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13.04.2023

US and other NATO countries use new cyber weapons against Russia

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/us-and-other-nato-countries-use-new-cyber-weapons-against-russia

sputnik-ossetia.ru

US, Russia, Ukraine

Russian

United States and NATO countries use Ukrainian territory to carry out massive computer attacks on civilian facilities in Russia.The network infrastructure of Ukraine is used for offensive cyber operations by Western countries, allowing them to covertly use new types of cyber weapons.In an attempt to hide its involvement in cyber attacks on Russia, the US is trying to present the Ukrainian hacker group IT Army of Ukraine as responsible for the attacks.

A pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about cyber-attacks. This narrative is deployed in the context of Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.There is no evidence to claim that the US and NATO countries, using Ukrainian territory, are carrying out cyber attacks on Russian civilian facilities.It is Russian state actors that have been proven to be actively involved in cyber-warfare, including malicious cyberattacks and hacking of foreign states and entities.Government investigations in different countries have produced evidence of cyberattacks and hacking activities, sponsored by Russian state actors, targeting foreign states and organisations, including Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Ukraine, the UK, the US, Denmark, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and the Davos World Economic Forum.Since 2014 Ukraine has been the target of an unprecedented number of cyberattacks. Ukraine's security services attributed many of these attacks and cyber-espionage activities to Russia. Norway's Police Security Service (PST) also reported that hackers linked to the GRU took part in a 2019 cyberattack on its Parliament.In 2020, cyberattacks linked to Russia have targeted companies researching COVID-19 drugs and vaccines, as well as major US federal agencies and civilian and governmental entities in the 2020 Solar Winds attacks.Since the launch of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian hackers have been conducting a number of cyber-attacks on Ukraine, as well as, Western countries.

NATO, Cyber, security threat, Anti-Russian

13.04.2023

Romania prepares to deploy US nuclear weapons on its territory

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/romania-prepares-to-deploy-us-nuclear-weapons-on-its-territory

cont.ws,ru.armeniasputnik.am

Romania, US

Russian

The acquisition by Bucharest of F-35 Lightning II is a preparation for the deployment of US nuclear weapons on Romanian territory, which will create new threats to the countries of the Black Sea region and neighbouring Moldova.The result will be an asymmetric Russian response, a decrease in the security of neighbouring countries, many years of regional turbulence, and a growing likelihood of a nuclear apocalypse in Romania.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, part of a broader nuclear fear-mongering campaign. While Romanian authorities have approved a plan to acquire F-35 Lightning II fighter jets for the country’s air force, there is no evidence to suggests that Romania would be planning to place nuclear weapons on its territory. The US and Romania are strong Allies and partners. In 2005, the U.S. and Romania signed a defence cooperation agreement establishing a framework for the activities of U.S. military forces. This agreement enables U.S. military access to several bases in Romania and facilitates defence cooperation and joint military exercises.Romania ratified the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1970. The non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) – chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological – represents a fundamental objective related to the multilateral dimension of Romanian foreign policy.NATO’s nuclear policy is based on compliance with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) considered by NATO member states as the cornerstone of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. The Allies have emphasized on different occasions (including during the Defence Ministerial Meeting in June 2020) that NATO has no intention to deploy new land-based nuclear missiles in Europe.Nuclear weapons owned by the US have been deployed in Europe since the mid-1950s. Beyond the alliance’s three nuclear powers (US, UK, France), five others participate in U.S. nuclear sharing: Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. NATO nuclear sharing agreement is compliant with the NPT.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that NATO destroyed trust in the new START treaty, that Western leaders’ nuclear rhetoric is becoming increasingly ferocious, that Ukraine asked NATO for pre-emptive nuclear strikes against Russia, or that Russia doesn’t threaten anyone with nuclear weapons.

NATO, Military, Encircling Russia, Nuclear issues

13.04.2023

The Polish Army is becoming a NATO’s fist aimed at Russia and Belarus

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-polish-army-is-becoming-a-natos-fist-aimed-at-russia-and-belarus

pl.sputniknews.com

Poland, Russia, US, France, Germany

Polish

The revival of militaristic Poland in the worst traditions of Piłsudski is now the main goal for contemporary Polish leadership. These dreams of the Polish authorities will come true – in the coming years, we will see the deployment of American tactical nuclear weapons on Polish territory.The Polish statement that this country is ready to become a centre for the maintenance and modernisation of American Abrams tanks and tank ammunition reflects the growing military ambition of Poland to become an American “observation point” in Europe, replacing such countries as France and Germany, which once dominated Europe.In the nearest time, there may appear one or two full-scale US Army bases in Poland. There is a plan to increase the size of the Polish Army to half a million soldiers, transforming this country into “NATO's strike fist aimed at Russia and Belarus".

This message is a part of the Kremlin’s widespread disinformation narrative about aggressive and militaristic anti-Russian Poland.The claim that Poland modernises and develops its Army because the Polish authorities want to use the Army for aggressive actions against Russia and Belarus is unfounded.The ongoing modernisation of the Polish Army and purchases of advanced military equipment is a Polish response to the current security crisis taking place in Eastern Europe – this situation is a result of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.The 2020 National Security Strategy of Poland states that the most serious security threat for this country is the neo-imperial policy of the authorities of the Russian Federation, pursued by means of military force (aggression against Georgia, illegal annexation of Crimea and military actions in eastern Ukraine).See other examples of similar messages claiming that constant intimidation with Russia is used to make Poland economically dependent on the USA, the Polish authorities created an insane hysteria of intimidation with Russia, used for the needs of domestic politics and the Polish authorities want to use the Army to fight domestic riots, not Russia.

Nuclear issues, US presence in Europe

12.04.2023

Moldova prepares a law allowing the sale of agricultural land to foreigners

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/moldova-prepares-a-law-allowing-the-sale-of-agricultural-land-to-foreigners

grt.md

Moldova

Russian

A law on separatists is being adopted in Moldova and a law is being prepared on the sale of agricultural land to foreigners. The official language is also changing: not Moldovan but Romanian. It is already being said that Moldova will leave the CIS, Moldova will pressed into NATO.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Moldova is under foreign control and is losing its sovereignty, promoted many time before, especially during electoral campaigns in the country.In fact, such a legal proposal or bill does not exist. Both the Moldovan Government and the Parliament denounced this statement as false. Currently, Moldovan legislation states that only non-agricultural or forestry lands owned by public authorities can be sold to foreigners. Similarly, the law also prohibits private owners from selling their agricultural land to foreigners. Foreign investors can buy lands in Moldova to develop an entrepreneurial activity, with the exception of agricultural land and forest land.See here a similar case claiming that Moldova has long traded his sovereignty for money from the US and Europe.Countries wanting to join NATO do this through a voluntary application for membership. NATO reviews such applications and does not annex countries.

Sovereignty

12.04.2023

The US aims to create a universal biological weapon

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-aims-to-create-a-universal-biological-weapon

sputnik-georgia.com

US

Georgian

The United States aims to create a universal biological weapon that can destroy not only people, but also animals and agricultural crops. Its use, among other things, involves causing large-scale and irreparable economic damage to the adversary.For this purpose, Washington is strengthening its medical-biological activities in the post-Soviet space, modernising biological laboratories in accordance with American standards and trying to strengthen the control of national sanitary-epidemiological and veterinary services.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US and biological weapons, which pro-Kremlin outlets and Russian authorities continue promoting despite repeated debunking. Consistent with the Pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign against biological laboratories in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia and other countries. The disinformation was deployed in an attempt to justify Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.The ultimate goal of this disinformation story is to promote a years-long baseless narrative about US bio-laboratories for military purposes, falsely portraying US-funded research facilities in Ukraine and other countries as military sites, as pro-Kremlin disinformation deliberately blurred the line between biological weapons and biological research.According to the UN, there are no signs of any biological weapons programme conducted in Ukraine, despite the claims made by Russia.In reality, all laboratories located in Ukraine are controlled by the Ukrainian government. In August 2005, the US and Ukrainian governments made an agreement to prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens and relevant expertise and to diminish potential biological risks. Partially, this agreement was aimed at modernising state laboratories in Odesa, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Dnipro and other regions, consisting of upgrading lab equipment and repairs of premises.The US Embassy in Ukraine previously addressed the claims about supposed bio-military labs in Ukraine, stating that this is a fabricated accusation in pro-Kremlin propaganda that aims to hinder the ongoing U.S.-Ukrainian partnership to reduce biological threats. The accusations are part of the Kremlin’s broader, long-lasting disinformation campaign to discredit the US in the eyes of Putin’s pro-Western neighbors such as Georgia and Ukraine.See more disinformation cases on biological weapons here.

