SD: 10 Russian lies about Ukraine

The US State Department has published a list of 10 "false claims" by Russia that Moscow has used to justify its operation in Ukraine after the annexation of Crimea last month.

"Russia continues to spin false and dangerous rhetoric to justify its illegal actions in Ukraine. The Russian propaganda machine continues to promote hate speech and incite violence by creating a false threat in Ukraine that does not exist," the State Department said in a statement titled "Russia fiction: Continued. 10 more false claims about Ukraine".

The State Department points out that "we would not have seen the violence and sad events we witnessed this weekend if it weren't for the flood of disinformation and Russian provocateurs causing unrest in eastern Ukraine."

The first point refers to Russia's claims that Russian agents are not active in Ukraine. The State Department says that, however, the fact that the Ukrainian government has arrested dozens of suspected Russian intelligence agents in recent weeks, many of whom were armed at the time of their arrests.

To Russia's claims that pro-Russian protesters are solely Ukrainian citizens acting voluntarily, such as the Maidan movement in Kiev, the State Department counters that Russian websites openly recruit volunteers to travel from Russia to Ukraine and incite violence. He adds that there is evidence that many of these "demonstrators" were paid to participate in violence and riots.

"It is clear that these incidents do not represent spontaneous events, but part of a well-orchestrated Russian campaign to incite, separatism and sabotage the Ukrainian state," the statement published on the website of the State Department emphasizes.

Pro-Russian demonstrators in Slavjansk (photo: Reuters)

The third point refers to Russian claims that "separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine enjoy broad popular support." On this occasion, the State Department points out that the recent demonstrations in the east of Ukraine do not have broad regional support and are modest in scope, especially if compared to the Maidan protests.

"The vast majority of Donetsk residents, 65,7 percent of them, want to live in a united Ukraine and reject unification with Russia, according to the results of a public opinion poll conducted at the end of March by the Institute for Social Research in Donetsk," the State Department said.

The State Department, regarding Russia's claims that there is a risk that the situation in the east of Ukraine escalates into a civil war, assesses that what is happening in the east of Ukraine would not have happened without "Russian disinformation and provocations that incite unrest."

"This would not have happened if a large number of Russian military forces were not massing on the border, destabilizing the situation through an overtly threatening presence," the State Department said, adding that OSCE observers reported that the incidents in Donetsk, Lugansk and Slavyansk were "very limited." .

The fifth point refers to Russia's claims that Ukrainians in Donetsk "do not recognize the illegal authorities in Kyiv" and that they have established an "independent People's Republic of Donetsk". The State Department indicates that a large number of representatives of civil society and non-governmental organizations in Donetsk categorically rejected the declaration of the "People's Republic of Donetsk" made by "a small number of separatists occupying regional administrative buildings".

From Slavjsnska Street (photo: Reuters)

The State Department, in the sixth point, refutes claims that Russia ordered a "partial reduction" in the number of forces from the Ukrainian border, emphasizing that there is no evidence to support "a significant movement of Russian forces from the Ukrainian border."

"One battalion is not enough. It is estimated that between 35.000 and 40.000 Russian troops are still on the border, along with approximately 25.000 currently in Crimea.

The next Russian claim is that Russians in Ukraine are under threat. The State Department says there are no reliable reports that the Russians face threats in Ukraine.

"An International Republican Institute survey published on April 5 showed that 74 percent of the Russian-speaking population in the eastern and southern regions 'are not under pressure or threat because of their language.'

Meanwhile, in Crimea, the OSCE has highlighted concerns for the safety of minority populations, especially Ukrainians, Crimean Tatars and others.

Unfortunately, the most vulnerable Russians are those who live in Russia and oppose the authoritarian Putin regime. "These Russians are constantly harassed and face years in prison for speaking out against Putin's regular abuse of power," the State Department said in a statement.

The eighth Russian claim is that "the new Ukrainian government is led by radical nationalists and fascists."

"The Ukrainian parliament (Rada) did not change in February. It is the same assembly that was elected by all Ukrainians, which consists of all the parties that existed before the February events, including the Party of Regions of former President Yanukovych.

The new government, approved by an overwhelming majority in parliament — including many members of Yanukovych's former party — is committed to protecting the rights of all Ukrainians, including those in Crimea," the State Department responded.

The State Department, regarding Russia's claims that ethnic minorities are facing persecution in Ukraine from the "fascist" government in Kiev, stated that the leaders of Ukrainian Jews, as well as Germans, Czechs, and the Hungarian community, have all publicly stated what they think about security under the new authorities in Kiev.

"What's more, many minority groups have expressed fear of persecution in Russian-occupied Crimea, which has been corroborated by OSCE observers," the State Department points out.

The latest Russian claim is that Russia is not using energy and trade as a weapon against Ukraine.

"Following Russia's illegal annexation and occupation of Crimea, Russia has raised the price of its natural gas by 80 percent in the past two weeks, which Ukraine has to pay. In addition, Russia is demanding the return of more than $11 billion due to the cancellation of the Kharkiv agreement in 2010. Russian moves threaten to cause economic harm to Ukrainian citizens and businesses. In addition, Russia continues to restrict Ukrainian exports to Russia, which represent a significant portion of Ukraine's export economy," the State Department responded.

Moscow rejected a similar list published on March 6 as a "primitive distortion of reality", full of cynicism and double standards, Reuters reminded, assessing that by publishing this list, Washington "took off its diplomatic gloves".

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