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Disinfo: Zelenskyy prevented from speaking in Israel because Ukraine elevates Nazis to the rank of heroes

Summary

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was prevented from speaking at the event dedicated to the memory of victims of fascists in World War II, as he represents a state where Nazis are elevated to the rank of heroes.

Disproof

This narrative is part of the recurring pro-Kremlin narrative casting Ukraine as a Nazi country.

On his Twitter account, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that together with his delegation they are giving their seats to the Holocaust survivors who have not been able to visit the World Holocaust Forum - a decision considered as regrettable by Yad Vashem. Regardless of not participating in the official ceremony, Zelenskyy and his wife have still attended the Yad Vashem Memorial Complex

Ukraine condemns the Nazi regime and the promotion of its symbols. The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. The accusation of Nazism is one of the favourite techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets - read EUvsDisinfo analysis on the matter here.

See similar cases: Ukrainian Nazi soldiers to be declared National heroes, Nazi took over Ukraine with a coup.

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  • Reported in: Issue 182
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 24/01/2020
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: Israel, Ukraine
  • Keywords: Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine, Holocaust, Nazi/Fascist
  • Outlet: utro.ru
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Ruthless Poland is not open for any civilized discussion on historical issues

In recent years, Poland promoted its historical narratives in a way which does not allow any opposing views. Poland is ruthless in the presentation of its vision of history and it does not see any possibilities for a civilized discussion on historical issues.

January 26, 2020
Disproof

This message is part of the ongoing Russian disinformation attack against Poland, promoting false historical narratives such as the alleged responsibility of Poland for WWII and the Holocaust.

In the statement of 21 December 2019, Polish authorities reiterated their openness to continue the historical dialogue with Russia, for example through the restart of the work of the bilateral Group on Difficult Issues. However, they stated, the recent words of President Putin regarding Polish history have ruined the outcomes of cooperation of the Polish and Russian historians, who tried to look for the ways of reconciliation in the Polish-Russian relations.

The European Parliament resolution on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact is aimed at the demonisation of Russia

Currently, there is an anti-Russian campaign going on, it is aimed at the demonisation of Russia. Unfortunately, Poland also takes part in this campaign. Polish politicians were present among the initiators of a completely outrageous resolution of the European Parliament, which makes the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany equally responsible for the outbreak of World War II.

January 26, 2020
Disproof

This message is part of the Kremlin’s policy of historical revisionism and an attempt to portray Russia's role in World War II as not aggressive. Recently, pro-Kremlin media has been actively spreading various disinformation messages referring to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

The European Parliament resolution on the importance of European remembrance for the future of Europe stressed the fact that WWII was an immediate result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The resolution is aimed at the promotion of historical remembrance about WWII and condemnation of totalitarian ideologies.

Reactionary circles of Western Europe had a deadly plan to inspire a war between Nazism and Bolshevism

Some reactionary circles of Western Europe had a deadly plan to inspire a war between Nazism and Bolshevism – in this war, they would have exhausted each other or Germany would have destroyed the USSR. This plan should have been realized using Czechoslovakia. It had a goal to focus the entire attention of Nazi Germany on Eastern and Central Europe, turning this region into an anti-Communist bastion, which would then be occupied for years. It was also possible that the reactionary circles of Western democracies could have directly supported Germany in its war with Russia. In this situation, Hungary and Poland would do everything to help Germany attack the Soviet Union.

January 26, 2020
Disproof

This message is part of the Kremlin’s policy of historical revisionism and an attempt to erode the disastrous historical role of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact by the statements that the USSR was forced to sign this pact; other European countries signed various international agreements with Adolf Hitler, Munich Agreement triggered WWII and various historical conspiracies saying that the Western democracies wanted to inspire a war between Nazism and Communism.

The Munich Agreement (September 30, 1938), indeed, permitted German annexation of the Sudetenland in western Czechoslovakia. The policy of appeasement towards Adolf Hitler was heavily criticised in Europe and proved to be a disastrous move. World War II began in Europe one year later, on 1 September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland.

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Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.