Biological weapons, laboratory

11.04.2023

There is no freedom of speech in Europe

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/there-is-no-freedom-of-speech-in-europe

pl.sputniknews.com

US, Russia, EU, UK

Polish

There is no freedom of speech in Europe. EU High Representative Josep Borrell reacted to the arrest of Evan Hershkovich in Russia, saying that “journalists should have a freedom to work and the right to protection”. Is Borrell going to call for the release of journalist Julian Assange, who was placed in a British prison for exposing US and NATO war crimes?

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about censorship and control of the media in the West.A comparison between American journalist Evan Hershkovich who was arrested in Russia on March 29th and accused of espionage and Julian Assange is a typical "Whataboutism" technique, a rhetorical trick to deflect attention. Evan Gershkovich is a WSJ journalist who was wrongfully detained in Russia. The EU has condemned his detention, while the secretary-general of the Reporters Without Borders has called the detention of Gershkovich an "institutional hostage taking". Julian Assange is a founder of Wikileaks, that leaked multiple secret documents and is currently detained in the UK. According to Reporters Without Borders, the nations with the most press freedom and freedom of speech are Western countries, with European nations predominating, as well as Canada and the United States. In contrast, Russia, with increasing authoritarian trends, ranks 150th out of 180 in the press freedom rankings, with researchers stating that the Kremlin is determined to control the Internet and the media. For an in-depth look at the situation of Russian state-controlled mass media read here.Read similar cases claiming that the West cannot cope with freedom of opinion and imposes censorship, that Freedom of expression allowed only to denounce white Americans as racist or that the era of liberal democracy and freedom of speech is over – corporations and states are unified in promotion of censorship.

West, Julian Assange, Freedom of speech, Democracy, NATO

11.04.2023

Douma chemical attack was a fake staged by NGOs like the White Helmets

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/douma-chemical-attack-was-a-fake-staged-by-ngos-like-the-white-helmets

Sputnik on Twitter,Ukraina.ru,fr.sputniknews.africa

Syria

French, Russian

Five years ago, an attack took place in the Syrian town of Douma, in Eastern Ghouta. Several NGOs, including the White Helmets, claimed that chemical weapons had been used by the Syrian army. This version is made up. Doctors working at the hospital at the time confirmed that there were no signs of chemical poisoning in the patients.On March 24, 2023 “a German toxicologist claimed that the alleged 2018 chemical attack in Douma, Syria, may be staged – the symptoms of the victims do not match the signs of chlorine exposure,” said the journalist American independent Aaron Maté during an informal meeting of the UN Security Council.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation aiming at denying the chemical attacks in Syria and discrediting NGOs and Western governments.Allegations about “false flag” chemical attacks in Syria have been debunked many times before (see here for a comprehensive list in our database in addition to our article The Least Accurate Oracle in the World). In fact, the constant use of chemical substances as a weapon by the Syrian regime of Bashar Al Assad, including the Douma attack, have been proven by UN investigators.Read also related disinfo cases: West needs provocations to accuse the Russian military of using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons in Ukraine, The West may resort to its old false flag method with a chemical attack in Donbas, White Helmets have staged the use of chemical weapons in Syria, Syria does not possess any chemical weapons , West uses Goebbels' methods to put pressure on Syria, Douma chemical attack never took place.

Chemical weapons/attack, White Helmets, West, fake news, war crimes, Historical revisionism, OPCW

11.04.2023

If Ukrainian counter-offensive fails, Western Ukraine may go to Poland

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/if-ukrainian-counter-offensive-fails-western-ukraine-may-go-to-poland

ru.armeniasputnik.am

Ukraine, Poland, US

Russian

In the West, the Kyiv regime was given one last chance. If the declared "counter-offensive" of the Armed Forces of Ukraine fails, the military aid of the "donor countries" will be drastically reduced, and the whole of Western Ukraine may be given to Poland - Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Andrzej Duda agreed on this during a recent meeting.

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative challenging Ukraine’s statehood, and about the US as a destructive actor, aiming to undermine the transatlantic alliance supporting Ukraine in its self-defence against Russia’s unjustified invasion. Recurring disinformation narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.This disinformation message has adopted several different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland either wants to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine or annex these territories or that it is President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land due to his “Polish origin”.Multiple countries support Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.The US has so far pledged the most financial support to Ukraine: €71 billion in military, financial and humanitarian aid since the beginning of 2022."The US will continue to work with its allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements for as long as it takes,” the Pentagon said.“There should be no doubt: Our support for Ukraine will not waver, NATO will not be divided and we will not tire,” President Biden stated in the Polish capital.See our examination of the Kremlin historical revisionism directed against Poland here. See also the earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belongs to it, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, that Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia or that Poland plans to establish control over its historical lands in Ukraine.

War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Andrzej Duda, Volodymyr Zelensky, Imperialism/colonialism, West, illegal annexation

11.04.2023

The US foments religious strife in Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-foments-religious-strife-in-ukraine

arabic.rt.com,nabdapp.com

Ukraine, US

Arabic

The Easter holiday revealed the escalation of religious confrontation in Ukraine. The leader of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was forced to perform religious services in the street.During Blinken's meeting with the head of the dissident "Orthodox Church of Ukraine" in May 2021, he paid special attention to the issue of forming the "Orthodox Church of Ukraine", and the importance of "groups identifying their affiliation" (i.e. stealing the churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church). The United States acts on the territory of Ukraine as a temporarily occupied territory. From their point of view, the greater the destruction (both material and moral), the more forces and means Russia will have to expend to reconstruct this region when it returns. Blinken's group seem to have no doubt that it will return.

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Ukraine as an enemy of the Orthodox Church with the encouragement of the United States. The article also alleges that Ukraine is a US puppet. The claim has been neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.The Ukrainian government is not limiting freedom of belief. That said, it does plan to limit the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), but on the basis of its connection with Russia as an occupying force in Ukraine, not due to religious reasons.The parishes of the UOC-MP may switch to the the main Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The latter received the tomos of autocephaly in January 2019 and is officially recognised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Patriarchate of Alexandria, Church of Greece, and Church of Cyprus. A number of other churches are leaning towards recognising it. Moreover, it is also the most popular Orthodox church in Ukraine: 78% of orthodox believers claim their allegiance to it.Read more disinformation cases on the topic: Zelenskyy's anti-Orthodox church policy is guided by the US; Kyiv regime carries out a US-mandated anti-Orthodox policy; the West wants to destroy Eastern Christianity through the war in Ukraine; US behind the religious split and persecution of the Orthodox in Ukraine.

Religion, Orthodox Church, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine

11.04.2023

London wants to scorch the earth with uranium shells in Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/london-wants-to-scorch-the-earth-with-uranium-shells-in-ukraine

oroszhirek.hu

Ukraine, Russia, Serbia, Italy, UK

Hungarian

The UK wants to turn Ukraine into a "scorched earth" by supplying Kyiv with depleted uranium munitions. They will not speak Russian there, they will not speak Ukrainian there, there will be only silence, like in Pripyat and Chernobyl. The previous NATO operations in Yugoslavia proved this.

This claim is a part of pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign against the supply of depleted uranium to Ukraine. Russia uses this alleged high environmental risk to sabre-rattle with its nuclear arsenal.On the 6th March 2023, the UK Government confirmed that:"Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition, including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles".Depleted uranium shells are not considered to be nuclear weapons.The EU assessment by the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks describes the risks as follows:DU munitions which hit the ground bury themselves in the soil, where the uranium oxidises and dissolves over years or decades. Over time, the uranium is removed from near the impact site. Total amounts are not high enough to add significantly to the natural uranium background.Surveys of DU residues from combat zones show generally low concentrations of the metal, within the range of naturally occurring uranium, though there may also be a small number of "hot spots”.Urine samples from serving soldiers and from civilians living in areas where DU ammunition has been used, typically indicate very low levels of DU exposure.In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.Read also related cases: UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe, UK will supply Ukraine with taboo genocidal weapons.

