Events of the war that Russia manipulates the most

Who indeed bombed the Donbas for eight years?

Published

28.06.2024

During the full-scale war, probably every Ukrainian has heard accusations from Russia supporters saying: “Where have you been for eight years when Ukraine bombed the Donbas?” This is one of the most disgusting, but at the same time most popular Russian manipulations, because in fact it was Russia who did all this.

Let’s go back to the beginning: the conflict was unleashed by Russia. This is evidenced by the chronology – Donetsk City Council, which at that moment was already controlled by the militants, started to talk about a referendum on “the fate of the Donbass” as early as March 1. Later, the seizures of administrative buildings and the beating and killing of pro-Ukrainian rally participants happened. However, the anti-terrorist operation had not been launched at that time – the Ukrainian government announced it only on April 12. Meanwhile, the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic” was proclaimed on April 7, and on the same day Putin was asked to send in troops. This was done by the Russian special services’ agents and local collaborators who, with the armed support of the Russian special services, seized power in the region.

The Russian military have been in the Donbas since 2014. Novoazovsk was openly captured by the Russian forces, as well as Ilovaisk where directly Russian, and not proxy, troops were deployed. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was downed by a missile launched from a Russian Buk air defense system by a Russian crew which was sent to Donetsk region from the territory of Russia – this has been proved in court in the Netherlands.

What is more, Russia sent in its troops and despite the phrase “they are not there,” which is already a meme, it actually never bothered to conceal this fact. For example, a well-known terrorist Igor Girkin, who was engaged in the conflict from the very beginning, is a Russian citizen and an FSB Colonel. “If our detachment had not crossed the border, it would all end up just as it did in Kharkiv and Odesa. A few dozens of people would be killed, burned, or arrested. And that would be it,” he said in 2014. And even Vladimir Putin in fact confirmed this: “We never said there were no people there who were carrying out certain tasks including in the military sphere.” And not to mention, for example, the GRU officers who were swapped for Nadia Savchenko.

Thus, Russian money, Russian military groups and Russian weapons were present in the Donbas. However, Russia pretends this is not true and Ukraine allegedly bombarded its own territory itself. Even simple logic proves that all this is lies aimed at justifying Russia.

Is there NATO’s fault in Russia invading Ukraine?

Published

31.05.2024

The short answer is no – NATO is not to blame for the fact that Russia invaded Ukraine, although Russia is trying in every way to convince everyone that it is.

The North Atlantic Alliance is a defense alliance of democratic countries that did not threaten Russia in any way. It was established after World War II as an instrument of collective security for a number of countries and has never attacked or seized the territories of other states.

Russia constantly spreads stories about some American biolaboratories or illegal NATO bases on the territory of Ukraine, as well as about NATO allegedly using Ukraine as a buffer zone to threaten Russia. In fact, at the time when Russia broke the borders of Ukraine in 2014, the Law On the Fundamentals of Domestic and Foreign Policy, in which the country’s non-aligned status was enshrined, was in force in Ukraine. At that time, the Alliance did not conduct any accession negotiations with Ukraine. Even after the beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine in 2014, NATO countries did not provide Ukraine with lethal weapons. So, what threats the Alliance posed to Russia?

If the NATO countries are guilty of anything, it is only that they realized too late the danger of Russia’s aggressive policy. The USA, the UK, France and Germany, seeking to prevent further escalation and expansion of the conflict, preferred to ignore the fact that Russia occupied the territory of Ukraine and limited themselves to sanctioning Russia and trying to resolve the conflict through political and diplomatic means. Now it is quite obvious that this was a mistake which eventually convinced Russia that its aggression would go unpunished. Now NATO has realized this and has already included Finland and Sweden regardless of Russia’s threats.

In order to justify its aggressive policy, Russia shifts the responsibility to everyone around it – to Ukraine and its pro-Western aspirations, to every Western country for supporting Ukraine, and to NATO as a whole. This shifting of responsibility is one of the main tasks of Russian propaganda, which exists to justify Russia itself, its policies, and misinform society. However, there is only one conclusion: neither NATO nor Ukraine are to blame for the war, it’s only Russia.

Is Ukraine involved in the explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022?

Published

12.08.2024

On September 26, 2022, the Nord Stream pipelines were blown up. Journalists have found Russian, Ukrainian and the U.S. “trails” in the explosions case, but still there is no trustworthy version of the incident. Moreover, Ukraine had no motives at all for blasting the pipelines.

There is no evidence of Ukraine’s involvement in the explosions. In June 2023, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine had nothing to do with the incident, “I am president and I give orders accordingly. Nothing of the sort has been done by Ukraine. I would never act that way.”

One of the investigations conducted by German journalists suggested a version of former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny allegedly orchestrating the blowing up. However, Germany did not find any proof of this.

According to another version, a 15-meter-long sailing yacht Andromeda leased by a Polish dummy company owned by Ukrainians was used to commit sabotage. However, both the yacht’s capability of carrying out such an operation and the possibility of transporting a big explosive device through Poland and Germany are highly doubtful. Journalists allege that “the operation could be conducted under false colors” in order to discredit Ukraine.

Ukraine did not have any motives for conducting such an operation. Why would Ukraine blow up the already sanctioned and non-operating pipelines?

Even the Kremlin dismisses the version of Ukraine’s involvement. The Russian president’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov said, “As for the pro-Ukrainian angle, you know, the idea that some Dr. Evil organized it, that’s hard to believe. It was too difficult a task, which probably only a well-trained special state service was capable of – and there are not too many of them in our world.” That’s true. Ukraine does not have capabilities for conducting sabotage like this. And the Ukrainian leadership never considered the Baltic Sea region as an area of confrontation with Russia.

Why did Ukrainian POWs die in temporarily occupied Olenivka, Donetsk region, in July 2022?

