DISINFO: The West is using Ukrainians to fight against Russia
SUMMARY
The money Western countries spent on the military needs of Kyiv speak of a desire to confront Russia, if not to the "last Ukrainian," then to a number of victims comparable to that in Iraq.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Western countries are fighting a proxy-war against Russia in Ukraine. This narrative aims to frame Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine as a confrontation with a Russophobic and belligerent NATO.
Contrary to what this disinformation story claims, the Ukrainian state is under attack by Russia, while the US and Western countries are providing support to Ukraine. Western nations did everything they could to prevent the war and have only been reacting to Russia’s full invasion. Some NATO member states provide Ukraine with military assistance to help Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s attack, but they are not involved in direct fighting.
Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. In several Western countries instructors train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use modern weapons and NATO officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but there are no NATO troops fighting on the front.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that the West is lying when it claims that Russia “invaded” and “attacked” Ukraine, that Russia’s special operation prevented Ukraine’s attack, that Russia’s special operation in Ukraine is due to NATO’s persistent expansion, or that the US and the West are fighting a hybrid war against Russia in Ukraine.