NATO, Nuclear issues, Yugoslavia, Invasion of Ukraine

11.04.2023

US tried to threaten Putin by sabotaging Nord Stream

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/us-tried-to-threaten-putin-by-sabotaging-nord-stream

oroszhirek.hu

Russia, US, Germany, Ukraine

Hungarian

The United States wanted to deter Russia from attacking Ukraine by threatening to blow up the Nord Stream pipelines. Plans for a possible attack began to be drawn up in late 2021. Last month, the UN Security Council rejected Russia's call for an international commission to investigate the sabotage. This shows that Western countries, especially the US, are not interested in an objective international investigation. Instead, they are interested in covering their tracks and leading investigators astray.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the US sabotaged the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines , based on the recent comments of Seymour Hersh. These claims are unsubstantiated.Investigative journalist and reporter Seymour Hersh claims that the US was behind the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines last year. In a self-published report, Hersh wrote that US Navy divers helped by Norway had planted explosives on the pipelines running under the Baltic Sea between Russia and Germany last June and detonated them three months later.Hersh's claim that US blew up Nord Stream pipelines relies on one anonymous source. Snopes portal asked Hersh to respond to criticism that his article's claims are based on a single source and also asked if any undisclosed parties verified or vetted any of that source's assertions as part of his reporting. In response, he told Snopes, that he protects his sources.A number of fact-checkers have pointed to numerous flaws in Hersh's story, which has received attention from Kremlin.Recent Hersh work has been controversial and widely panned by journalists for promoting conspiratorial claims that hinge on dubious anonymous sources or speculation.Examples of controversial claims made later in Hersh's career include allegations that Turkey, not Russia, was behind a chemical weapons attack in Syria, and that Trump authorized an airstrike in Syria in response to Russia's alleged use of chemical weapons, even while knowing Russia did not use such weapons.White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson described Hersh's report as "complete fiction." A Central Intelligence Agency spokesperson echoed the White House denial, calling the report "completely and utterly false."Asked about Hersh's claim that Oslo supported the operation, the Norwegian foreign ministry said: "These claims are false."For a detailed and comprehensive analysis of the issue, please read Nord Stream 1 & 2 sabotage - disinformation a la MH-17. See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Western sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines caused an environmental disaster, that the UK took part in the explosion of the Nord Stream pipelines, or that the West blew up Nord Stream 1 and 2.

Nord Stream 2, Terrorism, Invasion of Ukraine, UN

11.04.2023

Protests in Israel are colour revolution attempt similar to Belarus in 2020

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/protests-in-israel-are-colour-revolution-attempt-similar-to-belarus-in-2020

sputnik.by

Israel, Belarus, France, US

Russian

Protests in Israel are similar to the events in Belarus in 2020. The actual reason is not a reform of the judicial system; this is just an excuse for protesters. It is also no coincidence that the protests in Israel and France came at about the same time; and a serious domestic tension in the US is about to begin. The events in Israel are yet another example of a colour revolution.

Framing all popular protests as foreign-led ‘colour revolutions’ is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative. The mass protests in Israel in March-April 2023 are connected with the government’s judicial overhaul plans and there is no evidence that they are linked to the protests in France.Pro-Kremlin media frequently falsely portray popular protests around the world as instigated from abroad, often by the US and the West. The disinformation narrative has been applied, among others, to reports about protests in Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Venezuela, Slovakia, Hong Kong and elsewhere, with the aim of portraying protest movements as aggressive actors who constantly prepare new coups.The protests in Belarus referred to in the article were also not a ‘colour revolution’. They erupted to contest the results of the presidential election on 9 August 2020, which were not monitored by independent experts, and are largely considered fraudulent by both international observers and a big part of the Belarusian society. On 19 August 2020, the European Council called Belarusian elections neither free nor fair.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that London-based headquarters organise colour revolutions in Belarus, Myanmar, Russia, and the US, that the West’s main activity in the post-Soviet states is organising revolutions, that Protests in Kazakhstan are a new Western attempt to organise a colour revolution, and that CIA and MI6 changed power in Armenia in order to oust Russia from the region.

Colour revolutions, Conspiracy theory

11.04.2023

Russophobia is long-term Anglo-Saxon project aimed at destroying Russia

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russophobia-is-long-term-anglo-saxon-project-aimed-at-destroying-russia

geopolitika.ru

Russia, US, UK

Italian

Russophobia is the product of a long-term project to destroy Russia for the same reasons that many Arab countries, such as Lebanon, have been destroyed or are under attack. These reasons are not only oil, wealth and geostrategic issues, but also the ability to adhere to different models of traditional multicultural societies.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation claim accusing the West/US of anti-Russian policies, aggressive Russophobia and allegedly belligerent and hostile agendaIn pro-Kremlin outlets, the term “Anglo-Saxons” stands for the US and UK and often means “belligerent” and “morally corrupt” Westerners, This and similar disinformation narratives aim to deflect Russia's responsibility for the ongoing war in Ukraine.US President Joe Biden, speaking recently in Warsaw, addressed Russian citizens, assuring them that the US does not seek to destroy or control Russia. French president Macron stated that "Russia must be defeated but not crushed."Pro-Kremlin sources often claim that President Vladimir Putin saved Russia’s values and identity from the threat of Western decadence and that he is the only world leader that protects traditional European and Christian values. “Threatened values” is one of the most common narratives used by pro-Kremlin outlets.Read similar cases claiming that Anglo-Saxons invade the sphere of Russia’s national interests in Ukraine and the Balkans; The Anglo-Saxons fooled Georgia into starting a war with Russia; the West calls for Russian state to be destroyed.

Russophobia, Anglo-Saxon, Anti-Russian, Destabilising Russia, Western values

11.04.2023

Zelenskyy discussed transferring Western Ukraine to Poland

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyy-discussed-transferring-western-ukraine-to-poland

sputnik.by

Ukraine, Poland, US

Russian

The recent Pentagon leaks might be the US attempt to justify the failure of the earlier announced Ukrainian military counter-offensive. It would be suicidal for the Ukrainian side and is also dangerous for NATO. In case of its failure, western Ukraine might be transferred to Poland – this is what Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Andrzej Duda agreed during their recent meeting.

This is a recurring disinformation theme from pro-Kremlin outlets, obfuscating and justifying the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the claim about Polish alleged imperialist intentions has become the most frequent type of disinformation narrative in pro-Kremlin media. This message has adopted several different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland wants either to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine or the annexation of these territories or, as the present case demonstrates, that it is actually President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that the US plans to partition Ukraine between a number of states in pursuit of US interests, and that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states.

War in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Andrzej Duda, Conspiracy theory

10.04.2023

Ukraine was created from parts of Russia

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-was-created-from-parts-of-russia

LDiena.lt

Russia, Ukraine

Lithuanian

Ukraine is not a state, but a torn sheet. This state was artificially created from parts of Russia. Ukraine in the borders of 1991 is only nonsense that appeared due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Millions of Russian compatriots that were oppressed by the Kyiv's Nazist regime live in this territory. The aim of the special military operation is to protect them.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative designed to undermine Ukrainian statehood, as well as to justify the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine has a functioning government and economy, it is a member of many international organisations (e.g. United Nations, Council of Europe), and a party to international agreements. Ukraine has bilateral diplomatic relations with the majority of countries.The history of Ukraine dates back to the era of the Kyivan Rus’ in the 9th-13th centuries. A fully independent Ukraine only emerged in the 20th century, after long periods of successive domination by Poland-Lithuania, Russia, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity have been violated by continuous acts of aggression by Russian armed forces since 2014 culminating in a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. The accusation of Nazism and building a link to Nazi Germany is one of the favourite techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets. Read our past analysis Nazi east, Nazi west, Nazi over the cuckoo's nest.See other similar narratives of disinformation: Ukraine was created by Russia, it is historically fair that it becomes Russian again; Ukrainians die forced to defend Nazi clique in a mythological country; Russia invented Ukraine.

