During the October 2023 meeting of Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Club, the Russian President falsely claimed that Russia did not start the war in Ukraine and that it is Russia that is trying to achieve peace. That claim was amplified by Russian diplomatic accounts on social media.
Russia’s first unprovoked invasion of Ukraine was in 2014, when Russian soldiers occupied Crimea and parts of Donbas.
In February 2022, Vladimir Putin ordered a second unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, resulting in tens of thousands of civilian casualties, billions of dollars in damaged infrastructure and allegations of war crimes, including a indictment against Vladimir Putin by the International Criminal Court.
Before and throughout the latest phase of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Kremlin has aggressively deflected and denied responsibility for its invasion with the following tactical narratives.
Russia is seeking to end the war
Russia has a moral obligation to protect its citizens
Ukraine is aggressive and wants war with Russia
Ukraine needs to be “de-Nazified”
NATO and the West are provoking Russia
Ukraine is a puppet of the West
These narratives are intended to erode Western support for Ukraine and create a false image of Russia as a victim.
