DISINFO: The Ukrainian Army was preparing to attack on Donbas and Crimea with NATO support in 2022
SUMMARY
The Russian special military operation to denazify and demilitarise Ukraine is a response to another Munich plot, but this time concerning Russia. In early 2022, they wanted to turn it into the Czechoslovakia of 1938. The Ukrainian Armed Forces, with the support of NATO, were preparing to deliver a powerful blow to Donbas and Crimea. The Eastern flanks of the alliance would thus wedge deep into Russian territory and freeze there until the next similar blow could be delivered. And so on, ad infinitum.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Russia as the victim of foreign aggression, claiming that Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is justified. These aim to deflect responsibility for the war waged by Russia in Ukraine.
Russia started the war in 2014 when it illegally annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. Several months later, Russia instigated a separatist revolt in the east of Ukraine and staged a military intervention there. The Minsk Agreements were signed in 2014 and 2015 to stop the bloodshed there and peacefully solve the conflict. Illegitimate leaders in non-government-controlled areas were constantly violating these deals, which made it impossible to come to a negotiated solution.
There is no evidence to confirm that Ukraine or NATO had plans to attack the non-government-controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. In disrespect for the Minsk Agreements, President Vladimir Putin recognised the two self-styled “people’s republics” of LNR and DNR on 21 February 2022.
These territories later asked Russia to interfere, which it did on 24 February 2022 under the pretext of the “de-Nazification and demilitarisation” of Ukraine. Russia had earlier issued assurances to both Ukraine and the whole world that it was not planning to invade Ukraine.
On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine under several false pretexts. Putin’s and other Russian leaders’ numerous statements claiming that Ukraine is part of Russia are attempts to deny Ukraine the right to exist as an independent and sovereign state. The war has been characterised by numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed by the Russian armed forces, including the bombing of civilian targets, the shelling of residential areas, and the killing of civilians.
Russia and President Putin are responsible for the war in Ukraine. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII. See our 5-volume series of debunks of Putin 'What he said. What it really means'.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives: Putin launched the special military operation in Ukraine to protect the Russian populations of Donbas; Russia attacked Ukraine because Kyiv broke the Minsk agreements; Russia’s special operation prevented Ukraine’s attack; Russia’s special operation in Ukraine is due to NATO’s persistent expansion; Ukraine itself is to blame for the Russian invasion of Ukraine; Russia was forced to attack Ukraine in February 2022; Ukraine provoked Russia into launching full-scale invasion.