Reform UK says a Facebook page named Reform UK for Alyn and Deeside and Wrexham is not official, after it shared a post calling for an end to support for Ukraine.
The post, published by the page Monday, described Ukraine as “the most corrupt country on earth” and opened with the line “Old men profit and young men die”.
It carried a graphic headed “DEFUND UKRAINE”, calling for no more money or weapons to be sent to Ukraine and for sanctions on Russia to be lifted so that “normal diplomatic and trading relations” could be restored.
In a statement on Tuesday, Reform UK said the account was “not an official Reform UK page”.
The party said: “It is run by a supporter with no official position in the party. This post is contrary to our policy. We stand fully behind Ukraine against Russia’s brutal invasion.”
The page, which predates the creation of the official Reform UK – Fflint & Wrecsam Branch, uses the party’s logo and colours and carries a disclaimer describing itself as a supporters page whose contents are not necessarily party policy.
The post has since been removed.
Ken Skates, the Welsh Labour leader and one of the six Senedd members for Fflint Wrecsam, told the BBC he was “astonished” that “we’re seeing yet again Reform backing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine”.
Sam Rowlands, the Welsh Conservative member for the same constituency, told the BBC the post was a “disgraceful and deeply pro-Russian position from Reform UK” while “Putin continues his illegal war, including killing Ukrainian civilians”.
Marc Jones, Plaid Cymru MS for Fflint Wrecsam, said: “The last Reform leader in Wales was jailed for taking Russian bribes.
“It seems Reform in Wales is still dancing to Russia’s tune with this attack on Ukraine.”
Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts MP told Nation.Cymru that “serious questions remain about Reform’s stance as a pro-Russian party”.
She said: “Rewarding Putin’s aggression is no route to peace and stands in stark contrast to the values of solidarity and compassion we hold in Wales.”
Mick Antoniw, the former Counsel General and former Labour member for Pontypridd, who is of Ukrainian heritage, told Nation.Cymru those behind the post were “spouting pure Putin propaganda”.
Both Mr Rowlands and Ms Saville Roberts referred in their criticism to Nathan Gill, Reform UK’s former leader in Wales, who was jailed late last year over bribes to make pro-Russian statements while he was a member of the European Parliament.
Reform UK described his actions at the time as “reprehensible, treasonous and unforgivable”.
The name on the Facebook page covers an area where Reform UK now holds eight seats on Flintshire County Council, making it the second largest group there since the by-elections on 9 July.
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