Published

03.09.2024

On the night of July 28-29, 2022, an explosion occurred on the territory of a former penal colony in temporarily occupied Olenivka, Donetsk region. Russia organized a mass murder of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs), who were illegally detained there, at the same time trying to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). As a result of the terrorist attack, at least 53 people were killed and another 130 were wounded. However, Russia never allowed an unbiased international investigation into this tragedy.

First of all, it is worth noting that the very fact of keeping the POWs by Russia in Olenivka, slightly more than 10 kilometers away from the front line, is already a war crime. According to international law, POWs must not be detained so close to the front line as this poses a threat to their life and health. However, it is obvious that Russia committed this, just as well as the terror act, consciously.

The fact that this crime was fully planned by the Russian side is confirmed by documented evidence, particularly the intentional transfer of the fighters to the new premises shortly before the explosion, the analysis of the pattern of damage and the blast wave movement, the intercepted phone calls between the militants, the absence of shelling in this area – this all was declared in a joint statement of the AFU, the Defense Ministry and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The fact that it was Russia who organized the act of terrorism was also confirmed by international experts, particularly the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The explosion was probably triggered by a reactive thermobaric grenade launcher.

Immediately after the explosion, Russia accused Ukraine of it, saying that the colony was struck by the Ukrainian military using American HIMARS MLRS. However, the UN denied this. In addition, as noted by the AFU, the Defense Ministry and the SBU, not a single employee of the colony, a militant of the so-called “DPR” (“Donetsk People’s Republic”) or a Russian soldier guarding the premises was injured as a result of the alleged Ukrainian attacks, as claimed by the Russian side.

Therefore, this terrorist act of the Russian Federation is a military provocation aimed not only at another brutal killing of Ukrainians, but also at increasing tension in Ukrainian society, discrediting the Armed Forces of Ukraine and disrupting the supply of Western weapons.

The Russian side did not allow for an independent international investigation that would impartially clarify all the circumstances of the explosion: representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross were not allowed to visit the site of the explosion, and the organization’s staff was not allowed to talk face-to-face with the prisoners who survived the attack. The UN decided to disband the fact-finding mission in Olenivka, Donetsk region, due to the lack of security guarantees and the inability to bring experts to the scene.

What resources are there in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine?

Published

11.09.2024

In the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, Russia has gained control of enormous resources: oil, gas, coal, lithium, salt, iron and titanium ore, gold, uranium, granite, and manganese. Their total value is tens of trillions of dollars. At the same time, Russia is actively extracting these resources and stimulating mining there. Russia is trying to use Ukrainian metals to meet the needs of the occupation army. In addition, 35% of Ukraine’s power generation is located in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

Over the years of aggression against Ukraine, since 2014, Russia has seized hundreds of Ukrainian deposits, the total value of which may be between $12.4 trillion and $15 trillion. These figures are cited by SecDev, a Canadian geopolitical risk assessment company. Huge deposits of resources used in various industries, from the production of aircraft parts to smartphones, are under Russian occupation. The Institute of Geological Sciences has estimated that Ukraine currently does not control more than 700 out of more than 2,160 deposits. That is, almost a third. Access to the largest lithium deposits in Europe in Luhansk and Donetsk regions has been lost.

Ukraine does not control 80% of its coal deposits. This is approximately 30 billion tonnes, valued at $11.9 trillion. A quarter of Ukraine’s oil and gas fields are also located in Luhansk and Donetsk regions and are under occupation.

On the Crimean Peninsula, Russia seized deposits of hydrocarbons, iron ore, and limestone, which is needed for soda and steel production. Natural gas reserves in Crimea and the southern regions are estimated at 2-3 trillion cubic meters and more, and oil and condensate reserves are estimated at another trillion tonnes. The Velyky Tokmak manganese ore deposit in Zaporizhia region is also located in the temporarily occupied territories. Russia also controls 42% of Ukrainian metal deposits and 33% of rare earth and other important minerals, including lithium.

And Russia is actively extracting all of this, literally stealing the seized Ukrainian lands. At the same time, the Russians are accelerating mining in the temporarily occupied territories, stimulating this industry there in every possible way. Employed Russians in the occupied territories are offered higher salaries than in other regions of Russia. This is due to the need to attract workers in order to actively drain resources from the occupied territories of Ukraine. The establishment of metallurgical production is primarily aimed at meeting the needs of the Russian occupation army for materials for the construction of defense lines, as well as for the repair and production of military equipment.

In addition, 35% of Ukraine’s electricity generation is located in the occupied territories. According to the Energy Ministry, Ukraine has lost 30% of its solar and more than 90% of its wind generation, as well as more than 50% of its thermal power capacity. There are five large power plants on the Ukrainian territory occupied by Russia since February 24: Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), DTEK Zaporizhia Thermal Power Plant (TPP), Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), which was later destroyed by the Russian forces, causing an environmental disaster, Vuhlehirsk TPP, and DTEK Luhansk TPP. Their total capacity is about 14 GW. And this does not include municipal thermal power plants, solar and wind power plants. The capacity of the ZNPP alone is over 6 GW. It is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and the ninth largest in the world. Before the war, it generated almost a quarter of the country’s electricity.

And this is not to mention the forests, fields, and water resources that Russians are also mercilessly destroying and plundering

Do communists still have power in Ukraine?

Published

28.06.2024

No, there are no communists in power in Ukraine. Moreover, communist symbols, communist propaganda, and the communist party are banned in Ukraine.

In 2015, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted several laws on the decommunization of state policy and national memory. Therefore, the communist and Nazi totalitarian regimes were condemned and the use of their symbols was prohibited at the legislative level in Ukraine, and access to the archives of repressive bodies or special services of the communist totalitarian regime was opened.

