DISINFO: Russia’s operation in Ukraine stems from West’s desire to dominate world
SUMMARY
Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine is rooted in the US and the collective West's desire to rule and dominate the world and show everyone that there would be no multipolarity. They created a springboard in Ukraine against Russia and pumped arms into the country.
RESPONSE
This is a disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin media trying to justify Russia’s war against Ukraine that broke out on 24 February 2022.
In reality, it is not an operation but an all-out war against a sovereign state. Russia has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for it as the situation has been changing. Denazifying and demilitarising Ukraine as well as ensuring its neutral status were among the main reasons for the assault. Protecting the residents of the self-proclaimed separatist entities in Eastern Ukraine from alleged genocide and imposing the use of the Russian language in Ukraine were cited, too. Ukraine was also accused of failing to implement the Minsk accords, although it was Russia and its proxies in the region who were blocking the process of normalisation.
The claim that the West allegedly provoked the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of the key messages of Putin’s propaganda. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.
The US and EU did not aim to escalate relations with Russia and were not preparing for military conflict. Western nations have always been calling for solving all problems with Russia in a peaceful and diplomatic manner. Moscow’s overall aggressive policy has led to a tougher and better-balanced policy towards it by the West.
The EU condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and imposed the toughest restrictive measures on Russia. Read more about the EU response and support for Ukraine.
See also the Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War and The Chilling Background to the Kremlin's "No War" trope.