An expert discussion “Russian disinformation as an obstacle to a just peace. Global dimension” was held at the initiative of the Hybrid Warfare Analytical Group of Ukraine Crisis Media Center. In addition to Ukrainian experts, journalists from South Africa, Senegal, Tunisia, Ghana, Kenya, India, Mexico, Chile – participants of a press tour to Ukraine – took part in it.
At the beginning of the discussion, Ivan Fechko, an expert of the Latin American and Caribbean Research Program of the Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” shared a general view on Russia’s attempts to use dictatorship and to destabilize the regions, as well as the role of Russian disinformation in today’s world.
“The Russian Federation works fruitfully with young leaders from Latin America and Africa. For example, this year they hosted a very large youth festival in Sochi, having invited about 20,000 young leaders from various organizations. They conducted a course on propaganda in order to whitewash the criminal actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine,” he said.
The expert also touched on the Chinese-Brazilian peace plan.
“Why is Ukraine disappointed by this initiative? Because, firstly, some points of this plan are unacceptable. They play into the hands of the Russian Federation and Russian aggression. Secondly, this plan was not discussed with Ukraine, with the Ukrainian government, and, of course, it is not a good plan to present initiatives to end the war in Ukraine without Ukraine. In addition, this is a problem for promoting the Ukrainian peace formula, which is based on the UN charters,” Ivan Fechko explained.
However, not all countries want to be in Russia’s orbit. Ukraine places certain hopes on the Forum that will be held in Chile.
“Of course, we want to get as much support as possible in Latin American and African countries so that we can put pressure on the aggressor and end this war in its 10th year,” emphasized the expert of the Ukrainian Prism program.
Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute Alim Aliyev informed the participants about the findings of the research into what lies behind the Russian Federation’s cultural diplomacy.
“We studied three Russian institutions that spread Russian narratives through cultural diplomacy. Among them is “Rossotrudnichestvo”. It is the largest organization with the best funding and it is literally a Russian state agency that is supposed to create a positive vision for the Russian Federation. But if you examine the background, it is not difficult to establish its direct connection with military propaganda and a pseudo-humanitarian operation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Today, it provides information support in order to integrate these occupied territories into the Russian Federation,” the expert explained.
According to him, a just peace is so important for Ukraine primarily because it is within the framework of universal principles of territorial inviolability, the rule of law, and multiculturalism. But the Russian Federation is trying to show that Ukraine is not a real country, and that it is a country of Nazis.
“Such organizations disseminate this information abroad in order to undermine Ukrainian narratives and promote an alternative reality that normalizes and justifies Russian aggression,” Alim Aliyev added.
Director of the New Geopolitical Research Network Mykhailo Samus tried to clarify the situation on the battlefield and in Ukraine with attempts to stop the war and create conditions in which the war will stop.
“We want to present our vision of universal principles of complex peace around the world. Not only in Ukraine. Whereas the Russian Federation opposes our peace formula, because it is against its interests and its intentions to destroy Ukrainians as a nation and Ukraine as a state, – he said. – We are asked why we need such a formula, if Russia is against it? Ukraine is trying to get the support from more countries and an understanding of what our world should be like in the future. Otherwise, there will be a world with countries like the Russian Federation, which will decide what should happen on entire continents.”
The press tour takes place as part of the Unfold Ukraine to Global South project, implemented by Ukraine Crisis Media Center in cooperation and coordination with the Open Society Foundation and funded by the International Renaissance Foundation.