I’ve already debunked two of the most common excuses for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: NATO expansion and “de-Nazification.” Now, let’s tackle another excuse that keeps getting repeated by Moscow and its apologists:

👉 Russia invaded Ukraine to protect Russian-speaking Ukrainians.

This claim is Russia’s official justification for its war, but it doesn’t hold up under even the slightest scrutiny. Moscow had been interfering in Ukraine since at least 2014, backing separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk in the same way it fueled conflict in Georgia in 2008. Ukraine, like any sovereign nation, had every right to defend itself against foreign-backed militias attempting to carve up its territory.

Yes, there was violence, but was Ukraine just randomly bombing its own people for no reason? No. Ukraine was fighting separatist forces that were actively trying to break away with Russian military support.

Debunking the Kremlin Narrative

The idea that Ukraine “waged war on its own Russian-speaking population” is one of the Kremlin’s biggest distortions of reality. The war in Donbas didn’t appear out of nowhere—it erupted after the Euromaidan protests (2013–2014) and the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.

Here’s what actually happened:

🔹 In April 2014, pro-Russian separatists—armed and organized—seized government buildings in Donetsk and Luhansk and declared their so-called “independence.”

🔹 The Ukrainian government responded with the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) to regain control, as any country would do when facing an armed uprising.

🔹 By August 2014, regular Russian troops entered Ukraine, changing the course of the war—most notably during the Battle of Ilovaisk, where Ukrainian forces suffered heavy losses after being surrounded by Russian units.

What Russia Doesn’t Want You to Know

One of the biggest lies pushed by Moscow is that all Russian-speaking Ukrainians supported the separatists. This is simply not true.

✔️ Many Russian-speaking Ukrainians fought for Ukraine against the separatists, proving that this war was never about language or ethnicity. It was about Ukraine’s territorial integrity and Russia’s interference.

✔️ While human rights violations were committed by both sides, the majority of civilian casualties and war crimes were attributed to Russian-backed forces. Independent UN reports confirm that separatist militias—not Ukraine’s military—were responsible for the bulk of these abuses.

✔️ The Minsk Agreements (2014 & 2015) were supposed to bring peace, but ceasefires were repeatedly broken—primarily by separatist forces. And despite Russia’s obvious involvement, Moscow never formally admitted to its role in the war, because doing so would expose the lie that this was an “internal Ukrainian conflict.”

Russia’s Double Standard on Separatism

If Russia truly cared about separatist movements or protecting Russian speakers, its own history would look very different. The truth is, Moscow violently crushes separatism within its own borders—unless it serves its geopolitical ambitions.

Let’s take a look at how Russia actually deals with separatists when they’re not useful to the Kremlin:

The Chechen Wars: Russia’s Brutal Response to Separatism

🔴 First Chechen War (1994–1996)

• After the Soviet Union collapsed, Chechnya declared independence.
• Russia launched a full-scale military invasion but suffered heavy losses.
• Ultimately, Moscow had to sign a peace deal granting Chechnya de facto independence.

🔴 Second Chechen War (1999–2009)

• After Chechen militants launched attacks in Dagestan, Russia—now led by Vladimir Putin—returned with a vengeance.
• Grozny, the Chechen capital, was bombed into rubble.
• The war ended with brutal counterinsurgency operations, mass killings, and forced disappearances.

Beyond Chechnya: Russia Crushes Separatism Elsewhere

Russia has violently suppressed multiple separatist movements across its own territory:

🔹 Ingushetia – Faced armed resistance but was crushed by Russian security forces.
🔹 Dagestan – Islamist militants attempted to create a breakaway state, leading to years of counterinsurgency operations.
🔹 Tatarstan – Historically autonomous, but its push for independence was swiftly stamped out.
🔹 Siberia, the Urals, Komi, Buryatia, Kalmykia – Any talk of autonomy or separatism is met with immediate repression.

Moscow’s default response to separatism? Brute force, political repression, and harsh anti-separatist laws.

The Truth About Ukraine’s Fight

Ukraine was never attacking Russian speakers—it was defending itself against a foreign-backed insurgency.

The vast majority of Russian-speaking Ukrainians—especially in cities like Odesa, Kharkiv, and Dnipro—remained loyal to Ukraine. They weren’t calling for Russian intervention. They weren’t asking to be “rescued.”

So, if this war wasn’t about protecting Russian speakers… what was it about?

Power. Control. Imperial ambition.

Russia doesn’t care about Russian-speaking Ukrainians. It cares about dominating Ukraine. It saw a pro-European, independent Ukraine as a threat to its sphere of influence. That’s why it invaded in 2014. That’s why it launched a full-scale war in 2022. And that’s why it continues to occupy Ukrainian land today.

The Bottom Line

The idea that Russia invaded Ukraine to protect Russian speakers is one of the biggest propaganda myths of the 21st century.

🔴 If Russia truly cared about Russian speakers, it would respect their right to choose their own future.

🔴 If Russia truly supported separatism, it wouldn’t have violently crushed separatists inside its own borders.

🔴 And if Russia truly wanted peace, it wouldn’t have started this war in the first place.

Ukraine’s fight has never been about language or ethnicity—it has always been about sovereignty, self-determination, and survival.