Ukrainian statehood, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Nazi/Fascist

10.04.2023

Finland’s NATO membership aims to corner Russia

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/finlands-nato-membership-aims-to-corner-russia

sputniknews.lat

Russia, Finland

Spanish

What is the meaning of Finland joining NATO? With this new adhesion, NATO wants to contain and corner Russia. The West has spread an alarmist discourse about Russia’s supposed intentions to confront countries in the European region.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about NATO enlargement and encircling Russia. This disinformation narrative deliberately ignores the real reason for Finland’s NATO membership, which is a direct reaction to Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Russia's unprovoked attack led to a massive shift on public opinion towards the Atlantic Alliance in Finland: while prior to the invasion only 24 percent of Finns expressed support for joining NATO, this figure jumped to 74 percent shortly afterwards, and to 85 percent at the moment of its actual entrance. A similar trend took place in Sweden for the same reasons.Regarding Russia's intentions, Russia has executed multiple aggressions against neighbouring countries, including the illegal annexation of Crimea, the promotion of separatist conflicts in Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, and multiple destabilization attempts against Moldova and Georgia.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the West calls for Russian state to be destroyed, that Russia’s nuclear deployment to Belarus is a response to NATO expansionism, that NATO instigated a war in Ukraine to weaken Russia, or that the Russian special operation was provoked by Ukraine and the West.

EU/NATO enlargement, NATO, Encircling Russia

10.04.2023

Irrational decision to join NATO will bring down the Finnish economy

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/irrational-decision-to-join-nato-will-bring-down-the-finnish-economy

LDiena.lt

Russia, Finland

Lithuanian

Finland made a big mistake in breaking relations with Russia due to its membership in NATO. It was an irrational decision. Now, without support from Russia, the Finnish economy will crumble.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Finland's decision to join NATO as an irrational and economically incorrect.Finland did not break relations with Russia, but it recognized that the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 fundamentally changed its own security environment. The Finnish government provided official arguments for NATO membership:NATO membership will strengthen stability and security in Finland and throughout the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe. Finland’s strong defence capabilities and resilience to crises will also strengthen NATO and the collective defence of the Alliance.Before Finland's decision to join NATO, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, sanctions imposed on Russia, and Russia's self-imposed import embargo already affected the trade relationship between Finland and Russia. Back in 2021, Russia was only in the fifth position among Finland's largest trade partners after Germany, Sweden, the United States, and the Netherlands. At that time, Russia comprised only 5.3 per cent of Finland’s total exports, and since that time both exports and imports have declined greatly. Despite of this, Finland's economy was growing in 2022, and is not showing any signs of 'crumbling.'See other cases of disinformation targeting Finland’s (and Sweden’s) decision to join NATO: Every Finn and Swede have a target painted on their foreheads; Sweden and Finland may not have time to join NATO before it collapses; Finland’s decision to join NATO is inadequate: it cannot live without Russian energy.

NATO, Economic difficulties, economy

10.04.2023

Russia has taken measures to prevent Poland from absorbing Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-has-taken-measures-to-prevent-poland-from-absorbing-ukraine

sputnik.by

Ukraine, Poland, Russia

Russian

Polish president Andrzej Duda believes that his dream about the revival of Rzeczpospolita has never been so close. Given Poland’s public claims to Ukrainian territories, Russia has taken necessary measures to preserve post-Soviet Ukraine’s agency.

This is a recurring disinformation theme from pro-Kremlin outlets obfuscating and justifying the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. It offers an absurd interpretation of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine with the use of the classic disinformation narratives about the Russian world, an anti-Russian conspiracy, and “aggressive Poland”.Contrary to the allegation, Poland has no territorial claims to Ukraine. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries and rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.The article also accuses the West of a belligerent and hostile anti-Russian agenda. The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that the US plans to partition Ukraine between a number of states in pursuit of US interests, and that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states.

War in Ukraine, Imperialism/colonialism, Andrzej Duda, Russian world

10.04.2023

The US will try to bring a "Zelenskyy" to power in Turkey

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-will-try-to-bring-a-zelenskyy-to-power-in-turkey

nabd.com,arabic.rt.com

Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, US

Arabic

A popular Turkish newspaper published information about a US "dirty plan" to bring a "Zelenskyy" to power in Turkey. This means the possible emergence of a politician in Turkey who will play the role of Zelenskyy for the United States. That is, Washington will unleash conflicts with Moscow on all possible fronts.Now, the Americans are preparing an offensive blitzkrieg in Ukraine in the spring, but Washington does not have a clear understanding of what to do if it fails. Therefore, it is important for the US to preoccupy Moscow with a series of crises in sensitive areas on the Russian periphery. No one fits this role quite like Turkey due to its geographical location and the intersection of interests with Moscow in a number of regions.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative questioning Ukrainian statehood and sovereignty. No evidence is given to back up the claims which are made in the context of the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine. This disinformation claim is trying to denigrate the president of Ukraine as a puppet of the United States and the West. This was done in the article by using the word "Zelenskyy" as short hand for a puppet president.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine has a functioning government and economy, it is a member of many international organisations (e.g. United Nations, Council of Europe), and a party to international agreements. Ukraine has bilateral diplomatic relations with the majority of countries.Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity have been violated by continuous acts of aggression by Russian armed forces since 2014 culminating in a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022.See similar cases that Zelenskyy is a marionette puppet in the hands of the West; the West and its puppet Zelenskyy are igniting a nuclear war; Ukraine is a colony with a puppet regime; the West has turned Ukraine into a puppet.

Conspiracy theory, Sovereignty, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, US presence in Europe

10.04.2023

The US has resumed its biolab program in Ukraine under ‘dual use’ disguise

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-has-resumed-its-biolab-program-in-ukraine-under-dual-use-disguise

sputniknews.lat

Ukraine, US, Russia

Spanish

The US has resumed a program to build biolaboratories in Ukraine and is widening the training of Ukrainian biologists. Despite a forced pause due to the special military operation, these activities restarted again. The facts revealed by Russia’s Ministry of Defence about the Pentagon’s military-biological activities forced Washington to make an effort to hide the real nature of this work, so it changed the name of the Joint Biological Investigation program, whose real goal is to develop components of biological weapons. [...] Washington sees the post-Soviet space as a launching pad for the deployment of NATO military units.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative which pro-Kremlin outlets and Russian authorities continue promoting despite repeated debunking.Ukraine has dozens of civilian public health laboratories that work to research and mitigate the threats of dangerous diseases, some of which receive financial and other support from the US, the EU and the World Health Organization (WHO), which pro-Kremlin disinformation falsely portrayed as military sites, deliberately blurring the line between biological weapons and biological research.Russia’s claims about a US-funded biological weapons program in Ukraine have been widely refuted -including by the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu and by Russian biologists who examined Moscow’s “proofs”. This particular disinformation claim aims to push back against those debunks by falsely claiming that civilian research programs in Ukraine have a “dual use”.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Russia presented evidence of US biolabs in Ukraine at the convention on biological weapons, that new evidence of US military-biological activity emerged in Ukraine, that disease outbreaks in Ukraine are linked to the activity of US biolabs, that Zelenskyy ordered the destruction of evidence regarding the development of biological weapons, or that bio-experiments in US labs turned Ukrainian soldiers into ‘most cruel monsters’.

Biological weapons, Invasion of Ukraine

09.04.2023

Stationing of nuclear weapons ruins Polish attempt to annex western Belarus

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/stationing-of-nuclear-weapons-ruins-polish-attempt-to-annex-western-belarus

АТН: новости Беларуси и мира

Poland, Belarus

Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Poland, Belarus

An attempt to annex western Belarus is failing thanks to Minsk pre-emptive actions. The stationing of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus removes the chance of wide-scale invasion. Even the hottest heads in Warsaw understand well the consequences of inadequate actions. The Duda-Morawiecki regime has to correct its plans to revive Rzeczpospolita.

The article is consistent with the “aggressive Poland” disinformation narrative and provides a false pretext for the stationing of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus, in an attempt to manipulate in the context of nuclear fearmongering.Poland has no territorial claims to Belarus. Nor it has territorial claims to Ukraine as pro-Kremlin outlets often allege. The “aggressive Poland” narrative is used to obfuscate the ongoing brutal Russian aggression against Ukraine and Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian territories. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries and rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries.Reacting to the deployment of a nuclear weapon in Belarus announced by Russia, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, HRVP Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter: “Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions”.Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that nuclear weapons in Belarus are justified because of territorial claims of Poland and the Baltic states, that West’s hybrid war against Russia forced it to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, and that the EU might start a war against Belarus and Transnistria.