As for the Communist Party of Ukraine (CPU), its ban was preceded by many years of criminal and openly anti-Ukrainian activities of the party. For example, in 2010, the communists in Zaporizhia deliberately erected a bust of Joseph Stalin despite the fact that the 1932-1933 Holodomor Famine, recognized as a genocide of the Ukrainian people, was executed under his leadership. For many years, representatives of the CPU systemically supported separatist cells in Donetsk. CPU members in Crimea contributed to the annexation of the peninsula by Russia in 2014 and, immediately after it happened, they openly expressed their support for such actions of Russia and entered into direct collaboration with the occupation authorities. There are also many facts of CPU members actively supporting terrorists in the Donbas in 2014.

Given these facts, the Ukrainian authorities launched the process of banning the activities of the CPU in 2014. The District Administrative Court of Kyiv ruled on December 16, 2015 to stop the activities of the CPU. However, an appeal was filed against this decision and therefore it could not enter into legal force for almost seven years. During all this time, the Communist Party continued to exist. But on July 5, 2022, the Eighth Administrative Court of Appeal upheld the lawsuit, banned the activities of the Communist Party of Ukraine and ordered that all party assets be transferred to the state. The ruling entered into force on July 27, 2022, and from that day on, the CPU was finally banned.

Therefore, we can confidently say that the communists cannot be in power in Ukraine, engage in political or social activities, and have any other influence on the processes in our state.

Does Ukraine have nuclear weapons

Published

31.10.2024

Today, Ukraine does not have nuclear weapons, and the absence of this deterrent has allowed Russia to start a full-scale war. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine inherited the world’s third nuclear arsenal, but gave it up in exchange for security guarantees from the international community that were not fulfilled.

After the collapse of the USSR, Ukraine inherited the third nuclear potential in the world – 176 intercontinental ballistic missiles, over 4,000 nuclear warheads, and 103 strategic bombers of various modifications. However, world leaders saw a serious threat such a young country having such weapons and persuaded Ukraine to give them up in exchange for security guarantees. Eventually, Ukraine did so, and in 1994 signed the Budapest Memorandum, according to which it refused from the nuclear arsenal. On June 2, 1996, the last nuclear warhead was removed from the country.

Notably, these weapons were not disposed of. They were transferred to Russia at the insistence of the United States, first and foremost. In addition to nuclear weapons, conventional weapons were reduced, which would have allowed Ukraine to defend itself in the event of aggression and become less dependent on Western partners.

The Budapest Memorandum guaranteed Ukraine’s sovereignty and security as a country that voluntarily renounced nuclear weapons and joined the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The guarantees were provided by the nuclear powers of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. They pledged to respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and borders; not to use weapons against Ukraine except in self-defense; to ask the UN Security Council to take immediate action to assist Ukraine if it becomes a victim of an act of aggression; and not to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine.

However, on February 20, 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine through Crimea and the eastern border to subsequently occupy the peninsula and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. On February 24, 2022, Russia’s armed aggression against Ukrainians escalated into a full-scale war. That is, Russia has violated all the principles of the Budapest Memorandum and is directly and cynically trying to destroy Ukraine. Moreover, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has frequently and unequivocally threatened to use nuclear weapons to break Ukraine’s resistance and cut off international support. Russia is blatantly disregarding international law and its legal obligations by blackmailing Ukraine and the world with a nuclear catastrophe.

Radiation and nuclear safety is the first element of the 10-point Peace Formula presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It emphasizes the need to end nuclear threats from Russia, as well as de-occupy the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Ukraine’s partners should provide it with the necessary support to force Russia to stop its aggression and achieve a just peace. After all, Ukraine has faithfully fulfilled all of its disarmament obligations and has never resorted to armed blackmail of other states. Instead, Russia has turned nuclear blackmail into an instrument of its policy. In 2023, Russia withdrew from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (refused to limit and reduce arms) and withdrew from START III (New Start), the U.S.-Russia Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (nuclear warheads, intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, strategic bombers that can carry nuclear warheads, etc.). In fact, Russia has already started a new arms race, and this cannot be ignored, as the consequences will be catastrophic. International agreements and international law formed in the aftermath of World War II are no longer in effect and are no longer a guarantee of peace. Therefore, defeating Russia is important for global peace and preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the world.

Who downed Il-76 aircraft on January 24, 2024 in Belgorod region, and why? Were there Ukrainian POWs on board?

Published

01.08.2024

Currently, it is impossible to establish for sure who downed Il-76 in Belgorod region on January 24, 2024, and why, and whether it was carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW) for a prisoner swap that had been planned for a long time. Ukraine does not have access to trustworthy information on the case, and it has no reason to trust the Russian authorities’ version. Russia opposes an international investigation demanded by Ukraine.

Anyway, it is important to remember that it is Russia who bears full responsibility for the security of Ukrainian POWs. It is Russia who had to warn Ukraine how they would be transported, where safety of the airspace must be ensured, and when.

A prisoner swap was planned for that day. The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry of Ukraine says the Ukrainian side carried out all agreements and brought Russian POWs to the agreed place on time. Russia did not bring Ukrainian POWs and the exchange was disrupted.

On January 24 in the morning, Russia’s Il-76 aircraft crashed in the Korocha district, Belgorod region. The air crash happened at around 11 a.m. Moscow time (10 a.m. Kyiv time) at a distance of 50-60 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Almost immediately after the crash, Russian state authorities and media started to comment on the case, directly accusing Ukraine. Russian propaganda Telegram channels almost immediately posted similar messages referring to the Russian Defense Ministry ahead of its own statement. Russia’s State Duma also quickly accused the Ukrainian army of shooting down Il-76.

