Romania will help Ukraine recapture Kherson by using the Ukrainian fighter jets on its territory, the Russian state media writes. In fact, Romania does not host any Ukrainian military aircraft, and Bucharest has shown no signs of considering getting involved in the war.
NEWS: Kherson is an area of strategic importance, it is our bridgehead on the left-hand side of the Dnieper, from where we can launch attacks on the Mykolaiv and Odessa oblasts, as well as further northwards, the editor-in-chief of the “Motherland Arsenal” magazine, Aleksey Leonkov has told Ukraina.ru.
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“[a counterattack against the Russian forces] can be sustained with the remaining Ukrainian aircraft on the territory of Romania. The aircraft in this country are there for protection against the airstrikes targeting Ukrainian military airfields. This might tip the scale of the war. Kherson is an easier target than Sumy or Kharkiv.
It’s a shorter logistical route and munition supplies can be transporter faster from across the border.”
NARRATIVE: Romania will help Ukraine retake Kherson.
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: In March, Russia said Ukrainian fighters jet were relocated to the territory of Romania. In response, the Romanian Ministry of Defense issued a press release, dismissing the statement as false, stating Romanian territory is home to no Ukrainian military aircraft.
“Most likely, Russia is trying to speculate by referring to the Suhoi-27 Ukrainian fighter jet that on February 24, on the first day of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, requested to urgently land in Romania”, the Romanian Defense Ministry writes.
The Russian media and political pundits in Moscow have disregarded the statement of the Romanian Defense Ministry, continuing to spread fake news about Ukrainian military bases on Romania’s territory.
Aleksey Leonkov is one the most quoted military experts by Ukraina.ru and RIA Novosti when it comes to the war in Ukraine.
In June, Leonkov said Romania and the Ukrainian Armed Forces will attack Kherson. He said “Zelensky is planning to involve in the war military from Romania [...] disguised as soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces”.
The same false narrative about Romania supporting the southern offense of Ukraine is repeated in different forms by ignoring the statements and official reactions of Romanian authorities.
Last but not least, we should also consider the fact that Romania is a member of NATO, and that the Alliance decided against conducting any military operations in Ukraine, given the risk of triggering a war with Russia, that might further escalate into a nuclear conflict.
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