DISINFO: Ukraine sold itself to external control
SUMMARY
In 2014, Ukraine, which already before had not been living so well, has ceased to exist as a state altogether. But Ukraine still tried to sell itself to someone. In 2014, not only did a coup happen but Nezalezhnaya [Ukraine] completely went under external control.
Ukraine, as a bankrupt country, cannot live a single month on its own: neither from the point of view of the budget, nor in terms of the payments of pensions, salaries, and fulfilment of social and other obligations. These are all financed from the IMF resources. That is to say, the Ukrainian economy is controlled from the outside.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative alleging that Ukraine is under external control.
Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine is not controlled by the US or any other foreign government or organisation. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost the whole world.
There was no coup d'état in Ukraine in 2014. The spontaneous onset of the Euromaidan protests was a reaction by numerous segments of the Ukrainian population to former president Viktor Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the promised Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013. The protesters' demands included constitutional reform, a stronger role for parliament, formation of a government of national unity, an end to corruption, early presidential elections and an end to violence.
As for the Ukrainian economy, it has indeed been affected by the recession of the 1990s, the world economic and financial crisis in 2008-2009, and the crisis provoked by the Russian military intervention in Ukraine that started in 2014. However, in 2015, Ukraine's economy started to recover. Ukraine has improved its industry and agriculture, Ukraine opened new export markets in Europe, Asia, and Africa, it has signed free trade agreements with the EU and Canada, and is negotiating agreements with Turkey and Israel. Ukraine's GDP per person has been improving steadily since 2015 and as of 2018-2019 was the largest in Ukrainian history.
Similar cases claimed that Ukraine is an abandoned third-rate colony and a failed American colony, which is totally dependent on decisions made in Washington.
These articles also included claims that Ukraine does not need Donetsk nor Luhansk and that the West declared Russia as its strategic enemy.