Ukraine's Foreign Ministry rejects accusations over attacks in Iraq, says claims echo Russian propaganda
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has rejected as baseless and unsubstantiated the claims made by Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim al-Aboudi alleging Ukraine's involvement in attacks on Iraqi territory.
Source: a statement by Ukraine's Foreign Ministry on al-Aboudi's claims; Iraqi media outlet Shafaq News
Details: On the evening of 27 July, Shafaq News reported an unsubstantiated statement by al-Aboudi claiming that groups carrying out attacks in Iraq had been detained and had confessed to working for Ukraine.
"We arrested a limited number of groups that carried out attacks inside Iraqi territory and targeted several facilities. During questioning, they confessed to working for Ukraine," the adviser said, without naming the facilities or providing any further details.
He noted that the attacks in Iraq require a thorough investigation before the authorities can determine responsibility or formally accuse any party of carrying them out.
Quote from the ministry: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine rejects the unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations made by Qasim al-Aboudi, National Security Advisor of the Republic of Iraq, during an interview with Dijlah TV, regarding Ukraine's alleged involvement in unlawful activities on Iraqi territory. There are no facts or evidence to support these allegations – a point the Iraqi official himself acknowledged in his interview.
It is important to note that prior to making such high-profile public statements, the Iraqi side had not conveyed any relevant information or concerns to Ukraine through diplomatic channels. Had there been any substance to these allegations, such a channel of communication would have been logical. Instead, the Ukrainian side learned of the accusations against it directly from a live television broadcast."
Details: The ministry described it as unacceptable and irresponsible for a senior official of a friendly state to publicly make such statements without proper evidence.
Quote from the ministry: "Notably, the statements voiced align with Russian propaganda narratives aimed at discrediting Ukraine and undermining its relations with Middle Eastern nations. It cannot be ruled out that this incident is the result of external information influence or part of a coordinated information and psychological operation designed to destabilise the Ukrainian-Iraqi partnership."
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