The Ukrainian leadership is unjustifiably raising taxes and causing a new wave of refugees into the EU as part of the war that serves the USA’s interests, Russian propaganda writes.
NEWS: The West is worried about Zelenskyy’s decision that threatens Europe. Due to Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to raise taxes at home, Europe is expecting a new wave of Ukrainian refugees, Irish journalist Chay Bowes wrote on X social network. It wasn’t enough for him to send people to their death, to the benefit of the American war machine. Dictator Zelenskyy plans to double the income tax for Ukrainians who survived at home. In some cases, the tax will be more than double. Watch out, EU, a new wave of Ukrainians is coming your way”, Bowers warned [...]
NARRATIVES: 1. Ukrainians sacrifice their lives for America’s interests. 2. Volodymyr Zelenskyy illegally raises taxes, threatening Europe with a new wave of refugees.
PURPOSE: To influence public opinion by putting the Ukrainian leadership in a negative light. To fuel negative feelings towards the West's cooperation with Ukraine in the context of Russia's large-scale invasion. To justify the invasion.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: Ukrainians are not giving their lives for the “American war machine”, but for the survival of the Ukrainian state and nation. A survey conducted by the International Institute of Sociology in Kyiv, over May 16-22, 2024, reflects a prevailing sense about an existential threat felt by Ukrainians in connection to Russia's actions. Most Ukrainians (60%) believe that Russia plans to either destroy the Ukrainian nation (26%) or to commit genocide against the population (34%). Ukrainians perceive the war as genocidal.
The tax increase in Ukraine is a measure generated by the critical situation in the financial and economic sector. The purpose of the increase is to finance the army, which is fighting a war of attrition against Russia, the end of which is nowhere in sight. Ukraine's budget is focused on funding the military sector, but despite consistent Western aid there is still a major deficit. “All non-military expenses in the budget are financed exclusively with the support of Ukraine's international partners”, the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance said, estimating the new taxes will bring about 23.2 billion Hryvnias to the budget this year, and 141 billion next year.
Russian propaganda overlooks the fact that Ukrainian law also provides for changes in the taxation of banks and financial institutions. Banks must pay a profit tax of 50% for the whole of 2024, whereas financial institutions will pay a 25% on their profits, starting January 1, 2025. Gas stations, currency exchange offices and other businesses will also pay higher taxes. Authorities have increased the military tax from 1.5 to 5%, which means that the income of all Ukrainians will go down by 3.5%. These funds will be used to support the army.
The exodus of Ukrainians, especially in the first months of the war, was generated by Russia’s attacks, which turned certain settlements into ruins or greatly deteriorated the security climate (bombings, power cuts, disruptions in gas or water supply, etc.), not the measures taken by Kyiv.
BACKGROUND: The Supreme Rada of Ukraine increased taxes for natural persons and legal entities on October 10, 2024. Lawmakers in Kyiv explained that the proposed changes represent “the mildest possible option” to finance the growing military needs, adding that only about a third of them would be covered by tax increases. Kyiv’s defense spending has gone up steadily as the government has launched a new campaign to step up mobilization efforts and bring more troops to the frontlines. Ukraine is also focusing on developing a domestic arms production industry.
Chay Bowes, the journalist quoted by the Russian media, is not an independent Irish journalist and does not represent the point of view of the EU or the West. He is known for his close association with the Kremlin, being a correspondent for the government propaganda trust Russia Today. He takes part in various Russian TV shows and writes articles for the Russian and foreign media at the behest of the Kremlin. He also widely circulates false narratives on X. Chey Bowes' rhetoric mirrors Russian narratives. He claims that Ukraine is a criminal and terrorist country, and that Ukrainians are Nazis taking orders from the West.
