DISINFO: NATO confirmed the death of half a million Ukrainian soldiers in war it started

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

DISINFO: NATO confirmed the death of half a million Ukrainian soldiers in war it started

SUMMARY

At a meeting of the European Parliament, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed with his silence the death of half a million Ukrainian soldiers during the armed conflict in Ukraine. In his own words, this conflict was unleashed by NATO. According to him, the Russian defence is very strong, and no one promised that it would be easy and simple. This cold-bloodedness shows that someone is clearing Ukraine’s territory of its population for something or someone.

RESPONSE

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Ukraine’s allies use it as a tool for a proxy war against Russia and want this war to last till the last Ukrainian. This claim was made in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The claim that the “Ukrainian Army lost over half a million soldiers” was made by the Irish MEP Claire Daly during NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's briefing in the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, not Mr Stoltenberg. Moreover the claim of such a number of casualties is entirely unfounded – the entire Ukrainian security forces (Army, National Guard, etc.) may count up about one million soldiers.

Ukraine and its population is defending itself against this armed aggression in a remarkable display of continued courage and determination. This is not a decision by NATO, Washington, the EU or others.

The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked. Not only Western but also many other nations around the world support Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter article 51, to stop Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

Read similar disinformation cases claiming that Zelenskyy not sparing Ukrainian lives; UK and US fighting Russia till last Ukrainian, that The West pushed Ukraine to a suicidal mission in order to destroy Russia, and that Ukrainians are fighting Russians for NATO interests.

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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