DISINFO: The escalation in Donbas is part of a US destabilisation pattern in post-Soviet states
SUMMARY
The US wants to divide the Eurasian alliance by encircling Russia as much as possible. How to do it? By looking for a provocation, activating the Donbass conflict and throwing gasoline on the flames, which may get out of control [...]. The US is decided to put Russia in a disastrous situation throughout the post-Soviet environment: war between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the coup in Kyrgyzstan, the coup in Belarus, the government change and pressure over Moldova, the harassment of Nord Stream 2, the mermaid songs that we are hearing towards Georgia. It is all about encircling and setting up a provocation, while the West only points to the other side as the threat. The US states it clearly in its documents, for example in “Overextending and Unbalancing Russia” of the RAND Corporation.
RESPONSE
This is a mix of several recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about encircling Russia, popular protests as the result of Western-led colour revolutions and Russia as the ultimate target of international events. In this case, these narratives aim to blame the West for the recent escalation in Donbas, exempting Russia of any responsibility for its military buildup in the Ukrainian border.
Contrary to the claim, the escalation of tensions is not due to any US or Western provocation. Moscow-backed separatists have been mounting tensions in Donbas over the recent weeks under the pretext that Ukrainian troops are planning an offensive. Four Ukrainian soldiers were killed on 26 March 2021, which is the largest daily death toll for government troops since the fragile truce that took effect July 2020.
Nonetheless, Moscow and its proxies in Donbas keep on accusing Kyiv of continually breaking the truce and preparing for a full-scale attack, and the West of being behind the escalation and of inflaming tensions. For the claim about the RAND corporation report, see this previous debunk in our database.
Since end of March / early April 2021, Russia has started to send troops to the Ukrainian border and increased bellicose language in key Russian state media. The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, has expressed 'severe concern' over Russian military activity near Ukraine's border.
See also the Statement of 12 April 2021 by the G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU High Representative here. It addresses the "large-scale troop movements, without prior notification, represent threatening and destabilising activities. We call on Russia to cease its provocations and to immediately de-escalate tensions in line with its international obligations."
See other examples in our database, such as the claims that by provoking Russia, Ukraine fills the role assigned by NATO, that the US may be sending Ukraine to a meat grinder in Donbas, that Ukraine intends to commit genocide in Donbas, or that by accusing Russia of playing a role in Donbas, Ukraine has renounced the Minsk agreements.
This disinformation message appeared in the same TV programme and article as the claim that “The West ignored the murder of a 6-year old child in a Ukrainian bombing in Donbas”.