DISINFO: Zelenskyy is unable to make independent decisions and dances to the tune of the US
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: ru.armeniasputnik.am (archived)*
  • Date of publication: April 06, 2021
  • Article language(s): Russian
  • Reported in: Issue 239
  • Countries / regions discussed: US, Ukraine, Russia
Tags:
Donbas Volodymyr Zelensky Sanctions Military

DISINFO: Zelenskyy is unable to make independent decisions and dances to the tune of the US

SUMMARY

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is unable to make independent decisions and dances exclusively to the tune of the United States. If they give the command to attack Crimea or Donbas, Kyiv will do it without thinking about the damage to Ukraine. Moreover, both Zelenskyy and Biden now need a major military success. Donbas is a great place for this.

However, Washington is in any case in an advantageous position. This will allow once again to demonise Russia. The blame for the escalation of the conflict will unequivocally be put on Russia, which will cause a new wave of tough sanctions. Washington and Brussels will not figure out who fired the first shot, they have already decided everything.

RESPONSE

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Ukraine as a puppet country, claiming that Ukraine is the US' bridgehead f­­­or confrontation with Russia.

In fact, the Ukrainian Armed Forces do not receive orders from any foreign country and their activities in Donbas only depend on the current situation in the war zone. There is no presence of NATO or US forces in the Donbas war zone. NATO experts, who are stationed in Ukraine, for instance, help the country's Armed Forces with the military reform. Sometimes NATO troops engage in joint military exercises with the Ukrainian military.

While Moscow denies the fact that it provides the separatists with military equipment, Kyiv openly receives assistance from its partners. A $125 million military package of US aid for Ukraine was announced on 1 March 2021. Ukraine receives this assistance legally and in accordance with trade agreements.

Contrary to pro-Kremlin disinformation reports, it is rather the Moscow-backed separatists who are constantly breaking the truce, which results in more intensified military escalation in Donbas. Kyiv’s stance on the recent developments is that its troops are not going to attack the enemy unless there is a threat or attack by the enemy.

Ukraine is not preparing military provocations in Donbas. Kyiv has repeatedly stated that it is not interested in escalation and that it prefers a peaceful solution. Сontrary to Russian propagandist media reports, Kyiv is only bracing itself for possible provocations from the Moscow-backed separatists or direct Russian invasion. Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, General Ruslan Khmomchak, has said Russia had amassed 28 battalions near the borders. Reports issued daily by the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe are indicating a surge in hostilities over the past several days.

Read more disinformation cases about alleged American involvement in the Donbas war and about Ukraine allegedly being governed from abroad.

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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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