DISINFO: Ukrainian Armed Forces seek to provoke a full-scale armed conflict in Donbas
SUMMARY
When negotiations fail, the troops start moving. Then Ukraine says that the forcible seizure of Donbas is the only way. This leads to an armed conflict.
Kyiv has taken a dangerous position. It has an intention to launch an offensive in Donbas and refuses to have a dialogue with DNR and LNR. In addition, the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine increase the intensity of the shelling, as a result of which civilians die.
RESPONSE
Multiple recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives alleging Ukraine is violating the Minsk agreements and ceasefire regime in Donbas.
In December 2020 and early April 2021, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission has recorded more ceasefire violations than in previous months since the ceasefire went into force in July 2020.
However, according to President Zelenskyy, Ukraine is committed to the Minsk agreements. He stated that Ukraine has taken significant steps to de-escalate the situation in the East, when a permanent ceasefire was introduced on July 27. As a result, there were only a few shots and a significant decrease in the number of fallen persons. However, the number of violations increased in January and Ukraine lost 28 soldiers.
He also mentioned that Ukraine adheres to agreements signed in Minsk. Zelenskyy said: "My attitude to ‘Minsk’ is very simple: we must split it into details, outline all the steps, link them to the dates and fulfil. We stand for such a format. That's what we did."
Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, General Ruslan Khmomchak, has said Russia had amassed 28 battalions near the borders by early April. Сontrary to pro-Kremlin media reports, Kyiv is only bracing itself for possible provocations from the Moscow-backed separatists or a direct Russian invasion.
See a similar disinformation case alleging that Ukraine mines settlements in Donbas.