DISINFO: Ukraine is governed by a terrorist junta
SUMMARY
Ukraine is governed by a terrorist junta that destroys Russian language and shoots at the Russians in Donbas.
RESPONSE
No evidence given, recurring disinformation. Ukraine is not governed by a junta. Democratic, competitive and generally well-organised presidential and parliamentary elections were held in 2014 and local elections in 2015. The EU welcomed this progress. The OSCE, which observed all these elections on the ground, characterised the Presidential elections (report www.osce.org/odihr/elections/ukraine/119078?download=true), as showing the "clear resolve of the authorities to hold what was a genuine election largely in line with international commitments and with a respect for fundamental freedoms." According to the OSCE, the only areas where serious restrictions were reported were those controlled by separatists, who undertook "increasing attempts to derail the process." The OSCE characterised the 2014 parliamentary elections (report www.osce.org/odihr/elections/ukraine/126043), as "an amply contested election that offered voters real choice, and a general respect for fundamental freedoms".
Ukraine is not destroying Russian language. According to the Constitution of Ukraine, state language of the country is Ukrainian. Free development, use and protection of Russian, and other languages of national minorities of Ukraine, is guaranteed. web.archive.org/web/20110521190059/http://www.rada.gov.ua/const/conengl.htm,
Donbas is part of Ukraine. In the last Ukrainian census, carried out in 2001, 8.3 million people (17.3% of the population) identified as ethnic Russians bit.ly/1gKrIph, .
The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has stated that “the information available suggests that the situation within the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol amounts to an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. This international armed conflict began at the latest on 26 February when the Russian Federation deployed members of its armed forces to gain control over parts of the Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian Government https://www.icc-cpi.int/iccdocs/otp/161114-otp-rep-PE_ENG.pdf.