The Kremlin claims it was transporting Ukrainian POWs on board of the aircraft for a prisoner swap, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine allegedly downed it. According to it, there allegedly were six crewmembers, 65 Ukrainian servicemen heading for the exchange and three Russian military escorting them. The crew and all passengers of the plane died. However, Ukrainian fighter Maksym Kolesnikov, who had been in Russian captivity, pointed at the unusually small number of guards who, according to Russia’s statement, escorted the prisoners. Ukrainian sources also noticed the fact that the aircraft was hit during takeoff from the Belgorod airfield although the Russian Defense Ministry said it was flying from Moscow. Ukrainian journalists also identified the names of the killed Il-76 crewmembers: they were on the list of Russia’s 117th Fighter Aviation Regiment who previously transported weapons and ammunition for killing Ukrainian civilians.

Ukraine tried to initiate an unbiased international investigation, but Russia opposes it. Obviously, they have something to hide and international investigators could reveal another lie of the Kremlin.

Who organized the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow?

Published

30.07.2024

There is no clear and trustworthy information on who exactly committed the terrorist act at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow region, because Russia did not allow any international experts into the investigation.

The terrorist organization ISIS took responsibility for it. The West warned the Russian authorities of a possible terrorist attack, but they turned a deaf ear to it. Naturally, Russia, for its part, is seeking a Ukrainian trail in the terrorist attack case.

On March 22, 2024, armed people entered the Crocus City Hall concert venue in Moscow region and started shooting, killing at least 140 people. It was the largest terrorist attack in Russia since the Beslan school siege in the North Caucasus in September 2004.

On the same day, the terror group ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. It is worthy of note that shortly before the terrorist attack Western embassies warned about a terrorist threat in Russia and called on their citizens to leave the country. Moreover, according to The Washington Post, the United States told the Kremlin that Crocus City Hall was a potential target. President of France Emmanuel Macron announced that shortly before the attack, ISIS terrorists had carried out several attempted attacks in France. ISIS itself explained that in such a way it fights with states that “stand against Islam.”

However, the Russian authorities immediately started to look for a Ukrainian trail in the attack. In his video address on the next day, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that four men, who were detained on suspicion of committing the terrorist attack, headed for Ukraine where a “window” was prepared for them to cross the border. At the same time, the Russians never explained how the suspects were supposed to cross the front line, facing the Russian troops first and then the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and they continue to stick to this version.

As for Ukraine’s position, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry stated that this terrorist attack was “a premeditated and deliberate provocation by the Russian special service ordered by Putin” aimed at justifying even tougher strikes against Ukraine and total mobilization in Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Kremlin was trying to “shift responsibility” for the terror act to someone else and recalled as an example the apartment houses blown up in Russia. At the same time, the White House and the G7 countries officially denied Ukraine’s involvement in the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall.

What topics on Ukraine-Poland relations does Russia use to incite hatred?

Published

28.06.2024

Russian propaganda does the utmost to weaken the support for Ukraine among its neighbors and partners. This applies particularly to Poland. Manipulating the issues of the shared history of Ukraine and Poland, which have not been fully discussed and rethought, as well as on the current economic and social problems in Poland, Russia is trying to spoil relations between our countries.

Russia has intensified its propaganda activities in Poland from 2022. Its manipulations concerned Ukrainian refugees, for example, “Ukrainians in Poland receive undue benefits”, “the influx of Ukrainians to Polish cities caused a jump in rental prices”, “anti-Russian sanctions affect ordinary Poles”, “the accession of Ukraine to the EU is extremely disadvantageous for Poland”, “Ukrainian refugees in the West will displace Poles from the labor markets.” In addition, propaganda massively produced narratives about Ukrainians as people who “grow fat on the Poles”, do not want to work and cause only harm, violating local customs and order, and organizing fights.

From the summer-autumn of 2023, Russia started to actively manipulate the issue of farmers’ protests in Europe, filling the media landscape with narratives that “Ukrainian grain is killing Polish farming”, while the Polish government allegedly cares about Ukrainian agriculture, not Polish, while Ukraine, which is not an EU member, was granted “the same privileges as EU farmers”.

In addition, Russia has long been manipulating historical topics, in particular the Volyn tragedy. Russian especially liked the fact that in 2016 the Sejm of Poland adopted a resolution establishing July 11 as the National Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Genocide committed by the OUN-UPA. It described the tragic events of the Ukrainian-Polish conflict of 1943-1944 as a “genocide” organized by “civilian structures of the OUN, armed formations of the UPA, the SS Galicia division, as well as other Ukrainian formations that cooperated with the Germans.” This is a really complex page of Polish-Ukrainian history, which needs a detailed rethinking by historians of both countries. However, one thing can be said for sure: Ukrainians did not have their own statehood at that time, and those lands were claimed by two aggressive empires – the Third Reich and the Soviet Union – and both deliberately aggravated relations between Ukrainians and Poles in every possible way. It is good that the governments of Ukraine and Poland understand this and are looking for ways of reconciliation. Thus, on July 10, 2023, the presidents of Ukraine and Poland, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Andrzej Duda, honored the memory of the Volyn tragedy victims in Lutsk.

Who actually broke the Minsk agreements?

Published

28.08.2024

The Minsk agreements were disrupted by Russia. It has neglected them throughout their existence. And a few days before the full-scale invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin, contrary to all agreements, international law and common sense, recognized the independence of the so-called “LPR” and “DPR” within the full borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and thus unilaterally withdrew from the Minsk agreements.

In fact, from the very beginning of the Minsk process, which was intended to resolve the situation in Donbas, Russia has been undermining its achievements in every possible way, constantly violating various types of agreements. Contrary to the agreements, it continued to fire, did not withdraw heavy weapons from the contact line, did not disarm militants in the occupied Ukrainian territories, did not provide access to proper monitoring of the situation there, distributed passports in the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and tried in every possible way to integrate them into the Russian Federation. The OSCE has confirmed this fact.

