This message is also consistent with a narrative about the West challenging traditional values. Similar cases, where traditional values in Europe are attacked via "sects", can be found here, here and here.

Ukraine failed to withdraw its armed forces according to Steinmeier formula

The so-called Steinmeier formula has its first failure. It’s about last week’s agreement that Ukraine and the self-proclaimed republics will withdraw their armed forces. They promised to begin from two settlements in Donbas – Petrovskyy and Zolotoye. What happened instead? Petrovskyy was shelled by the Ukrainian security officers. In Zolotoye they carry out a certain operation of the combined forces.

October 14, 2019

Disproof

One of the pro-Kremlin messages about the Kyiv government sabotaging peace in the Donbas region. See previous cases about the Minsk agreements and the war in Ukraine.

According to the daily report by the SMM OSCE, the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but those violations were fixed from both sides. The same situation is with the withdrawal of forces. The SMM OSCE saw 16 weapons in violation of withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line.