Russian propaganda is spreading fake news that Ukraine is allegedly refusing to accept about 90 of its citizens deported from Russia who are “stuck” at the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint on the border with Georgia.
This was reported on Telegram by the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, according to Ukrinform.
“Russian propagandists are spreading the idea that Kyiv is allegedly not taking its own citizens, including prisoners of war and former prisoners, from neutral territory,” the report says.
The Center for Countering Disinformation, citing the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, states that the situation is actually quite different.
“Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the Russians have been illegally transporting convicts from the temporarily occupied territories. When these people’s sentences ended, they were released with certificates that are not valid documents for crossing the border,” the intelligence service said.
The DIU explained that “the decision on entry is made by the Georgian side. The Ukrainian consulate in Tbilisi issues notes confirming the readiness to issue certificates for return to Ukraine. However, only those whose citizenship is confirmed can obtain such a certificate. If a person is not a citizen of Ukraine, the consul has no grounds to issue documents.”
The Center for Countering Disinformation reminded that from the very beginning of this situation, the Ukrainian side has been acting systematically: the issue is being dealt with by the Office of the President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Main Intelligence Directorate, the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, and the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights.
All Ukrainian citizens who have supporting documents receive assistance and return home.
“The goal of the fake news is to discredit Ukraine as a state that allegedly ‘abandons its own,’” the CCD added.
As reported by Ukrinform, dozens of Ukrainians, whom Russia has decided to deport, are being held in a basement without food or water at the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint on the border with Georgia.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that Russia is using the deportation of Ukrainian citizens through Georgia as a weapon. Ukraine proposes that Russia transport the deportees directly to the Ukrainian border.
Illustrative photo: freepik
Source: Russia spreads fake news about Kyiv refusing to take Ukrainians from Georgia border crossing — CCD