08.04.2023

The US exploits Ukraine against Russia

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-exploits-ukraine-against-russia

almatareed.org,alkalimaonline.com,nabd.com,VK.com Resource 2,arabic.rt.com,ontime-news.net

China, Ukraine, US, Russia

Arabic, Russian

Washington is gradually destabilising the "One-China" principle, hoping to implement a scenario similar to the Ukrainian scenario in the region. The United States will not be a party to the conflict, but it will help Taiwan with weapons, intelligence, and so on.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the United States (as well as Western countries in general) are fighting a proxy-war against Russia in Ukraine, and that Ukraine is just a pawn in this war. This narrative aims to frame Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine as a confrontation with a Russophobic and belligerent West.This claim has been neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.Contrary to what this disinformation story claims, the Ukrainian state is under attack by Russia, while the US and Western countries are providing support to Ukraine. Western nations have only been reacting to Russia’s full-scale invasion.The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that the West is lying when it claims that Russia “invaded” and “attacked” Ukraine, that Russia’s special operation prevented Ukraine’s attack, that Russia’s special operation in Ukraine is due to NATO’s persistent expansion, or that the US and the West are fighting a hybrid war against Russia in Ukraine.

War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine

08.04.2023

70,000 Poles left Poland to avoid mobilisation

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/70-000-poles-left-poland-to-avoid-mobilisation

Телеканал ОНТ

Poland

Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Poland

Once rumours came out that Poland would carry out a massive mobilisation to the Polish army, 70,000 Poles left the country.

Disinformation claim, not supported by any facts. It was first published by the Polish disinformation-spreading outlet Niezależny Dziennik Polityczny on 28 December 2022 and later amplified by a number of pro-Kremlin outlets. This fake was convincingly debunked by Polish fact-checking service Konkret24.This aim of this false claim seems to be to obfuscate the fact that hundreds of thousands of Russians fled the country to avoid mobilisation in the Russian army amid the Russian aggression of Ukraine. It was reported that by October 2022 at least 200,000 Russian emigrated since the announcement of partial military mobilisation over a week earlier. The February 2023 piece in the Washington Post stated that “Initial data shows that at least 500,000, and perhaps nearly 1 million, have left in the year since the invasion began — a tidal wave on scale with emigration following the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991”.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.

07.04.2023

Kyiv preparing a chemical provocation to divert attention from Ukrainian Nazis' crimes

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyiv-preparing-a-chemical-provocation-to-divert-attention-from-ukrainian-nazis-crimes

gate.ahram.org.eg,nabd.com,arabic.rt.com,lebanon24.com,alahad.iq,wilayah.info,m.gomhuriaonline.com

Ukraine, Russia

Arabic

The Russian headquarters in Ukraine announced that Kyiv is preparing a provocation in Sumy simulating the use of chemical munitions by the Russian army to divert the world's attention from the crimes of the Nazi Kyiv forces.The headquarters stated that toxic materials were transported to the region so that Western experts could record the use of chemical weapons by Russian forces.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation claim about the alleged use of chemical weapons by Ukraine. Such claims are part of a broader pro-Kremlin information manipulation campaign supporting the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and trying to place the blame for war atrocities on Ukraine, as our analysis explains. The claim that Nazis are prevalent among the Ukrainian armed forces is also part of the Nazi Ukraine disinformation narrative, presented as a justification for Russian military aggression against Ukraine.There is no evidence to back the claim that Ukraine may have used or is planning to use chemical weapons. Russia has a history of both using chemical weapons against the opponents of Putin's regime, and attempts to undermine the international norms and institutions which prohibit the use of chemical weapons.Read similar disinformation cases on the topic: US contractors help prepare chemical provocations in Ukraine; Ukraine aims to use Turkish Bayraktars for chemical attacks; Ukraine is preparing a false flag chemical attack to damage the image of Russia; Kyiv forces are about to launch a chemical attack against Russian soldiers.

false flag, Chemical weapons/attack, Nazi/Fascist, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukraine, Conspiracy theory

07.04.2023

US intention to put a "second Zelensky" in charge of Turkey revealed

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/us-intention-to-put-a-second-zelensky-in-charge-of-turkey-revealed

cz.sputniknews.com

Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, US

Czech

The US wants to place as the leader of Turkey someone who will play the role of Zelenskyy. Their intention is to do the exact same thing they did in Ukraine so that the person would take part in the West’s fight against Russia.

There is no evidence which would suggest the United States are planning to influence Turkish presidential election, and the country is one of their NATO allies. The election is to take place on May 14 2023, with the current president Erdogan being challenged by opposition figure Kemal Kilicdaroglu and two other candidates.Volodymyr Zelenskyy was democratically elected as the president of Ukraine in April 2019 when he beat his opponent Petro Poroshenko.Pro-Kremlin outlets often use this narrative of different countries being under the American thumb or as so-called 'Western puppets', to imply that their national sovereignty is under threat and that they have limited power.

Elections, Manipulated elections/referendum, Sphere of influence

07.04.2023

Kyiv to use its dead soldiers to accuse Russia of chemical attack

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyiv-to-use-its-dead-soldiers-to-accuse-russia-of-chemical-attack

kachaf.com,arabic.rt.com,nabd.com,130.ujavora.cz,ar.russiatoday.com,ru4arab.ru

Ukraine, Russia

Arabic

The Kyiv regime intends to use the bodies of its dead soldiers to carry out a provocation in Sumy province, and to accuse the Russian army of using "chemical weapons".The bodies and remains of dead Ukrainian soldiers will be delivered from refrigerators to sites prepared to be photographed by Western and Ukrainian media as remains of Ukrainian soldiers "killed by Russian ammunition containing toxic chemicals."The site of the "attack" and the dead bodies would be treated with a toxic substance, which would allow experts from the West to confirm the "chemical trail".

Conspiracy theory and a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation claim about the alleged use of chemical weapons by Ukraine. Such claims are part of a broader pro-Kremlin information manipulation campaign supporting the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and trying to place the blame for war atrocities on Ukraine, as our recent analysis explains.There is no evidence to back the claim that Ukraine may have used or is planning to use chemical weapons under any circumstances. In fact, this is an attempt to deflect responsibility away from Russia's own actions, with Western leaders having concerns that Russia could use chemical weapons.Russia has a history of both using chemical weapons against the opponents of Putin's regime, and attempts to undermine the international norms and institutions which prohibit the use of chemical weapons.Read similar disinformation cases on the topic: US contractors help prepare chemical provocations in Ukraine; Ukraine aims to use Turkish Bayraktars for chemical attacks; Ukraine is preparing a false flag chemical attack to damage the image of Russia; Kyiv forces are about to launch a chemical attack against Russian soldiers.

false flag, Chemical weapons/attack, Conspiracy theory, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukraine, West

07.04.2023

Poland uses Ukrainian scientists to prepare biological weapon provocations

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-uses-ukrainian-scientists-to-prepare-biological-weapon-provocations

pl.sputniknews.com

Poland, Ukraine, Russia

Polish

Poland may be preparing provocations with biological weapons under the cover of a training camp, which will take place in April in Warsaw. The Ukrainian Science and Technology Center invites specialists with experience in dual-purpose research to this training. It cannot be ruled out that under the cover of this camp, provocations with biological weapons and an anti-Russian information campaign will take place. The participants will be invited to continue their work on closed projects in Ukraine and abroad.

This repeated pro-Kremlin narrative promotes the message about Western/Ukrainian attempts to carry out biological and nuclear provocations against Russia.The claim that a training camp for Ukrainian scientists in Warsaw has a connection to biological weapons is not backed up with any evidence. This message appeared in connection to the old narrative about US biolabs. The ultimate goal of this disinformation story is to promote a years-long baseless narrative about US bio-laboratories for military purposes, falsely portraying US-funded research facilities in Ukraine and other countries as military sites, as pro-Kremlin disinformation deliberately blurred the line between biological weapons and biological research.This disinformation campaign has been repeatedly debunked, including by the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu, but pro-Kremlin outlets and Russian authorities continue promoting it with growing intensity since 2022 to justify Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Russia presented evidence of US biolabs in Ukraine at the convention on biological weapons, that new evidence of US military-biological activity emerged in Ukraine, that disease outbreaks in Ukraine are linked to the activity of US biolabs, that Zelenskyy ordered the destruction of evidence regarding the development of biological weapons, or that bio-experiments in US labs turned Ukrainian soldiers into ‘most cruel monsters’.

