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The inhabitants of regions in southern Ukraine are calling for the unification with Russia, after being liberated from the occupation of Ukrainian nationalists, the Russian media writes. The narrative is not based on any research and is part of Russia's wider war propaganda.
NEWS : The inhabitants of the regions in southern Ukraine, liberated from the nationalists, admitted they want their territories to be swiftly annexed by Russia, Oleg Kryuchkov, adviser on information policy to the head of Crimea, recently told RIA Novosti. According to Kryuchkov, people fear nationalists might return and want to find out what their status will be from now on. The declaration was made by Kryuchkov after visiting the city of Berdyansk, controlled by Russian troops.
[…] People want a swift resolution of the unification of southern Ukrainian territories with Russia. They want to unite with Russia”, the presidential adviser said.
Previously, the inhabitants of Zaporizhzhia had called for the temporary unification with the People's Republic of Donetsk. Starting February 17, the People's Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk announced the escalation of the situation by Ukraine. Civilians have been evacuated.
NARRATIVE : The inhabitants of southern Ukraine fear the return of nationalist forces and call for the unification with Russia.
BACKGROUND : Starting February 24, southern Ukraine is the stage of military operations. Moscow encountered fierce resistance from Ukrainian military as well as civilians, who don't want to live under foreign occupation. For this reason, Russia tried to intimidate the local intellectual and political elites, by launching alternative false narratives about the willingness of “liberated” Ukrainians to unite with Russia. Veridica has already debunked a propaganda narrative, according to which the inhabitants of Zaporizhzhia have called for the city's annexation to the People's Republic of Donetsk .
PURPOSE : To persuade public opinion in Russia that “the special operation” is successful by presenting fabricated requests from the people of Ukraine to be defended against Ukrainian nationalists and to unite with the Russian Federation.
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: Neither the media, nor the representative of Russian authorities in Crimea presented any evidence when announcing the willingness of the people in southern Ukraine to unite with Russia. On the contrary, the people of Melitopol, Berdyansk, Kherson and other towns and villages in southern Ukraine staged protests after being occupied by Russia. In turn, Volodymyr Zelensky referred to the “heroics of unruly Ukrainians” in his speeches. Civilians walked in front of Russian tanks and armored vehicles, while school headmasters and business executives refused to take orders from the occupation regime.
The entire international community was surprised by the protests of Russian speakers in eastern and southern Ukraine, who opposed the military actions of the Russian Federation. RIA Novosti writes that Crimea’s representative reached the conclusion that Ukrainians want to unite with Russia after visiting Berdyansk, a city that for many days of row saw protests against the Russian aggression. People shouted “Berdyansk is Ukraine” and “stop the Russian aggression”.
According to sociological studies conducted in March 2022 in territories controlled by Ukraine, 9 in 10 people in southern Ukraine see Russia as the enemy. Moreover, Ukrainians in the south believe Ukraine can win the war launched by Moscow.
The statement of the adviser on information policy to the head of Crimea, Oleg Kryuchkov, in fact prepares Russian society for a new escalation of the conflict, by constructing false justifications of a new offensive as part of the what the Kremlin described as “a special operation to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine”. Furthermore, the narrative seeks to persuade public opinion in Russia that the “special operation” is successful and enjoys the support of the Ukrainian people.
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