On February 21, 2022, a few days before the start of the full-scale invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin recognized the independence of the pseudo-state entities of the “LPR” and “DPR”, noting that he considered the entire territory, and not just the previously occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, to be their land. With this step, Russia in fact unilaterally withdrew from the Minsk process, thus creating a pretext for an open war against Ukraine.

How does Russia lie about supplying Ukraine with free natural gas for years?

Published

28.08.2024

Russia lies that it supplied Ukraine with natural gas free of charge. There were only certain periods of reduced prices when Ukraine was politically close with Russia and refused European integration aspirations to its own detriment. Thus, gas has always been an instrument of political pressure, an important economic lever for Russia with the help of which it tried to make Ukraine dependent. For example, Russia used this lever to deploy its Black Sea Navy in Crimea, which later helped it to occupy the peninsula.

For Russia, gas sales have always been not just an economic issue, but an important political lever. When announcing the so-called preferential gas prices, Russia directly warned Ukraine against having European integration aspirations. This happened almost constantly during the first 20 years of Ukraine’s independence. A few years ago, Moldova faced the same ultimatums.

Having put Ukraine on the so-called “gas needle” at the time, Russia constantly charged us with debts with the aim of enjoying political preferences. The first time when Russia used gas as a lever of influence on Ukraine was in 1993, during a meeting between the presidents Leonid Kravchuk and Boris Yeltsin in Masandra, Crimea, when Kyiv agreed to exchange part of its Black Sea Navy warships for the cancellation of $800 million in its first gas debt to Russia. But there is more. In 2010, then President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych extended the term of deployment of the Russian Black Sea Navy in Crimea in exchange for a $100 discount per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. It was this military power that allowed Russia to occupy the Ukrainian peninsula in 2014.

Starting from 2005, Russia has been constantly raising the price of gas for Ukraine under various pretexts, sometimes setting higher prices than for EU countries. Later, it also issued ultimatums: “If you don’t play by our rules, there will be no gas.” This caused many political twists and turns both between the two countries and in the domestic Ukrainian political sphere. In the end, since 2015, Ukraine has not been buying Russian gas directly from Gazprom, and since 2016, it has gotten off the needle.

What is it important to know about the Okhmatdyt tragedy?

Published

12.08.2024

On July 8, 2024, a Russian missile hit the Ukrainian children’s hospital Okhmatdyt. There is irrefutable evidence of this. Russia did this deliberately, openly, in broad daylight. The goal of this crime was to intimidate the Ukrainians and force them to peace at any cost on Russia’s terms. Russia constantly commits such crimes in Ukraine because the world allows it to do so and it feels its own impunity. Russia will continue to do so until it faces a clear and unequivocal response from the world. After all, its goal is to completely destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians and seize new territories in Europe.

On July 8, in the morning, Russia launched a new massive missile attack on Ukraine. One of the missiles hit the largest children’s hospital, Okhmatdyt, killing people there and causing serious damage to the hospital itself, putting many children patients in mortal danger. The fact that it was a direct hit by a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile has been proven beyond doubt. This can be clearly seen on the video – the missile that hit the hospital has two distinctive “wings” in the middle of its body. The video also shows a turbojet engine in the tail of the missile, which is another feature of the Kh-101. This is not to mention the evidence collected by the SBU and the data from Bellingcat investigators.

Why did Russia do this? Some may think that it was an unfortunate accident and that the aggressor country was not actually targeting sick Ukrainian children. But no, from the very beginning of the war, Russia has been constantly targeting Ukrainian civilians: shelling residential buildings, medical facilities, schools, and shopping centers. Moreover, Russia does this openly – just because it can. In other words, the aggressor state sees that the world allows it to do so for the “fear of escalation.”

Such impunity only gives the aggressor confidence that it is doing everything right and that it is allowed to go on. That is, Russia will continue to kill Ukrainians with the same brutality. Its goal is to intimidate us and force us to surrender. Russian war criminals do not even conceal this. For example, on July 10, former Russian President and current Deputy Secretary of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said on his Telegram channel that Russia should completely destroy Ukraine even if a peace treaty is signed. That is why Ukraine is not going to peace talks.

On July 12, the Russian publication Tsargrad, known for its “radical Orthodox” rhetoric, published an article by propagandist Andrei Perla entitled “Children’s Hospital in Kyiv is no accident. It’s time to admit it and stop being afraid.” The author urges not to feel sorry for Ukrainian children and emphasizes that “there are no civilians in Ukraine” and that all Ukrainians are enemies for Russians.

Russia’s goal is to destroy Ukrainian statehood and Ukrainians as a nation. Its actions are genocide of Ukrainians. And if it succeeds, Russia will not stop and will unleash even more wars of aggression against other countries. You can read more about this in the answer to the question of whether Russian would attack any other countries.

How does Russia lie about the greeting “Glory to Ukraine!”?

Published

03.09.2024

The phrase “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Heroes!” is a Ukrainian patriotic greeting and a national slogan. It is a kind of a verbal symbol of the Ukrainian nation which shows our self-identity and aspiration for freedom. And that is exactly why it annoys the Russians so much that they even officially recognized it as a Nazi slogan.

But in fact, this is not a Nazi slogan. It actually appeared long before the idea of Nazism. Many nations and countries have similar slogans. Russians use it only as another excuse to spread lies about the alleged “Nazi Ukraine.”

Having officially recognized the phrase “Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Heroes!” as a Nazi greeting, Russia also criminalized the symbols of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and the Ukrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian National Self-Defense (UNA-UNSO) party. Even earlier, Russians were very outraged by the fact that this slogan was used by representatives of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. And even at that time they already threatened that this would lead to war.

It is true that both UPA and UNA-UNSO used the same slogan. However, the phrase “Glory to Ukraine!” began to be used as a slogan among the Kharkiv student community at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th centuries. Taras Shevchenko used it in his poem “To Osnovyanenko” in late 1839. And Nazism emerged in Germany 80 years later, in 1919-1939. Therefore, this slogan cannot have anything in common with the concept of Nazism.