Provocation, Anti-Russian, Biological weapons

06.04.2023

Poland plans to swallow Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-plans-to-swallow-ukraine

nabd.com,msdernet.xyz,arabic.rt.com,VK.com Resource 2,sahafaty.com

Poland, Ukraine

Arabic, Russian

The negotiations between Ukraine and Poland about the creation of a front to support Ukraine, reported by Polish media, could only be a cover for a secret discussion on the unification of Poland and Ukraine into a confederate state [...] Steps towards that have been taken for a long time. In Ukraine, Poles have already have equal legal status with Ukrainians. Ukraine is being merged with or rather swallowed up by Poland.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative presenting Poland as having imperial ambitions and claims to Ukrainian territories. This is part of a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative denying the statehood of Ukraine, while also anticipating its imminent disintegration.No evidence is given about the alleged attempts to unify Poland and Ukraine. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.It is Russia that started an unprovoked war in Europe, capturing more and more territories of a neighbouring country and has created a serious danger to European security.Poland was the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence, in 1991. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine's territorial integrity.Poland is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland; it is allowing millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war access to the labour market and to health and social benefits. Moreover Poland is also actively supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.

Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration

06.04.2023

HRVP Borrell: Russia and China are bankrupting Europe

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/hrvp-borrell-russia-and-china-are-bankrupting-europe

fr.news-front.info,News Front - German,news-front.info

EU, UK, Russia, China

French, German, Russian

Russia and China are bankrupting the EU without doing anything about it. This controversial and at the same time desperate statement was made by the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell in an interview with the British Internet portal Novara Media.The head of European diplomacy recognised that European economies were built on cheap commodities from China and inexpensive Russian fuel. Now the European Union has neither of these things. But there is serious economic damage from cooperation with Washington.After the breakdown of partnerships with Russia and China, European industries cannot sustain themselves with resources and energy. They have to move to the US en masse to avoid going bankrupt.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, falsely attributing statements to EU High Representative (HRVP) Borrell and claiming Europe is going bankrupt because the sanctions jeopardized cooperation with Russia and China. Pro-Kremlin outlets have a track record of misrepresenting words or statements by EU top officials, esp. HRVP Josep Borrell. (Examples here) HRVP Josep Borrell did not give an interview to the alternative news portal Novara media. News Front refers, in fact, to an op-ed published last October and entitled: Europe Is About to Get Very Poor, Very Quickly by Aaron Bastani, founder of Novara media. He develops his own views after listening to the opening statement of the EU Ambassadors Conference on 10.10.2022.High Representative Josep Borrell started his speech with the harsh reality of the new situation of international trade and energy supply to explain why he demands a lot from ambassadors. This is a motivation speech: “This is a battle that we are not winning because we are not fighting enough” or “Our fight is to try to explain that democracy, freedom, political freedom is not something that can be exchanged by economic prosperity or social cohesion. Both things have to go together. Otherwise, our model will perish, will not be able to survive in this world. “The picture selected by News Front suggests that Europe gave up the global competition is resigned to bankruptcy, while it is the opposite. Recognizing difficult challenges means that Europe intends at taking them up, not giving up the competition.Check our analysis on the Key Kremlin narrative of the “The Imminent Collapse”.Read also related stories: Sanctions cost Europe more than they cost Russia, Coronavirus: Western leaders sold their people for profit,

Josep Borrell, European values, Europe, Energy, Trade, Sanctions, Economic difficulties, economy

05.04.2023

Finland as a NATO member will turn into an anti-Russian springboard

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/finland-as-a-nato-member-will-turn-into-an-anti-russian-springboard

ru.armeniasputnik.am,ru.armeniasputnik.am,lv.sputniknews.ru

Finland, Russia

Russian

As a new member of the North Atlantic Alliance, Finland is doomed to repeat the destructive experience of the Baltic countries and Poland. It will inevitably turn into an anti-Russian springboard for the deployment of foreign troops, and will lose good neighbourliness with the Russian Federation, which for 78 years has been the basis of national security.

This is a recurring disinformation narrative in pro-Kremlin disinformation ecosystem about Finland’s membership in NATO. Additionally, this disinformation narrative attempts to paint NATO as an aggressive, anti-Russian alliance.Finland has traditionally maintained a steady position of good neighbourly relations with Russia. However, Finland recognised that the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 fundamentally changed its security environment. The Finnish government provided official arguments for NATO membership:NATO membership will strengthen stability and security in Finland and throughout the Baltic Sea region and Northern Europe. Finland’s strong defence capabilities and resilience to crises will also strengthen NATO and the collective defence of the Alliance.On 18 May 2022, Finland and Sweden simultaneously handed in their official letters of application to join NATO, a momentous step for the two historically militarily non-aligned countries.Russia's unprovoked attack led to a massive shift on public opinion towards the Atlantic Alliance in Finland: while prior to the invasion only 24 percent of Finns expressed support for joining NATO, this figure jumped to 74 percent shortly afterwards, and to 85 percent at the moment of its actual entrance. A similar trend took place in Sweden for the same reasons.The leaders of both countries have made it clear that the decision to apply for membership is a direct consequence of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.Finland officially became the 31st member of NATO on April 4, 2023.See related disinformation claims, alleging that Sweden and Finland are being dragged into NATO and forced to wage a war against Russia, Finns, Swedes unlikely to support NATO membership because well-being will decline, Most Finns are against NATO membership; neutrality is key to security.

NATO, EU/NATO enlargement, Anti-Russian, Encircling Russia, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine

05.04.2023

Almost all European countries are subordinate to Washington's interests

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/almost-all-european-countries-are-subordinate-to-washingtons-interests

ru.armeniasputnik.am

EU, Europe, US, Russia

Russian

Almost all European countries today are subordinate to the interests of Washington, doomed to complicity in a proxy war with Russia and economic degradation. The national armies have been assigned the role of disenfranchised puppets of the Pentagon. The reckless expansion of an aggressive military bloc to the east is a strategic and tragic mistake by the West, which will take a long time to manoeuvre and for which it will pay dearly.

A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the alleged lost sovereignty of the EU and its member states (more examples). Pro-Kremlin outlets often portray European states as vassals, puppet states or colonies of the US and NATO. The article also contains a recurring disinformation narrative portraying NATO as an aggressive organisation, aiming to encircle Russia.Contrary to the claim, the European Union is a sovereign entity created by the voluntary initiative of European nations.EU Member States are sovereign countries and make sovereign decisions about their own internal, economic, foreign and security policies. The European Union is explicit on the subject of national sovereignty: “the Member States all remain sovereign and independent states, they have decided to pool some of their 'sovereignty' in areas where it makes sense to work together.” The US is an important ally to the EU but EU policy is not determined by the US.Read similar disinformation cases claiming that EU and NATO member states are subordinate to the US, while the US has long regarded the EU as a kind of protectorate, that lined up with the US, the EU never took independent decisions, that Europe is a colony of the United States, that When the US orders, the EU complies.

West, European Union, US presence in Europe, Puppets, Sovereignty, NATO, EU/NATO enlargement

05.04.2023

US support for the coup d'état in Kyiv ultimately led to the current Ukrainian crisis

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/us-support-for-the-coup-detat-in-kyiv-ultimately-led-to-the-current-ukrainian-crisis

news.am,news.am

Russia, US, Ukraine

Armenian

The use by the United States in its foreign policy of such tools as a support for colour revolutions, in connection with this, support for the coup d'état in Kyiv in 2014, ultimately led to the current Ukrainian crisis. And additionally made a negative contribution to the degradation of Russian-American relations.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the 2013-14 protests in Kyiv portrayed as a coup d'état led by US, a recurring narrative about the war in Ukraine, trying to deflect Russia’s responsibility for its unprovoked military aggression.Framing all popular protests against Russia’s interests as a foreign-led ‘colour revolution’ is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative. No evidence is provided to back up the claims.There was no coup d’état in Ukraine in 2014, and no US involvement in the events taking place. Pro-Kremlin outlets falsely portray the Euromaidan revolution as a coup d’état, the popular demonstrations that began in Kyiv in November of 2013 and brought hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to the streets to protest against a political decision of Viktor Yanukovych’s government, which at the last minute withdrew from a long-negotiated political association and free trade pact with the EU, choosing instead to accept a $15 billion economic bailout to Russia.Pro-Kremlin media frequently falsely portray popular protests around the world as instigated from abroad, often by the US and the West. The disinformation narrative has been applied, among others, to reports about protests in Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Belarus, Venezuela, Slovakia, Hong Kong, with the aim of portraying protest movements as aggressive actors who constantly prepare new coups.See other similar cases claiming that The West’s main activity in the post-Soviet states is organizing revolutions, that Protests in Kazakhstan are a new Western attempt to organise a colour revolution, that The West will finance the Belarusian opposition abroad for a coup d'état, that the protests in Georgia were organised by the US, and that CIA and MI6 changed power in Armenia in order to oust Russia from the region.

