DISINFO: The Ukrainian conflict is a consequence of Western policy
SUMMARY
The Ukrainian conflict is a direct consequence of the policies of Western states, which for many years ignored Russia's security interests, created an anti-Russian bridgehead in Ukraine, and condoned violations of the rights of Russian-speaking residents.
And now they are pursuing a policy of prolonging military actions, feeding the Kyiv regime with various modern weapons.
RESPONSE
A recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accuses Western countries of following Russophobic policies and infringing on Russia’s interests.
The article blames the West for deliberately provoking Russia into attacking Ukraine, portraying Russia as a victim and deflecting any responsibility for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Relations between Moscow and Western countries appeared in 2008 when Russia sent its troops to invade Georgia and occupied large parts of its territory. Western nations tried to bring Russia back into the security architecture, but all in vain.
In another spiral of violence, Russia in 2014 attacked Ukraine and illegally annexed the peninsula of Crimea. Moscow also instigated a separatist revolt in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east of Ukraine. Any international attempts to broker a peace deal were dismissed by Moscow-backed Illegal armed formations in the East of Ukraine.
Russia's aggression against Ukraine was unprovoked and unjustified. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.
Russia is the only country responsible for the invasion of Ukraine. It has been coming up with different false explanations and pretexts for its aggression since the beginning of its hostilities. See our past analysis, Twelve myths about Russia’s war in Ukraine exposed.
The Russian invasion is aimed at destroying Ukraine as a state and annihilating the Ukrainians as a nation. These plans were openly laid out in an article titled “What Russia should do with Ukraine” in April 2022. Along with calls to denazify and demilitarise Ukraine, the article advocates its de-Ukrainisation, meaning the eradication of Ukrainian culture and everything related to it, plans to divide Ukraine into several entities subordinate to Russia, but without the word “Ukraine” in their names. Thus, Russia is not protecting itself or anyone else in its war. Instead, some Russian politicians and experts are threatening to attack Western nations after Ukraine.
In late 2021 and early 2022, Western nations were trying to conduct a constructive dialogue with Moscow on all disputed issues, including security guarantees. Russia put forth excessive demands, so the West had to decline them. Russia opted for a policy of confrontation, which is why these discussions achieved no breakthrough. See our account of the Russian demands here and about Seven Popular Russian Myths here.
Western nations did everything they could to prevent the war, but Moscow has been ignoring these efforts. The West is not interested in the continuation of the war at the heart of Europe and supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence against the unprovoked Russian invasion, as enshrined in the UN Charter, Charter 51.
Claims of discrimination against Russian speakers in Ukraine have been repeatedly debunked by the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE.
Read similar cases: The conflict in Ukraine was unleashed by the West; the West forced Russia to attack Ukraine; the West unleashed a cold war against Russia in 2014; Russia's military operation against Ukraine was provoked by Western states; West did not want peace; it prodded Ukraine into war.