No oppressed ethnic Russians in Ukraine: UN report finds no truth in Kremlin war claims

A report published by the United Nations human rights office has found Russian claims that ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine are under attack to be without merit, that is, baseless. The brief said that although there were some attacks against the ethnic Russian community, they were neither systematic nor widespread, as alleged by the Kremlin. The report also said the Kremlin's propaganda machine systematically disseminated misinformation and exaggeration to create a "climate of fear and insecurity." Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled Ukraine in late February. Days later, Russian forces invaded Ukraine's Crimea peninsula, which was annexed last month. Pro-Kremlin operatives in eastern Ukraine have since stirred up trouble in Ukraine's eastern and souther provinces.