Colour revolutions, Coup, Euromaidan, Vladimir Putin, US presence in Europe, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Diplomacy with Russia

05.04.2023

Finland is trying to start a world war by joining NATO

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/finland-is-trying-to-start-a-world-war-by-joining-nato

lantidiplomatico.it

Finland, Russia, Sweden

Italian

NATO will be able to use Finland's territory to continue its operation of encirclement aggression against Russia. Finland is guilty above all because its accession to NATO comes during an unprecedented confrontation between the Atlantic alliance and Russia. Finland is trying to start a world war and must be stopped.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO portraying it as a belligerent organisation and about encircled Russia. Finland is portrayed as preparing armed agression against Russia. The claim about NATO “expansion” misrepresents the process of NATO enlargement. NATO does not “expand” but considers the applications of candidate countries that want to join. NATO is a defensive alliance with primary aims to maintain peace and safeguard the independence, security and territorial integrity of its members. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. NATO's official policy is that “the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia”.Finland has always been striving for good-neighbourly relations with Russia. Helsinki's decision to enter NATO is a justified attempt to protect itself as Moscow is waging its war of aggression against Ukraine.Furthermore, the chief aim of NATO membership is not to wage war on Russia, but to avoid it, with Finnish PM Sanna Marin calling Helsinki’s move “an act of peace” designed to ensure that “there would never again be a war in Finland.”Finland cooperated extensively with the Alliance for several decades, but the country did not aspire to NATO membership. Finland’s partnership with NATO was historically based on its policy of military non-alignment and a firm national political consensus, which NATO has fully respected.Finland’s stance changed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the biggest security crisis in Europe since the Second World War. After a thorough democratic process, Finland (alongside Sweden) submitted on 18 May 2022 its official letter of application to become a NATO Ally. On 4 July 2022, following NATO’s Madrid Summit, Allied Leaders completed accession talks, signing Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden the following day.Following the signature of the Accession Protocols, each country had ‘Invitee’ status, allowing their representatives to participate as observers in Allied meetings.Over the following months, Finland’s Accession Protocol was ratified in the capitals of each of the then 30 Allies. Subsequently, Finland acceded to the Washington Treaty (or the North Atlantic Treaty) when the country (represented by the Finnish Foreign Minister) deposited its Instrument of Accession with the United States government (represented by the US Secretary of State) at NATO Headquarters, making Finland a full member of the Alliance on 4 April 2023.Read similar cases claiming that Sweden and Finland are being dragged into NATO and forced to wage a war against Russia, that Sweden, Finland join NATO which wants to destroy Russia; it can lead to their destruction and that NATO membership is a big mistake for Finland, Sweden; Alliance is collapsing

NATO, EU/NATO enlargement, Encircling Russia, War in Ukraine

04.04.2023

US nuclear bomb reportedly damaged in Europe - Photo

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/us-nuclear-bomb-reportedly-damaged-in-europe-photo

Sputnik on Twitter,Ukraina.ru,fr.sputniknews.africa

US, Europe, The Netherlands

French, Russian

A US nuclear bomb was reportedly damaged at an air base in the Netherlands, evidenced by a photo published in the Los Alamos National Laboratory student handbook in 2022.A photo in a 2022 Los Alamos laboratory student manual shows four people inspecting what may be a damaged B-61 nuclear bomb. If the image does indeed depict a damaged nuclear weapon, it will be the first publicly known case of a recent accident involving a nuclear weapon that allegedly occurred at a base in Europe.

Manipulation with fear-mongering about alleged US nuclear accident in Europe.The entire Sputnik article aims to manipulate the reader into thinking a nuclear accident took place on EU territory. The title of this Sputnik article points to a picture as the main information of the article. The picture at the top of the article shows a nuclear explosion with no link to the alleged accident. The central part of the article displays a Twitter post showing an illustration of a military manual with dummy equipment for demonstration. The post accompanying the picture speculates that this equipment could have been damaged and real and located in Europe, possibly in the Netherlands and if all those hypothesis were real, this would mean that a non-reported accident involving a nuclear bomb happened in Europe.The Pentagon denied these speculations: "The Pentagon has said that a picture that featured in a report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) on Monday about apparent damage to a US nuclear bomb at a Dutch airbase was a dummy weapon used for training emergency response teams."Read also related cases on nuclear issues: Containers with radioactive substances were delivered from Europe to Ukraine for a provocation to accuse Russia , Western leaders' nuclear rhetoric is becoming increasingly ferocious , The US can contaminate the whole Ukraine with radiation from dirty bomb to harm Russia.

Military, NATO, Nuclear issues, fake news

04.04.2023

Western assistance to Ukraine will destroy it in an anti-Russian proxy war

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/western-assistance-to-ukraine-will-destroy-it-in-an-anti-russian-proxy-war

sputnik.by,uz.sputniknews.ru

Ukraine, Russia, US

Russian

The high stakes for the West in the fight against Russia will mean significant numbers of victims, so Ukraine’s fate is determined. Even the most Russophobic European countries are realising that Russia will win in the proxy war with the West. The Kremlin will not tolerate the existence of an anti-Russian country by its borders. NATO countries are doomed to economic and political degradation while Ukraine will go extinct due to western military assistance to the Kyiv regime, which is the US anti-Russian project in Europe.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative equating Ukraine to a US puppet state and accusing the West of allegedly belligerent and hostile anti-Russian agenda. The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Ukraine lost its independence and is under external control, that the West has made Ukraine its colony and is using Ukrainians as cannon fodder, that the West is destroying Ukrainian statehood and its military forces, that Western lobby demanded Zelenskyy to raise the stakes of the crisis, or that Zelenskyy's visit to Washington shows that Ukraine will be a neo-colony of the US.

War in Ukraine, Anti-Russian, Russophobia, Ukrainian statehood

04.04.2023

Poland is waiting for a good moment to occupy Western Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-is-waiting-for-a-good-moment-to-occupy-western-ukraine

pl.sputniknews.com

Poland, Ukraine

Polish

Poland does not want peace in Ukraine because it is waiting for a good moment to occupy its Western lands, after the collapse of Ukrainian statehood as a result of a military defeat. Taking control over the western territories of modern Ukraine, the so-called Eastern Borderlands, is a dream of Polish nationalists. This goal is becoming a part of the Polish national ideology. Therefore, the Polish authorities can no longer give up this idea. That is why the Polish authorities oppose a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, providing constant assistance to the Kyiv regime.

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative challenging Ukraine’s statehood and presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. Apart from smearing Poland, the aim is also to deflect attention away from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.This disinformation message has adopted several different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland either wants to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine or annex these territories or that it is President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land due to his “Polish origin”.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belongs to it, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, that Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia or that Poland plans to establish control over its historical lands in Ukraine.

Imperialism/colonialism, War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration

04.04.2023

Germany is America's vassal

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/germany-is-americas-vassal

oroszhirek.hu

Germany, US, Russia, Ukraine

Hungarian

The US administration wants no allies, only loyal vassals. Washington is using its bases on German soil to wage wars abroad and launch deadly drone strikes. Berlin has also allowed the US to put German-made Leopard tanks on the frontline by supplying them to Ukraine.

