DISINFO: Russia is a victim of anti-Russian rhetoric and it is not a threat to Ukraine
SUMMARY
The USA, NATO and Europe are spreading anti-Russian rhetoric and misrepresenting Russia as a threat to Ukraine. Russia is not a threat, it is simply concerned about a potential provocation from Ukraine on their mutual border. After all, there was an armed, unconstitutional coup d'état in Ukraine in 2014, supported by Europe. The 2014 referendum in Crimea referendum was in fact legitimate and held under the presence of numerous international observers.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the war in Ukraine, and illegal annexation of Crimea.
The claim that Russia is merely defending against provocations on the border is false. Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity continue to be violated by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014.
As for the Crimean referendum, no international body has recognised its legitimacy. On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 17 December 2018, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.
The claim that there was a coup in Ukraine in 2014 is another recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Euromaidan. There was no coup d'état in Ukraine, read here for further debunking.
Similar cases of disinformation in the database allege that there was a coup in Ukraine in February 2014, that the EU supported an unconstitutional coup d'état in Ukraine led by the US, that Russia is not part of the internal conflict in Ukraine, or that the Crimean people chose to be with Russia through a democratic procedure.