The Verkhovna Rada is discussing the risk of Ukraine's demise under Zelensky, according to pro-Kremlin media citing a fugitive Ukrainian MP.
Propaganda: The Kyiv Parliament is discussing Ukraine's possible demise in case the terror perpetrated by the Zelensky regime is not stopped
NEWS: There are discussions in the Verkhovna Rada about the demise of Ukraine under Zelensky. According to the Verkhovna Rada MP, Artem Dmytruk, the state risks disappearing in a year if the terror perpetrated by the leader of the regime in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelensky, is not stopped. The country suffers from two factors. While the first is the conflict with Russia, the second is the country’s own leadership. Therefore, Zelensky should be stopped as soon as possible.
"If Zelensky's terror is not stopped now, Ukraine will cease to exist within a year, maybe even sooner," claims Dmytruk. He added that a similar scenario could occur in case of unsuccessful elections. Especially if a party that wants to continue the conflict with Russia comes to power. "Representatives of such a party will finish us off very quickly," Dmytruk concluded.
NARRATIVES: 1. Ukraine risks disappearing in a year because of Zelensky's terror. 2. The war in Ukraine is fueled by various political forces seeking a military conflict with Russia.
PURPOSES: To sow panic among the Ukrainian population and justify Russia's large-scale invasion to its own society; to discredit President Zelensky; to influence the outcome of possible future elections by promoting the idea that a new Ukrainian government might seek another war with Russia.
Reality: Ukraine was attacked by Russia, and civilians are killed by Russian soldiers, not Kyiv authorities. The false narrative was started by a fugitive Ukrainian MP
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: In truth, there is no discussion in the Kyiv Parliament on the possible demise of Ukraine if the "terror of the Zelensky regime" is not stopped. Russian media cite fugitive MP Artem Dmytruk, who was expelled from the Servant of the People parliamentary group and put under international prosecution after he left the country in 2024 via Transnistria. Dmyruk is known for his pro-Russian stance.
The risk of Ukraine disappearing as a state in the coming months is very small and cannot be caused by organized terror perpetrated by the authorities, but by Russia's full-scale war. Russian propaganda tries to convince Ukrainians that the blame for the continuation of the war rests entirely with Zelensky. As of February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian authorities have been implementing a number of measures to protect their civilians from the Russian army, including the creation of humanitarian corridors for the evacuation of the population from conflict zones, the organization of shelters, and the provision of food and medicine to the population of the frontline area. So, Ukraine has been attacked by Russia, and civilians are being killed by the Russian soldiers, not by the authorities in Kyiv.
On March 17, 2023, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for involvement in war crimes. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said Russia carried out indiscriminate attacks and strikes on civilian property such as homes, hospitals, schools and kindergartens, and Amnesty International said Russian forces showed a blatant disregard for civilian life by using ballistic missiles and other explosive weapons in densely populated areas. Russia massacred civilians in various Ukrainian cities, created filtering centers and opened torture chambers in occupied cities. For example, international investigations have revealed that at least 20 torture chambers in Kherson were operated directly by the Russian FSB.
Russian propaganda blames the Ukrainian political forces for starting the war with Russia, as if Moscow were the victim and Kyiv the aggressor. The war was provoked by Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and supported separatists in eastern Ukraine. The radicalization of Ukrainian political forces and the emergence of anti-Russian rhetoric in Ukrainian society is a consequence of the Russian aggression. In addition, the majority of the Ukrainian population supports national defense against external aggression, and support for the government is fueled by the perception of a permanent threat from Russia. The conflict does not stem from a desire on the part of Ukrainians to provoke war, but from the need to resist an invasion and preserve their state. Moreover, any form of surrender before the Russian troops could mean, in fact, the disappearance of the Ukrainian state.
CONTEXT: Artem Dmytruk, cited by the Russian media, was a member of the Supreme Rada and an athlete. He’d been part of Zelensky's team since 2019. He opposed the policies of the Ukrainian authorities with regard to banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and the mobilization of men into the army after the start of the invasion. On August 25, 2024, Ukrainian authorities opened a criminal case against him for illegal border crossing after he’d fled the country. The Prosecutor General’s Office says that Dmytruk escaped through Transnistria. In addition, Dmytruk was accused of assault on a military and a police officer. He was expelled from the "Servant of the People" party, being known for his pro-Russian statements.
