(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Russia is spreading disinformation, claiming that Ukraine is threatening them and that the Russian military buildup near the Ukrainian border is allegedly a defensive move.
This was stated by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who spoke to the media on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.
'It (Moscow - ed.) claims that Ukraine is threatening Russia. That Ukraine seeks to provoke a conflict. And that the Russian troop build-up and the tanks and heavy artillery are all purely defensive. That's like the fox saying it had to attack the henhouse because its occupants somehow pose a threat.,”Blinken said.
He reminded that in 2014, Russia attacked Ukraine, claiming Ukraine was an aggressor.
Read also: House Intelligence Committee chair: Russia's invasion going to bring NATO closer to Russia
According to the top diplomat, Moscow is undertaking major propaganda efforts against Ukraine, NATO and the United States. This includes malign social media operations, the use of overt and covert proxy media outlets, Blinken said.
Disinformation is intended to influence audiences into falsely believing that Ukraine – not Russia – is to blame for escalating tensions. To this end, Russia also hacks media servers and conducts a range of cyber attacks.
'No one should be surprised if Russia instigates a provocation or incident – then tries to use it to justify military intervention (...) The idea that Ukraine is the aggressor in this situation is absurd.. It's Russia that, to this day, is fueling a war in eastern Ukraine,' the secretary of state said, calling Russia an occupier and a party to the conflict that has failed to fulfill any of its obligations under the Minsk agreements.
'It's Russia that's taken aim repeatedly at Ukraine's democracy. And it's Russia that's sending troops to Ukraine's border, once again. All these actions are violations of Ukraine's sovereignty and an immediate and urgent challenge to peace and stability in Europe,' Blinken added.
The secretary of state recalled that a special virtual meeting of NATO foreign ministers on Friday discussed a coordinated response to the build-up of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine and the threat posed by Russia and its rhetoric.
'We're prepared to respond forcefully to further Russian aggression. But a diplomatic solution is still possible and preferable, if Russia chooses it. That's what we, together with our allies and partners, will continue to pursue intently next week at the Strategic Stability Dialogue between the United States and Russia, and at the meetings of the NATO-Russia Council and the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,' said Blinken.
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' In 2014, the Ukrainian people chose a democratic and European future for themselves. Russia responded by manufacturing a crisis and invading. Ever since, Russia has occupied Ukraine's territory in Crimea and has orchestrated a war in the eastern part of Ukraine – with proxies that it leads, trains, supplies, and finances – that has killed nearly 14,000 people and redrawn Ukraine's borders by force. Beyond its military aggression, Moscow has also worked to undermine Ukraine's democratic institutions. It's interfered in Ukraine's politics and elections; it's blocked energy and commerce to intimidate its leaders and pressure its citizens; it's used propaganda and disinformation to sow mistrust; it's launched cyber-attacks on the country's critical infrastructure. Then, starting last March and continuing through the fall, Russia began a massive, unprovoked buildup of military forces and equipment on Ukraine's border – nearly 100,000 troops today, with plans to mobilize twice that number on very short order,' the secretary of state said.
He also noted that support for Ukraine's accession to NATO has increased significantly since the Russian invasion – from 25% to 60%.
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