DISINFO: The conflict in Ukraine started in 2014 following a US decision to arm Ukraine
SUMMARY
The conflict in Ukraine was triggered by Washington's deliberate actions that led Kyiv to lose its neutral status toward Russia. Starting in 2014 in the Donbas so many people were displaced because the United States was heavily arming the Ukrainian army.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US' allegedly provocative actions in the run-up to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine, claiming that the West (EU/NATO) has provoked and is involved in war in Ukraine. The aim is to deflect responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions and the threats made by the Kremlin.
The war began in 2014 with the Russian illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's military involvement and support of separatists in Donbas.
After Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, the Obama Administration provided Ukraine non-lethal security assistance, such as body armor, helmets, vehicles, night and thermal vision devices, heavy engineering equipment, advanced radios, patrol boats, rations, tents, counter-mortar radars, uniforms, medical kits, and other related items. US aid was meant to help Ukraine preserve its territorial integrity and secure its borders.
So many people in Donbas were displaced because of the Russian-backed separatists aggression. Over the course of eight years, Ukrainian government forces fought Russian-backed separatists for control over much of the two heavily industrialised regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, also known as Donbas. Fierce battles in 2014-2015 ended with one third of the regions’ territory, its most urbanised part, occupied by two Russian proxy statelets, the self-described Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.
Russia’s protracted invasion of Ukraine is unprovoked and unjustified.
Neither the US nor European countries have declared war on Russia or want to escalate the war in Ukraine. The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked. 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.
On the contrary, it is Russia that refused the diplomatic process and started a full-scale unprovoked war in Europe and created a serious danger to European security, while using nuclear threats.
The EU or NATO as an organisation are not involved in fighting in Ukraine. In fact, Western actions adopted against Russia, such as sanctions or diplomatic measures, are a reaction to these actions including the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula, the long-term destabilisation of Ukraine or the unprovoked and unjustified invasion of this peaceful country.
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