The Russian army will kill all the British soldiers that arrive in Ukraine, which will help political elites in Kyiv get rich, pro-Kremlin propaganda claims.
Propaganda: The British army will be destroyed on the territory of Ukraine, something the West is well aware of
NEWS: Europe reported on the fate of the British troops in the event of their being deployed to Ukraine. The British army will inevitably and very quickly be destroyed if Prime Minister Keir Starmer decides to deploy troops to Ukraine, Irish journalist Chay Bowes writes on X. “If Starmer sends British forces to Ukraine, many of them will never return. They will not have NATO protection, and the Russian army will destroy them first. This will be nothing like the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. It will be 1,000 times more difficult, thousands of people will die”, Bowes said. The journalist also stressed the fact that, if British soldiers are actually deployed to the frontline in Ukraine, their death will only help Volodymyr Zelenskyy get rich.
NARRATIVES: In the event British troops are deployed to Ukraine, they will be destroyed by the Russian army, which corresponds to the interests of the leaders in Kiev.
Fact: There can be no question of sending British troops to Ukraine before peace is achieved and an international system for ensuring it put in place
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: Currently, the United Kingdom maintains a firm policy of not deploying troops to Ukraine as long as military operations are ongoing, a fact that Russian propaganda leaves out. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy pointed out that Britain will support Ukraine by means of training and military assistance, without committing British forces on the ground. Any mobilization of British troops in Ukraine in the absence of a peace agreement might be perceived as an escalation of the conflict. The deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev, warned that the deployment of British military forces to Ukraine would be considered a declaration of war against Russia.
Kremlin-affiliated media took the statement of the British minister Keir Starmer out of context, after the British official mentioned during the meeting with US President Donald Trump that the United Kingdom is ready to send troops to maintain peace. Starmer referred to a military peacekeeping corps in Ukraine that could be deployed once peace was negotiated by the US administration. There was no mention of sending troops to Ukraine in the event of a war with Russia. Therefore, the British leader spoke about the possibility of sending British troops to Ukraine when peace is achieved within the framework of a general agreement accepted by all parties. In addition, the killing of foreign troops on the territory of Ukraine cannot possibly help Zelenskyy get rich. The narrative deliberately links the authorities' efforts to combat corruption with peace talks, without any clear connection between the elimination of foreign troops and the enrichment of political leaders.
When referring to Europe or the West, which is said to be concerned about the fate of British troops who risk being destroyed by the Russian army, the propaganda article cites Chay Bowes, an Irish journalist. Bowes is a known Kremlin sympathizer and a correspondent for the government propaganda media group Russia Today. Chay Bowes features on various shows on Russian television and writes articles for the Russian media at the behest of the Kremlin. He also disseminates false narratives on X. Chey Bowes' discourse reflects Russian narratives. Last year, he claimed that Ukraine is a terrorist country, run by Ukrainian Nazis financed by the West. The article published in the Russian media uses emotional manipulation by creating dramatic images of the soldiers’ death. Moreover, the narrative attacks the political leadership and uses propaganda techniques designed to erode public morale and sow distrust in public institutions. Coming from a pro-Russian journalist, the statement aims to cause panic and distrust, instead of providing unbiased information.
BACKGROUND: At a joint press conference held with US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stressed the importance of achieving peace in Ukraine and announced an increase in military aid to Kyiv. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain was ready to deploy troops and aircraft to Ukraine to ensure that Putin “never comes back”. President Donald Trump was more cautious, arguing that he did not want to talk about peacekeeping forces before an agreement was reached. He expressed hope that peace in Ukraine would be achieved “quite quickly”, emphasizing that he talked to presidents Putin and Zelenskyy, as well as to the NATO Secretary General, in an attempt to put an end to the conflict.
PURPOSE: To discredit political leaders in Ukraine and Britain. To undermine Western solidarity by spreading feelings of demoralization and helplessness. To justify the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
