VERDICT: FALSE
Claims that Ukraine started the war with Russia are false. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, crossing international borders with military forces. The United Nations General Assembly condemned the invasion (141-5 vote). The International Court of Justice ordered Russia to cease military operations. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin. The documented facts are unambiguous: Russia was the aggressor.
Throughout 2025, false narratives claiming that Ukraine provoked or started the war with Russia continued to spread, particularly after ceasefire negotiations intensified. These claims ignore the well-documented historical record: on February 24, 2022, Russian military forces crossed the internationally recognized border into Ukraine without provocation. The invasion was condemned by 141 countries at the UN, and multiple international courts have determined Russia violated international law. While proponents cite NATO expansion as justification, Ukraine was not a NATO member and joining NATO requires unanimous consent from existing members.
The Documented Timeline
The sequence of events is unambiguous: [8]
| Date | Event | Actor |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 21, 2022 | Putin recognizes "independence" of Donetsk/Luhansk | Russia |
| Feb 24, 2022 | Russia launches "special military operation" | Russia |
| Feb 24, 2022 | Russian forces cross border, missile strikes on Kyiv | Russia |
| Mar 2, 2022 | UN General Assembly condemns invasion (141-5) | International |
| Mar 16, 2022 | ICJ orders Russia to cease military operations | International |
Putin's Own Words
In his televised address on February 24, 2022, Putin explicitly announced Russia was launching military operations: [14]
"I have made the decision to conduct a special military operation... to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine."
Putin announced the operation; Ukraine did not attack Russia. Russia initiated military action across internationally recognized borders.
The "NATO Expansion" Argument
Proponents of the "Ukraine provoked Russia" narrative often cite NATO expansion. Key facts: [6]
- Ukraine was not a NATO member and had no timeline for joining
- NATO membership requires unanimous consent - Germany and France blocked Ukraine's 2008 application
- No NATO troops were in Ukraine before the invasion
- NATO is a defensive alliance - Article 5 has been invoked only once (after 9/11)
Even if NATO expansion were a legitimate grievance, international law does not permit invading sovereign nations based on perceived threats. The UN Charter prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity of any state. [2]
International Legal Findings
Multiple international bodies have determined Russia violated international law: [3]
- International Court of Justice (Mar 2022): Ordered Russia to "immediately suspend military operations"
- UN General Assembly (Mar 2022): Condemned invasion, demanded Russian withdrawal (141-5)
- International Criminal Court (Mar 2023): Issued arrest warrant for Putin for war crimes
The 2014 Context
Russia's aggression against Ukraine began in 2014, not 2022: [10]
- Feb 2014: Russia annexes Crimea following masked soldiers seizing key facilities
- Apr 2014: Russian-backed separatists seize territory in eastern Ukraine
- Jul 2014: MH17 shot down by Russian missile, killing 298 people
- 2014-2022: 14,000+ killed in Donbas conflict before full-scale invasion
Sources of the False Narrative
The "Ukraine started it" narrative has been traced to: [15]
- Russian state media: RT, Sputnik, TASS consistently blame Ukraine/NATO
- Social media amplification: Pro-Kremlin accounts spread narratives globally
- Domestic political figures: Some US politicians have repeated Russian talking points
Claims that Ukraine started the war with Russia are FALSE. On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine - crossing international borders, bombing cities, and attempting to seize Kyiv. This was condemned by 141 countries, multiple international courts, and is documented in Putin's own televised announcement of military operations. The claim that Ukraine was the aggressor contradicts the documented historical record, international legal findings, and the basic facts of who invaded whom.