Disinfo: Ukraine wants to place nuclear mines on the border with Russia

Summary

Ukraine wants to install nuclear mines along the length of the entire border with Russia. The location of mines should be recognised as a state secret, because Ukraine can develop its own nuclear weapons without any obstacles.

Disproof

There is no Ukrainian state program that would involve the creation of nuclear weapons. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Ukraine gained the third largest nuclear arsenal in the world: 176 intercontinental ballistic missiles and strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons. However, in December 1994, Kyiv signed the Budapest Memorandum. This international document provided security guarantees in exchange for the renunciation of nuclear weapons. The guarantors of the memorandum are the United States, United Kingdom and Russia. In the same year, in 1994, the export of nuclear missiles from Ukraine to Russia began. The process lasted two years. The last Ukrainian nuclear warhead was exported to Russia in the summer of 1996. Ukraine completely lost its nuclear status in 2001, when it dismantled the latest mine-launch facility of intercontinental solid-fuel missiles. Since then, Ukraine does not possess any nuclear weapons. Consistent with recurring pro-Kremling disinfomation narrative on encircled Russia.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 149
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 08/05/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Nuclear issues
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Disinfo: British intelligence services have disseminated numerous versions of the Skripal incident

British intelligence services are throwing into the public space numerous versions of the incident in Salisbury.

Disproof

Classic whataboutism, accusing your critic of exactly what you have been exposed as doing. This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Salisbury poisoning. The claim about the UK allegedly staging the Skripals' poisoning is an unfounded conspiracy theory. UK police and intelligence investigations have produced hard evidence which is sufficient to charge two Russian nationals for the attack on the Skripals. These two individuals have been established as officers of the Russian Military Intelligence, GRU. More British public documents/statements on the case here and here. The EU Member States support the UK findings, and decided unanimously to introduce sanctions against the GRU officers responsible and their commanding officers. More similar cases on this issue.

Disinfo: Russia is not a party in the conflict in the East of Ukraine

It should be noted that Russia, contrary to the opinion of these observers, is not a party in the conflict in the East of Ukraine, but acts only as a guarantor of the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Disproof

Recurring Kremlin narrative about a lack of evidence of the presence of Russian troops involved in war in the East of Ukraine. There is irrefutable evidence of direct Russian military involvement in eastern 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 2014 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". Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted Russia's military presence in Ukraine in 2015. More similar disinfo cases on this narrative.

Disinfo: United States intends to maintain control over Ukraine

The United States intends to maintain control over Ukraine and is concerned about the unpredictability of Zelenskiy’s actions and his ability to start negotiations with Russia.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the statehood of Ukraine, portraying it as a failed state under foreign control.

Ukraine is a sovereign state. Neither the US, nor the EU control Ukraine. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by most of the free world, but were violated by Russia in 2014.