DISINFO: Ukrainian referendums are Moscow’s strong surprise move against Kyiv and the West
SUMMARY
The West succeeded in turning Ukraine into a zombie kamikaze without intelligence and full of hatred. The special military operation is supposed to deal with this monster by its side. Lately the West was happy that Russia slowed down in Ukraine. The westerners forgot that Moscow’s key weapon is the ability to undertake asymmetric and unexpected steps. In the coming weeks they will have to find out how referendums in Ukraine and following political developments will change Moscow’s strategy and tactics in the special military operation. Once the Zaporizhzhia region announces accession to Russia and becomes part of it, Ukrainian troops on its territory will find themselves in a very grave situation.
RESPONSE
This article is part of the pro-Kremlin disinformation ecosystem's attempt to justify Russia’s occupation of Ukraine via illegitimate referenda and to distract from the war crimes committed by Russian invaders in the now-liberated territories of Ukraine. It contains recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about the war in Ukraine and Ukraine as a puppet country.
Ukraine is a sovereign country, currently an object of wide-scale unprovoked Russian military aggression. Western countries are supporting Ukraine with military, political and humanitarian aid but they do not rule over it or direct its actions.
As for the ‘referenda’ in Ukrainian regions, including in Zaporizhzhia, they have no international legal force and have already been condemned in the strongest terms by world leaders including EU High Representative Josep Borrell.
Read our recent referenda-related analysis "Mad rush for illegitimate hold on occupied territories" and along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.