“Zelenskyy launched war against Russian-speaking population of Donbas”: foreign disinfo for September 17

According to the Center for Countering Disinformation, two major disinformation claims emerged that day:

Disinformation: American “journalist” Liz Wheeler posted on X, saying, “Kamala started the war in Ukraine by saying Ukraine could join NATO. Kamala is a warmonger. Putin wouldn't have invaded except for Kamala.”

Refutation: The suggestion that Ukraine might join NATO was neither the trigger for the war nor a decisive factor in Russia’s invasion. Putin had long planned the aggression, independent of U.S. statements. The blame for the war rests solely on Russia, which violated international law and Ukraine's sovereignty.

Disinformation: Former U.S. intelligence officer Scott Ritter claimed, “Zelenskyy initiated a war against the Russian-speaking population of Donbas - the Аnti-Terrorist Operation where the Ukrainian army killed women, children, and innocent people.”

Refutation: The Аnti-Тerrorist Operation in Donbas was a response to Russian-backed armed aggression and the illegal annexation of Crimea. Ukraine was defending its territory and citizens from pro-Russian militants, not initiating a war. Claims of mass killings of civilians are unfounded and part of Russian propaganda.

• American political scientist John Mearsheimer, in an interview on the YouTube channel Judging Freedom, stated that Russian aggression against Ukraine was driven by NATO expansion.