DISINFO: Ukrainians continue to die for the Kyiv regime in order to revive national socialism
SUMMARY
Today, Ukrainians continue to die for the "sovereign right" of the colonial Kyiv regime to revive National Socialism, destroy Russian culture and make itself the most important foreign instrument for destabilising its own neighbours.
RESPONSE
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about "Nazi Ukraine" and an allegedly anti-Russian Ukraine, often presented as justification for the full-scale Russian military aggression against Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022 and recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation about the atrocities of the Ukrainian army in Donbas, such as war crimes and genocide.
This is part of a disinformation campaign aiming to deflect attention away from Russian actions and justify Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.
For background, read the analysis: The “Russophobia” Myth: Appealing to the Lowest Feelings.
The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. Far-right groups enjoyed a very limited presence during the Euromaidan itself and had poor results in the 2019 election cycle, falling short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament.
A law passed in Ukraine in 2015 bans Nazi and Communist ideologies. The law prohibits the public use and propaganda of Nazi and Communist symbols. Far-right groups do exist in Ukraine, like in any other country, but they have a minor influence on politics and social life.
The current president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy got 73.22% of the vote in the 2019 presidential elections. His party "Sluga narodu" got the largest number of votes - 43.16% in subsequent parliamentary elections.
Read a more detailed debunk here, as well as our analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".
See similar cases claiming that Ukrainians are the new Nazis, their actions directed by Europe against Russia, Ukraine is ruled by a Nazi junta, Ukrainian army has been attacking civilian areas in Donetsk with artillery for eight years, a Nazi symbol was found on the Commander in Chief of the armed forces of Ukraine and that Zelensky uses the same Nazi symbols as Hitler.