The greeting “Glory to Ukraine!” embodies the desire of Ukrainians for freedom and self-awareness as a separate nation. And it in no way conveys the superiority of Ukrainians over other nations as Russian propaganda tries to portray.

Similar patriotic slogans are used by different nations of the world: the French say “Vive la France!”, the British – “Long live the Queen”, the Poles – “Żeby Polska była Polską” (Let Poland be Poland), the Americans – “God bless America”, the Mexicans – “La Patria es Primero” (The Homeland is First). And even the Kazakhs have the slogan “Alga, Kazakhstan!” (Forward, Kazakhstan!) and the Belarusians have “Zhyve Belarus!” (Viva Belarus!).

The slogan “Glory to Ukraine” is one of the symbols of the Ukrainian people and that is why it annoys Russia, which is an aggressive imperialist country that seeks to destroy Ukraine and all Ukrainians as a separate people.

What should one know about the murder of Iryna Farion?

Published

03.09.2024

A terrible crime occurred in Lviv: in broad daylight, an unknown person shot and killed former MP, linguist and public figure Iryna Farion in the rear city.

Only the investigation can provide answers to the questions of who the killer was and what his motives were. However, Russian propaganda almost immediately began to publish various theories, guesses and manipulate the topic in every possible way, using it against Ukraine and Ukrainians.

On July 19, an unknown person came close to Iryna Farion at the entrance of an apartment building in Lviv and shot her with a pistol. Doctors tried to save the woman, but her heart gave out and she died in the hospital. Neither who the killer was nor what his motives were is currently known. The ongoing investigation may provide answers to all these questions. The suspect has now been detained. The investigation is considering several versions: personal animosity, socio-political activity, and a murder ordered by Russia.

However, Russian propaganda has already begun to actively manipulate the topic. The main theses used by propagandists are: “the Ukrainian government is behind the murder so that radicalized Ukrainians do not interfere with peace talks”, “the Ukrainian government is behind the murder, accusing the Russians of the death of the public figure and thus fueling the war”, “Ukrainian society is polarized and lacks unity”, “Russian-speaking Ukrainians are killing Ukrainian-speaking patriots”, “Ukrainians do not know their patriots, they do not care about them and how the war will end”. These theses make it clear that the Russians are, firstly, rejoicing at the death of Iryna Farion, and secondly, trying to polarize Ukrainian society under this pretext, to sow distrust in the Ukrainian military and the government.

The Russians also celebrated because, they say, “political assassinations have begun in Ukraine,” using a dismissive preposition. The propagandists even invented the idea that the murder was committed by someone from the Ukrainian military, who were ready to take it out on Ukrainian civilians. Detector Media described in detail the conspiracy theories about the murder of Iryna Farion spread by Russian propaganda.

All these manipulations are aimed at destabilizing the situation inside Ukraine, sowing discord among Ukrainians and provoking internal divisions between different social groups: the population and the government, civilians and the military, Ukrainian-speaking and Russian-speaking people. It is important to remember that the Russians benefit from keeping Ukrainians distrustful of each other, as it makes it easier to sow general disbelief and apathy in society.

Why have interethnic conflicts become more frequent in Russia, and can they lead to its collapse?

Published

31.10.2024

Interethnic conflicts are becoming more frequent in Russia, and they have been seriously escalating recently. This suggests that interethnic civil wars or even the collapse of Russia into separate territorial entities are very likely in the future. Therefore, Western countries should understand this, prepare for it, so that such a process is controlled and safe for other countries.

Interethnic conflicts in Russia are not new. Just remember the Chechen wars and everything that preceded them. However, during the active phase of the Russian-Ukrainian war, they have become more frequent. Here are just a few examples of analysts pointing this out: here, here and here. Many representatives of “Russian minorities” are fighting on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. At the same time, Russian legislation humiliates peoples living on their own land by defining them as minorities (in the empire they were similarly humiliatingly defined as “foreigners” and in the USSR as “nationals”). Ukrainians, as a civilized nation, use the term “indigenous peoples” (indigenous peoples, native nations, etc.).

Recently, these conflicts have not only become more frequent, but have also escalated. Even the Council of Europe earlier this year expressed concern over Russia’s withdrawal from the Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Here are just a few examples. New rounds of conflict regularly erupt over the intention of Russian Muslims to build a mosque in Moscow – on the one hand, Moscow residents are against such construction in the “sacred Orthodox city” and, on the other hand, Kadyrov’s men, who believe they deserve it by fighting for the “Russian world” against Ukraine. Last year alone, the lives of virtually all Central Asians, especially Tajiks, have become more difficult in Russia after the terrorist attack on Crocus City Hall.

Recently, another conflict broke out, this time between Chechens and Ingush. There was a bloody shooting in the center of Moscow. A huge private business, the Wildberries online store, was at the center of the conflict. Its owners are the former Bakalchuks, who, after their divorce, cannot peacefully divide the company and all their property worth about $7.4 billion. The husband has enlisted the support of Kadyrov, and the wife is backed by the Mirzoyan brothers, beneficiaries of Russ, who are close to Vladimir Putin. Tatiana Bakalchuk announced the merger of Wildberries and Russ. Kadyrov and Bakalchuk consider it a raid. There was a shootout in the company’s office, which is located just a few hundred meters from the Kremlin Palace. As a result, seven people were injured and two were killed. The dead were Ingush, whose bodies were greeted at home as heroes. In fact, Kadyrov and businessmen close to Putin found themselves on opposite sides of the conflict, and a round of aggression broke out between the Ingush and Chechens, and it can be assumed that this story will continue.

