Ambassador warns:

Austria is a victim of Russian disinformation

Symbolic image(Bild: Halfpoint - stock.adobe.com)

The Ukrainian ambassador in Vienna, Wassyl Chymynez, complains that Russian propaganda is currently being massively adopted in Austria. He sees a connection with disinformation campaigns run by Moscow. In this context, he also strongly criticized the FPÖ.

Last week, the publicist Peter Pelinka declared on television that Ukraine should give up territories and that this would lead to peace, and the political scientist Heinz Gärtner said that Russia felt provoked by NATO expansion, Chymynez reported on Thursday evening on the fringes of the Contemporary History Day in Graz. Many of his discussion partners would also adopt these arguments and also partly blame Ukraine for the Russian war of aggression.

The frequency of such positions in Austria is linked to Russian disinformation campaigns. "Disinformation (from Russia, editor's note) is now very much in evidence because Putin wants to prevent further arms deliveries to Ukraine," warned the ambassador.

Russian propaganda on Austrian television
Although this issue is formally irrelevant in the context of Austrian neutrality and the impossibility of supplying weapons from Austria to Ukraine, there are nevertheless "echoes" of this campaign in the country. He is currently seeing more and more people repeating this demand on Austrian television.

In addition to some experts, Chymynez also specifically criticized the FPÖ. This party is constantly campaigning against arms deliveries to Ukraine because this would allegedly not serve peace - but they are not talking about deliveries from Austria. "But have you ever seen the FPÖ criticize North Korea or Iran for supplying weapons to Russia?" he asked.

Ceremony in the auditorium of Graz University. In the picture (from left to right): University Rector Peter Riedler, historian Christiane Berth, Graz Mayor Elke Kahr, historian Barbara Stelzl-Marx, Science Minister Martin Polaschek, Styrian State Councillor Barbara Eibinger-Miedl and National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka(Bild: Helmut Lunghammer)

Pompous ceremony in Graz
Previously, the ambassador had also addressed politicians such as National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP), Science Minister Martin Polaschek (ÖVP) and Graz Mayor Elke Kahr (KPÖ), as well as scientists, at a ceremony in the auditorium of Graz University. "Austria can do a lot as a neutral country," he said. Peace is important for everyone. It was also important to help and set a course that would also be seen in Moscow, he emphasized.