DISINFO: Kyiv committed genocide in the Donbas
SUMMARY
Kiev’s actions in Donbass between 2014 and 2022 were nothing short of genocide. The post-Maidan coup authorities in Ukraine were determined to physically get rid of anyone who still supported the development of good relations with Moscow. Russia was thus forced to launch the special military operation to protect them.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine and the alleged genocide of ethnic Russians in Ukraine. The genocide narrative has been an integral part of the pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
The idea that Ukraine is committing genocide against its own population is promoted by Vladimir Putin in his speeches. Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion, or race.
There is no evidence that any ethnic nationals, including ethnic Russians or Russian speakers, are facing persecution at the hands of the Ukrainian authorities in Donbas or elsewhere, much less the danger of annihilation on grounds of nationality, ethnicity, or cultural belonging. This has been confirmed by reports issued by the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE.
The genocide narrative has been an integral part of the justification campaign of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Leaders of the European Union recognised that Moscow's actions should be evaluated as “acts of violence and the violation of international law”.
See similar cases alleging that the Russian special operation protects people from genocide and persecution, that "in 2014 genocide against Russians began in Ukraine" and "Ukraine has legalised genocide against its citizens".