All of these cases prove once again that the so-called multinational happy Russia is just a propaganda fiction. In reality, Russia is a prison of oppressed peoples: Chechens, Buryats, Kalmyks, Ingush, Bashkirs, Chuvash and others – and all of this is still in place only because of Russia’s centuries-old policy of ethnocide. Indigenous peoples are often considered “non-titular” ethnic groups in the Russian Federation, and thus second-class and unimportant. Representatives of these peoples, who mostly had to leave Russia for safety reasons, often support Ukraine and even dream of liberating their own republics from Moscow. As a result, analysts are increasingly talking about the high probability of Russia’s collapse (here, here, here, here), which is only a matter of time. And it is in the interests of the whole world that this process be controlled, because, given that Russia has nuclear weapons, uncontrolled disintegration could be the beginning of a catastrophe and require an immediate response.

What information manipulations by Russia pose a serious threat to the information security and national stability in Ukraine and EU?

Published

27.01.2025

Virtually everything Russia disseminates, both to its own citizens and to those of other countries, is either outright fabrication or blatant manipulation. To spread its propaganda, Russia operates a massive propaganda network that functions worldwide. The narratives it promotes differ depending on the country or region. Toward the Ukrainian population, Russia spreads narratives aimed at undermining Ukrainians’ trust in their government, fostering despair, and discouraging further resistance. As for citizens of Western countries, particularly in Europe, Russian propaganda focuses on two primary goals: first, to justify and whitewash Russia’s actions (claiming that NATO and Ukraine, not Russia, are the aggressors and that Russia is merely defending itself), and second, to undermine Western unity and trust in Ukraine.

Russia failed to conquer and destroy Ukraine by force, and brave Ukrainians have crushed Putin’s dream of “Kyiv in three days,” turning it into a meme. However, the full-scale war in Ukraine has lasted nearly three years, and during this time, Ukrainians have grown weary of living under constant threat and dealing with the hardships brought about by the Russian invasion. Consequently, Russia is working to influence Ukrainians by undermining their will to resist, sowing distrust in Ukrainian authorities, and spreading general despair using various methods.

First, it pits Kyiv against the regions, claiming that all Western aid is hoarded in Kyiv, where the authorities are protected by Western air defenses, while people in defenseless cities suffer. To “support” this narrative, Russia has intensified airstrikes across Ukraine. Propagandists aim to provoke panic among Ukrainians and discredit the government. Second, Russian propaganda promotes the idea that “the Ukrainian army is primarily supported by volunteers,” while Western financial and military aid is allegedly being stolen by officials. Despite numerous audits by Western institutions disproving this claim, a portion of society, unfortunately, believes it. Third, Russia deliberately exaggerates and amplifies the topic of corruption and the misuse of budget funds. Actions by Ukrainian authorities and law enforcement to combat corruption, such as the arrests of corrupt officials, are portrayed by Russian propaganda as mere performance. It promotes the notion that all military recruiters are bribe-takers and that territorial recruitment centers operate unlawfully. Propaganda deliberately exaggerates the scale of mobilization and circulates dubious videos about the “horrors” of forced conscription in city streets.

Russian propaganda is also highly active in European countries. For example, over 8,000 cases of Russian propaganda were identified in the media of just six EU countries within a year. One narrative pushed by Russian propaganda in the EU is the call for negotiations, claiming that Russia seeks peace, but Ukraine refuses to negotiate to continue receiving Western aid under the guise of war. Another narrative, especially prominent during European farmers’ protests, alleges that Ukraine is to blame for high energy prices in the EU, which in turn drives up the cost of all goods. It also falsely claims that Ukrainian products receive illegal advantages, displacing local goods from markets. By spreading these messages, Russia seeks to pressure European countries into resuming purchases of Russian energy, thereby replenishing its military budget while simultaneously halting support for Ukraine. The third narrative aims to undermine trust in the Ukrainian government, suggesting it is profiting from the war. For example, Russia actively spreads falsehoods about Olena Zelenska, but this is just one small example.

Special attention should be given to the narratives successfully promoted in the West by so-called “good Russians.” First and foremost, they downplay or deny the role of Russia’s imperial ambitions and its long-standing policies aimed at subjugating neighboring states. Second, they shift responsibility away from Russian society, claiming the war is a “terrible mistake” rather than the inevitable result of Russia’s imperialist policies. This approach seeks to secure the removal of sanctions against Russia in the near term, which would later allow Russians to avoid paying reparations and facing accountability. Third, they try to convince the West that Russia’s situation will improve if Putin is replaced with some opposition figure.

The Kremlin’s rhetoric is overtly anti-Western. Propaganda and officials openly declare NATO, the United States, and the EU as their primary adversaries (not Ukraine, against which they are waging a full-scale war). Against the West, the Kremlin conducts hybrid aggression that includes not only information and influence operations (propaganda dissemination, disinformation campaigns, and networks of influence agents) but also cyberattacks, sabotage, infrastructure destruction, assassinations, incitement of mass unrest, military pressure (violating airspace, troop movements, stationing nuclear weapons in Belarus, nuclear blackmail), economic and diplomatic measures, and efforts to alter Western influence in other regions (Africa, Asia, the Arctic) in Russia’s favor. All of this should be viewed comprehensively as part of the strategy pursued by Russia and its allies and partners, aimed at dismantling the current global security framework and inflicting maximum damage on the West.

Why is it important for Ukraine to become a NATO member?

Published

24.01.2025

Ukraine’s full membership in NATO is the only and indispensable form of security guarantees for the country, and it remains Ukraine’s strategic goal. Ukraine sees no alternatives as its own experience has demonstrated that other security guarantees, like the Budapest Memorandum, do not work. Meanwhile, no NATO member state has faced armed and violent invasions over many decades. Therefore, NATO is the only true effective guarantee. Moreover, Ukraine’s accession to NATO would represent a significant strategic defeat for Putin because that’s his greatest fear.

