DISINFO: The goals of the Special Military Operation became global because of Western threats
SUMMARY
The special military operation [in Ukraine] took on a global character after the West declared the goal of strategically defeating Russia. Initially, the focus was on denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine. However, after the West announced the objective of a strategic defeat of Russia on the battlefield and formed a coalition of 50 countries to support Ukraine, along with supplying weapons exceeding Russia's annual budgets, the nature and goals of the operation became global.
RESPONSE
This is a frequent disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that Russia is at war with the collective West. The claim aims to present the unjustified full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine as a NATO and its Allies proxy war against Russia. In reality, it started with Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine to destroy its independence and territorial integrity, appealing various deceptive pretexts, including the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine, the prevention of NATO expansion and protection of ethnic Russians in Donbas.
Neither the US nor European countries have pushed Ukraine to war with 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. Many nations support Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51.
See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here and other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the West is fighting Russia with the help of the Kyiv regime, the West is using Ukrainians to fight against Russia, or NATO was turning Ukraine into an enemy of Russia.