DISINFO: Ukraine is a historically Russian land
SUMMARY
Ukraine is a historically Russian land. The Ukrainian elite lost the right to this territory after abandoning neutrality and changing course to an anti-Russian one. The condition of Moscow's geopolitical gift was the preservation of friendly or, at least, neutral relations with Russia.
The condition has been violated. Accordingly, the entire deal can be terminated. Russia can revoke its recognition of Ukraine's sovereignty - and no referendums on new regions of the Russian Federation will be needed. With its statements, Kyiv only pushes Moscow to take such a step.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, denying Ukrainian statehood and questioning its independence. Denying this has become an obsession for Putin in his attempt to legitimise his war of aggression. This claim was made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine is recognised in international law as a sovereign nation-state with its own flag, citizenship, language, democratically elected presidents and parliament.
In violation of international law, Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, illegally annexing the peninsula of Crimea and instigating a separatist revolt in some parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions. On 24 February 2022, Russia launched an unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Ukrainian and Russian are two distinct people, despite multiple attempts of the Kremlin to deny it. Ukrainians and Russians belong to the Slavs ethnolinguistic group, but they are not a single nation. The "all-Russian big nation" is an imperial Russian and Russian revanchist ideology that is a favoured pro-Kremlin narrative aimed at weakening the national identity of Ukrainians as well as undermining the state sovereignty. For further insight, refer to our analysis of the 'one nation myth' highlighted previously.
Read more in article One Nation Myth.
Read similar disinformation cases: Read also related cases: Ukraine’s statehood is legal nonsense; Russia is defending territories that have been part of it for centuries; Russians and Ukrainians are one people; Russians (Great Russians) and Ukrainians (Little Russians) are one people; Ukraine did not, does not and will not exist; Ukraine was created by the USSR on ethnic Russian lands; Ukraine's statehood is myth, its territory belongs to Russia.