Main image: @EUvsDisinfo
EU Ambassador to Ukraine Katarína Mathernová has sharply criticised the spread of Russian propaganda and the activity of bots under her social media posts.
“I am getting tired of russian propaganda. And the bots and trolls under my posts. Come on, russia. Is this really the best your propaganda machine can do? You keep saying Putin wants peace. You say Ukraine is prolonging the war. So let’s talk facts. russia invaded Ukraine. Not the other way around. Ukraine did not occupy russian territory and then start this war. russia occupied Crimea in 2014 and launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. The UN and international law are clear: russia is the aggressor. russia must withdraw its forces from Ukraine,” Mathernová wrote on X.
She recalled that US negotiators arrived in Kyiv last week. Several hours after they left, Russia resumed attacks on the Ukrainian capital. Five people were killed and 35 injured. Between August 1 and September 15 — a period of six weeks — Russia killed 114 people in Kyiv and the Kyiv region alone.
“Now russia is preparing its Duma elections, including voting in occupied Ukrainian territories. Another propaganda show. Here are three things a ballot box cannot change: Occupation is still occupation. Ukrainian territory is still Ukrainian territory. An illegal election cannot turn stolen land into russian land. You can print ballots. Put up russian flags. Bring cameras. Announce whatever you like. But you will never vote away international law,” the ambassador stressed.
She concluded that the only evidence of a genuine desire for peace would be an end to the attacks and the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory.
“The truth remains brutally simple: russia invaded. Ukraine resisted. Europe is helping Ukraine prevail. If russia wants peace, there is an even simpler way to prove it. Stop attacking Ukrainians. Leave Ukraine. Now,” Mathernová concluded.
