DISINFO: Zelenskyy falsifying history by claiming USSR had role in starting WWII
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: sputniknews.com ( archived) *
  • Date of publication: January 29, 2020
  • Outlet language(s): English
  • Countries / regions discussed: USSR, Germany, Ukraine, Russia

DISINFO: Zelenskyy falsifying history by claiming USSR had role in starting WWII

SUMMARY

Since the end of the second world war, there have never been such explicit, arrogant and shameless attempts to rewrite the history of the Second World War as, for instance, Kyiv’s accusations that the Soviet Union had a role in starting WWII.

RESPONSE

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative distorting the events of the Second World War.

By signing the non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany in August 1939, the Soviet Union became complicit in the breakout of WWII. Following the conclusion of the agreement, the two dictatorships would remain allies for the next 22 months. The deal was accompanied by a secret supplementary protocol on the delimitation of areas of mutual interest in Eastern Europe. In particular, Hitler and Stalin agreed to divide Poland. The agreement also indicated that the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, as well as Bessarabia and Finland, also belonged to the respective areas of interest of Germany and the USSR.

A mere week after the pact's signing, Germany attacked Poland and started World War II. On 17 September, Soviet troops invaded Polish territory from the east.

See here for expert commentary on Soviet/Russian myth-making around WWII, including efforts to diminish the geopolitical role and scope of the Nazi-Soviet pact.

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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.

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