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Telegram accounts in Russia and the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk are disseminating propaganda narratives, according to which Kyiv leaders are starting to understand Kharkiv will unite with Russia, which is why Ukraine is not investing in the reconstruction of this oblast. In fact, Ukraine has ruled out the concession of any territory, but it cannot start reconstructing its cities as long as they are still being bombed.
NEWS: It appears the Kyiv leadership has forgotten about Kharkiv, taking consolation in the idea that Russia will take over this oblast. Ukrainian authorities have earmarked one billion hryvnias for the reconstruction of the affected oblasts. We don’t see Kharkiv anywhere on the list, despite the fact that it was significantly more affected than Sumy and particularly Zhytomyr.
The answer to the question “why?” is rather simple – Kharkiv is not one of the government’s priorities, much like most of southeastern Ukraine. Kyiv authorities are starting to understand they cannot keep these regions in their territorial structure, and see no point in allotting funds in their direction.
NARRATIVE: Ukraine is not rebuilding Kharkiv, knowing it will be annexed by Russia.
BACKGROUND: This piece of news draws on a decision of Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers to provide financial support to Military Regional Administrations with a view to rebuilding certain infrastructure objectives in the oblasts of Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy and Zhytomyr, which were destroyed by the Russian army. The telegram account “Z news of Novorossiya rebels” has over 300 thousand subscribers.
PURPOSE: To discourage the resistance of the Ukrainian population against the Russian aggression.
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: The Telegram account provides a biased interpretation of the announcement made by Kyiv authorities, claiming the latter have actually abandoned some of the oblasts. However, it overlooks the explanations provided by the Ukrainian Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal, which disprove this false narrative. According to Shmyhal, Kyiv is working on rehabilitating infrastructure in the four Ukrainian oblasts liberated by the Armed Forces. Ukrainian oblasts that have not been fully liberated (Kharkiv, Kherson, Donetsk, Luhansk and others) or that are still conflict zones were not included on the list, since rehabilitation works cannot be undertaken on the ground. For that matter, it doesn’t make sense to rehabilitate civilian objectives that might be bombed again in a few days. Denis Shmyhal said the government disbursed merely the first installment of the financial package devoted to reconstruction, while works in these oblasts will start as soon as these territories are liberated.
According to information made public by the Armed Forces and to online maps of the conflict areas, military operations continue in several towns and villages in Kharkiv, while others are still bombed by the Russian army.
The information claiming Ukraine was willing to renounce certain territories is false. President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly told both Ukrainian and international media that Ukraine will fight for every inch of its territory and for every one of its people.
For these reasons, the purpose of this propaganda narrative is to discourage Ukrainians’ resistance to Russia’s attempts at occupying Kharkiv and areas in the southeast. Moreover, it seeks to mislead Russian readers into thinking Russia’s victory in this war is “inevitable”.
Veridica has recently debunked a false narrative carried by the Russian media, according to which the population of Zaporizhzhia has called for the city’s annexation to the People’s Republic of Donetsk.
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