MHK casts doubt over Ukraine war narrative in social media post

"The PR effort behind this has only deepened my worry that we’ve been sold a pup", says Peters

A Member of the House of Keys has publicly questioned the Western narrative on the war in Ukraine, citing concerns over what he describes as a heavy public relations campaign in support of Kyiv.

Stu Peters, the MHK for Middle, shared a social media post on his personal feed, promoting a view critical of Ukraine and Western involvement.

The post suggests the war was “engineered” by the West and claims Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is “clinging to power” in a “collapsing regime propped up by Western money, weapons, and propaganda”.

It also alleges that Ukraine’s 2014 revolution was a “CIA-backed coup” and that NATO expansion provoked Russia’s invasion.

Alongside the post, Mr Peters wrote that he had long been ‘suspicious’ of the official narrative supporting Ukraine and that the scale of the PR campaign backing Kyiv had only deepened his concerns.

However, he acknowledged having little knowledge of Ukrainian or Russian politics, describing himself as “a lay observer.”

His comments come as the war in Ukraine enters its third year, with continued Western military and financial support – except in the United States, where military aid has been cancelled and intelligence sharing partially suspended.

The Isle of Man has also applied numerous sanctions against Russia, in line with neighbouring jurisdictions. 

The UK and its allies maintain that Russia’s full-scale invasion was unprovoked and a violation of international law.

Mr Peters’ remarks have sparked debate online, with some accusing him of spreading Russian propaganda.

Drew Boyd is an English teacher, originally from Onchan, who’s been living in Ukraine for more than 20-years, invited Mr Peters to stay with him in Kyiv:

Manx Radio approached Mr Peters for comment who said: “I reposted something I found interesting. I neither agree nor disagree with it, I left that to the reader.  I don’t wish to comment further.”