Full membership in NATO is a strategic goal of Ukraine and the only effective form of security guarantees that is capable of protecting us from Russian aggression in future. That is the official position of the state which, in particular, has been recently reiterated by Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha on the sidelines of a NATO ministerial.

Why is this the case? Ukraine has already experienced alternative security guarantees not working. Having signed the Budapest Memorandum, Ukraine relinquished its nuclear weapons, and later one of the signatory countries invaded Ukraine. Meanwhile, no NATO member state has faced armed invasion over more than 70 years of the Alliance’s existence, demonstrating that NATO is an effective security guarantor.

At the same time, Ukraine will not dismiss the other security agreements with its partners as they cannot substitute an invitation to NATO. Andriy Sybiha also emphasized that point during the NATO ministerial meeting.

Ukraine’s accession to NATO would also represent a strategic defeat for Vladimir Putin, which is his greatest fear. He is fully aware that Ukraine in NATO will become unattainable for Russia. In addition, the full membership of Ukraine in NATO will demonstrate to him, other aggressors, and the whole that the invasion of other nations is unacceptable in the modern era and it only leads to strengthening of security alliances, like NATO.

Чи правда, що Росія воює “впівсили” і ще не залучила весь свій потенціал?

Published

14.10.2025

No, that is not true. Despite the Kremlin’s loud claims about “restraint” on the battlefield and waging war “at half strength,” Russia is showing clear signs of deep exhaustion — both militarily and economically.

Russia is losing weapons and ammunition far faster than it can produce them, leading to a rapid depletion of its Soviet-era stockpiles. As a result, the country is increasingly dependent on arms and raw material supplies from North Korea, China, and Iran.

Its slow advance along the front line comes at the cost of enormous human losses, which already exceed by fivefold the combined casualties suffered by Russia and the USSR in all wars fought between the end of World War II and the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the national economy — where more than half of budget revenues are now directed toward the war — has virtually reached a state of stagnation.

Despite the mobilization of Russia’s defense-industrial complex that has continued since 2022, the Russian army in its war against Ukraine continues to expend more ammunition and equipment than its industry can supply — and this imbalance is only deepening.

For example, while around 10 million artillery shells were used in 2022 alone, Russia managed to replenish its stockpiles by only 2–2.5 million shells in 2023, and by no more than 4.5 million in 2024.

Russian tank losses have reached approximately 4,000 units, whereas the country’s industrial capacity to produce new or modernized tanks is estimated at 200–300 units per year, or up to 1,000–1,500 annually if actively restoring vehicles withdrawn from storage.

At the same time, reserves of Soviet-era armored vehicles in storage are rapidly depleting. According to RUSI estimates, by the end of 2024 Russia retained only about half of its pre-war tank reserves, given that most equipment suitable for repair has already been exhausted.

Russia’s inability to provide its army with sufficient resources is forcing it to increasingly rely on supplies from allied countries such as North Korea, Iran, and China.

In particular, in 2024, about 52% of the “explosives” delivered to Russian arsenals were shipped from Nakhodka — a port on the Sea of Japan used by North Korea. The volume of shipments from this region has grown from zero before the war to 250,000 tons in 2024.

These figures corroborate the assessment made by Ukraine’s Chief of Military Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, who stated that 40% of Russia’s ammunition now originates from North Korea.

According to KSE analysis, Russia has also received approximately 13,000 tons of explosives from Iran. Meanwhile, China remains the largest supplier of dual-use goods to Russia, exporting over $300 million worth of such items each month (according to Carnegie Politika).

These supplies include critical components that Russia cannot produce domestically — such as microelectronics, machine tools, optics, and radar systems — all essential for the production of missiles, drones, and tanks.

Despite these efforts, Russia’s advances along the front line come at an enormous cost and yield minimal results.

Since January 2024, Russia has managed to capture less than 1% of Ukraine’s territory (around 5,000 square kilometers), while suffering the loss of 1,149 armored combat vehicles, 3,098 infantry fighting vehicles, 300 self-propelled artillery systems, and 1,865 tanks.

Even more tellingly, Russian equipment losses continue to significantly exceed those of Ukraine, with the ratio ranging from 5:1 to 2:1 in Ukraine’s favor.

Moreover, the summer offensive promised by President Putin, which was supposed to become a “decisive phase” of the invasion, has failed to achieve any breakthrough along the front line or capture a single major city.

Overall, Russia’s total territorial gains amounted to approximately 0.3% of Ukraine’s territory over three months, accompanied by tens of thousands of personnel losses.

At the same time, the overall human losses of the Russian army since the start of the full-scale invasion have reached around one million killed and wounded as of the summer of 2025 — hardly an indication of “restraint” or “economy of force.”

In particular, the number of Russian military personnel killed — approximately 250,000 — is five times greater than the combined losses suffered by Russia and the Soviet Union in all wars fought between the end of World War II and the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

These losses are also 15 times higher than those sustained during the Soviet Union’s ten-year war in Afghanistan, and ten times higher than the casualties of Russia’s thirteen-year war in Chechnya.

Moreover, Russia’s invasion is taking an increasingly severe toll on the aggressor state’s economy.

As of August 2025, military expenditures for the first time have exceeded 50% of Russia’s total revenues, while the federal budget deficit has reached a new record high of $47 billion — six times greater than during the same period in 2024.

At the same time, Russia’s GDP growth in the first half of 2025 slowed elevenfold, down to 0.4%, indicating a state of virtual economic stagnation.

The fact that Russia’s economy is on the brink of recession was also acknowledged by the country’s Minister of Economic Development, Maksim Reshetnikov, during his speech at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Therefore, the claim that Russia is fighting “at half strength” is false and does not reflect the actual situation either on the battlefield or within the aggressor’s economy.

On the contrary, all available evidence indicates that Russia has already committed a substantial portion of its resources, yet continues to fail to achieve its objectives due to their rapid depletion and systemic inefficiency.