On July 11-12, a NATO summit was held in Vilnius, as a result of which Ukrainian officials received assurances from NATO leaders that Ukraine would become a member of the Alliance after the victory. However, Ukraine has not yet received an official invitation to NATO membership. Also, as a result, Ukraine received a new weapon, a program for training pilots on the F-16, a new body - the Ukraine-NATO Council, coordinating relations between Ukraine and NATO. Fact-checkers of the project “Beyond the News” found out that during the summit, pro-Russian activists distributed brochures with the “peace plan of the Ukrainian people” through bookcrossing boxes. This, they say, was organized by the “representation of the Ukrainian people”, which acts on the “name of the Ukrainian people”, who do not agree with the policy of the current government. However, such an organization does not exist, it is fake. As experts explained, the theses written in a brochure repeat the pro-Kremlin agenda. That is, all of them are propaganda. So they gave an example of “harassment of the Russian-speaking population” or the so-called legal referendums in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Among other things, the brochure broadcast the following messages:

In the last 9 years, a totalitarian regime has been formed in Ukraine. Ukraine does not take into account the opinion of the people, but follows its own separate path.

Russian propaganda hints that Ukrainians allegedly did not choose the path of Europeanization, and the Revolution of Dignity and its political consequences were the work of nationalists. Publicity and free-thinking reign in Ukraine, Ukrainians declare their national identity, moreover, they often emphasize this, for which propagandists equate Ukrainians with the so-called “nationalists”. The latter (their minority) allegedly monopolized the right to publicly express their civil position and oppress the opinions of others. Fact-checkers add that since 2014, many independent publications and investigative journalism centers have appeared in Ukraine, and cooperation with European media has intensified. In the world ranking of freedom of speech, Ukraine took 79th place among 180 countries. And, for example, Russia took 164th place this year.

The Ukrainian authorities are destroying the “Russian-speaking population” and are engaged in linguocide. 

Knowing the state language as the language of one's citizenship is the duty of every citizen of Ukraine. At the same time, every citizen of Ukraine is free to choose the language or languages for private communication. Propagandists systematically speculate on the language issue, arguing that Ukraine discriminates against the Russian language. Although it has the same rights as other minority languages. Ukrainian is the main one in public communication. But the law “On ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language” provides an opportunity to serve customers in other languages at their request.

“Russian-speaking population” is just a political term used by Russia to achieve its own goals. In particular, to destroy Ukraine as a state, and Ukrainians as a nation. According to a sociological survey of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, 84% of Ukrainians believe that there are no problems with the use of the Russian language in Ukraine and Russian-speaking citizens do not experience harassment and persecution, only 8% are convinced of the opposite. A slice of public opinion proves that the reproaches about linguocide are propaganda speculation.

The referendums held in Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk regions are absolutely legitimate. 

Russia is positioning the referenda as the key to the return of historical justice. However, the Russians substitute the concept, calling “reunification” the annexation of the territories of another, sovereign state. In fact, Russia is holding illegitimate referendums, seizing land, destroying cities.

The fictitious referendums in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine are not the will of the Ukrainians, but only try to give legitimacy to Russia's attempts to seize part of another state, the UN says. Their results, except for Russia itself, recognize other “brother states” of Russia as the DPRK. A decision on the issue of changing the territory of Ukraine can only be taken on the basis of an all-Ukrainian referendum. In general, the issue submitted to the referendum cannot call into question the territorial integrity of Ukraine. That is, changing the territory of Ukraine in an illegal way. It is no less important that voting should take place voluntarily, and not at gunpoint (when the armed occupiers, together with members of the “electoral commissions”, collected votes from apartments).

Ukrainians have always been in favor of an alliance with Russia and against Euro-Atlantic integration.

Ukraine entered into relations with NATO as early as 1992 when it joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (later to become the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council). In 1994, Ukraine became the first among the post-Soviet states to sign a framework agreement with NATO as part of the Partnership for Peace initiative. Ukraine first declared its desire to become a member of the North Atlantic Alliance in 2002. Then, according to a poll by the Razumkov Center, 32% of Ukrainians supported Ukraine's entry into NATO and 32.2% were against it. Over the years, attitudes towards joining the Alliance have changed dynamically. Russia's aggression in 2014 had a significant impact on public opinion: since then, the level of support for membership has stabilized and has not been below 40%. According to the May 2023 NDI poll, more than 90% of respondents support Ukraine's accession to the EU. And 89% would like to see Ukraine in NATO. That is, the thesis that Ukrainians support Russia and strive to “reunite” with it is not true.

Ukrainians have chosen their path since 2014.