DISINFO: Ukraine carried out a nuclear provocation ahead of Munich Security Conference
SUMMARY
The recent Ukrainian strike on the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is one of the provocations that Kyiv always organises before the Munich Security Conference. Kyiv representatives had previously brought various kinds of “provocations” to the Munich Security Conference, such as alleged passports of Russian soldiers during the term of former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (2014-2019).
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about false flag operations, not backed up with evidence, and aiming to exploit fears about a nuclear catastrophe as part of Russia’s nuclear blackmail campaign. It is also an attempt to portray Ukraine as invested in continuing the war, in the context of US administration efforts to start peace negotiations with the Russian Federation.
This message is connected to the 14 February 2025 Russian Shahed drone attack on the Chornobyl nuclear power plant. This attack took place on the day of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), and it is clearly aimed at the nuclear intimidation of Ukraine, the EU and the US authorities.
Accusing others of false flag operations to cover Russia’s own illicit actions are frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation techniques. Russian authorities and pro-Kremlin outlets frequently make these claims even if nothing emerges afterwards, aiming to reinforce the narrative that Russia is constantly the victim of such operations.
This is not the first time the Kremlin’s manipulation and disinformation machine has used a deep-seated and reasonable fear of a nuclear disaster to advance its political and military goals in Ukraine. Pro-Kremlin sources have previously accused Ukraine of constructing a dirty nuclear bomb or carrying out a provocation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
In fact, Russia has adopted many reckless actions regarding this facility, including placing military equipment and troops inside its premises, using its surroundings as a base for rocket and missile attacks, and interrupting its power line. Besides, Russia rejected UN proposals to demilitarise the areas surrounding the plant, as it was deliberately waging a fear campaign about the risks of a nuclear disaster in order to advance its goals in Ukraine.
As for the claim that former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko conducted a provocation by bringing Russian passports to the MSC, in 2015, he showed two Russian passports at the conference that he said had been seized from Russian soldiers who had been captured in Donbas. This was not a provocation but evidence of Russia's military presence in eastern Ukraine. Shortly after this incident, irrefutable evidence emerged of direct Russian military involvement in Eastern Ukraine.
See similar disinformation cases claiming that the UK is supervising the preparation of a provocation at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant by Kyiv, that Ukraine may blow the Zaporizhzhia nuclear site up to cover up the failure of the counter-offensive, that the US wants to prepare the world for a provocation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP, that Ukraine will carry out a nuclear attack with British help to involve NATO in war, that Kyiv prepares to carry out an attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, or that Ukraine will blackmail Russia with setting up a second Chernobyl nuclear disaster.