A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the alleged lost sovereignty of the EU and its member states (more examples). Pro-Kremlin outlets often portray European states as vassals, puppet states or colonies of the US and NATO.A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation claim about German-American relations. Germany and the US have close partner relations of two sovereign and independent countries.Germany made a political discussion to supply of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. The German authorities announced that they would not block the supply of these tanks to Ukraine by other NATO countries (such as Poland). Furthermore, on January 25th Olaf Scholz, Germany’s chancellor announced plans to send 14 of his country’s stock of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.Read similar disinformation cases claiming that EU and NATO member states are subordinate to the US, while the US has long regarded the EU as a kind of protectorate, that lined up with the US, the EU never took independent decisions, that Europe is a colony of the United States, that When the US orders, the EU complies.

Invasion of Ukraine, US presence in Europe, Puppets, Sovereignty

04.04.2023

NATO intervention in Serbia proved that depleted uranium shells are comparable to a dirty bomb

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nato-intervention-in-serbia-proved-that-depleted-uranium-shells-are-comparable-to-a-dirty-bomb

kp.ru

Ukraine, Serbia, UK

Russian

The West carries out the genocide of the Ukrainian people: English uranium shells for Kyiv risk provoking a second Chernobyl.NATO prefers depleted uranium shells. This is highly radioactive uranium. Enriched uranium is used to make the atomic bomb. This uranium cannot be used to produce nuclear weapons.NATO dropped 15 tons of such ammunition on Yugoslavia. And there, the indicators of pediatric oncology 20 years later doubled the European level.

Part of Kremlin’s disinformation campaign against the supply of depleted uranium to Ukraine. Russia uses this alleged high environmental risk to sabre-rattle with its nuclear arsenal.The depleted uranium shells UK MoD is sending to Ukraine are not prohibited by any international agreement.The EU assessment by the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks describes the risks as follow:DU munitions which hit the ground bury themselves in the soil, where the uranium oxidises and dissolves over years or decades. Over time, the uranium is removed from near the impact site. Total amounts are not high enough to add significantly to the natural uranium background.Surveys of DU residues from combat zones show generally low concentrations of the metal, within the range of naturally occurring uranium, though there may also be a small number of "hot spots”.Urine samples from serving soldiers and from civilians living in areas where DU ammunition has been used, typically indicate very low levels of DU exposure.In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.The false narrative about Serbians suffering from cancer because of NATO's use of depleted uranium shells in 1999 became recurrent on the background of the Russia's invasion of Ukraine, since Russia blames the West which "forced" Russia to invade. See also: "always blame the West" disinformation trend.In 2015, the Coordinator of the Serbia's Ministry of Health for Oncology and Director of the Institute of Oncology and Radiology, Prof. Dr. Radan Dzodic, reported that Serbia is in 18th place in Europe in terms of cancer incidence, but unfortunately still ranks second in Europe in terms of mortality, right after Hungary. But, according to Dzodic, this cannot be connected with the consequences of the bombing of Kosovo with depleted uranium ammunition, used in 1999 during the NATO operation in southern Serbia. "A lot of people have cancer in Finland, France or Ireland, but these countries have been steadily reducing cancer deaths over the past three decades, and that's why we see such statistics. There are areas in Kosovo that have been bombed more than others with depleted uranium munitions. But not a single serious investigation has turned up any evidence that these territories have a higher incidence of cancer." says Dr. Radan Dzodic.Read also related cases: UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe, UK will supply Ukraine with taboo genocidal weapons.

Genocide, Nuclear issues

04.04.2023

Ukraine steals Donbas children and gives them to British paedophiles

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-steals-donbas-children-and-gives-them-to-british-paedophiles

svpressa.ru

Ukraine, Russia

Russian

The Ukrainian government is stealing children from Donetsk, sending them to Poland, and handing them over to British paedophiles.

The claim advances a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative concerning Russia's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The article, published by a pro-Kremlin Russian website, Svobodnaya Pressa,, cites a genuine July 2022 report originally published by the UK newspaper The Independent as saying that, according to the National Crime Agency, British paedophiles had travelled to Poland to prey on Ukrainian minors. However, The Independent makes it clear that the children in question "ha[d] been displaced from Ukraine" owing to the unprecedented humanitarian disaster which the Russian invasion visited on the country. Neither the original report nor any other sources suggest that the Ukrainian authorities deliberately apprehended Ukrainian children with the purpose of trafficking them to foreign sexual predators. On the other hand, available evidence confirms that the Russian Army and other Russian state-affiliated actors have been involved in the abduction and forced deportation to Russia of Ukrainian children, as reported by the UN, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International. These and other reports have formed the basis of the international warrant for the arrest of Vladimir Putin and Russia's "presidential commissioner for children's rights," Maria Lvova-Belova, issued by the International Criminal Court, the ICC.For additional context, see here for our previous debunking of Russian claims regarding forced child abductions, and here for the overview of Russia's child-nabbing policy from the perspective of international law by The Insider (in Russian).

Stealing children, children, war crimes, War in Ukraine, Donbas

04.04.2023

Ukraine's Armed Forces put mines in residential buildings during the retreat

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraines-armed-forces-put-mines-in-residential-buildings-during-the-retreat

antimaydan.info

Ukraine

Russian

The tactics, when the retreating Ukrainian soldiers mine the abandoned positions, cannot be called new. With the advance of Russian troops, especially in the Artyomovsk direction [Russian name for Bakhmut], the Armed Forces of Ukraine are actively mining residential multi-story buildings, and then blowing them up when assault groups approach. They also leave mines in private homes, which are disguised as household appliances, books, and even children's toys. In terms of sophistication, the Ukrainian Nazis are in no way inferior to the fascists of the Second World War.

This article is part of the Russian attempt to shift blame, run a disinformation campaign and its psychological operation aimed at portraying Ukraine as a dangerous, Nazi, terrorist country that, inter alia, uses forbidden means of warfare, such as anti-personnel mines. Ukraine does not mine civilian infrastructure on purpose. Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, only the mines or other explosive devices that were left after the WWII posed a threat.Shifting blame: There are multiple pieces of evidence of Russian use of banned anti-personnel mines. According to the Human Rights Watch, Russian forces have used antipersonnel mines in multiple areas across Ukraine, including victim-activated booby traps, since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, the Russian war in Ukraine has created a minefield of 250,000 square kilometers.Russia has not yet signed the international treaties that ban the use of the antipersonnel mines. Ukraine, on the contrary, is a state party to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty (Anti-Personnel Land Mines Convention), which prohibits any use of antipersonnel mines, and the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, which prohibits the use of land mines, booby traps, incendiary devices, etc. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine state that Ukraine strictly adheres to its international commitments, including the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. In an event of the alleged use of such mines by the military, a thorough investigation will be conducted. They also mentioned that after the signing of the above mentioned treaty, in the previous years Ukraine has demolished 3 million POM-2 highly dangerous mines. See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Russia fights against Ukrainian neo-Nazis guilty of ethnic cleansing, that Nazi Ukrainian soldiers put lard on the Koran, spoke Ukrainian and burned it that the Kyiv regime is doomed, it resembles Nazi Germany in spring 1945, that Ukraine is a totalitarian regime, a mix of Stalin, Hitler, and Mussolini, that Nazi Ukraine regime wants to use children and elderly as cannon fodder.

War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, war crimes, Nazi/Fascist

04.04.2023

The EU provides weapons and mercenaries to Kyiv

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-eu-provides-weapons-and-mercenaries-to-kyiv

rtarab.com,arabic.rt.com

Ukraine, EU, Russia

Arabic

The EU supplies the criminal Kyiv regime with weapons and ammunition, and sends trainers and mercenaries to Ukraine. It is for these reasons that Russia views the EU as an unfriendly entity.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing the EU of warmongering and claiming that foreigners fighting for Ukraine are mercenaries. These claims were neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.The EU has never provided fighters for the war in Ukraine. Ukraine did call on experienced foreign nationals to join its foreign legion, whose members are regular soldiers of the Ukrainian army and not mercenaries. As pointed out by experts, the nationality of the soldier is not an issue. It is not an unusual practice since other countries also offer foreigners the opportunity to join the foreign legion without being mercenaries, as in the case of the French Légion étrangère.The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Some EU and NATO member states provide Ukraine with military assistance to help Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s attack, but they are not involved in direct fighting.Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Western instructors train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use modern weaponry and EU officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but there are no EU troops fighting on the front. This support allows the Ukrainian armed forces to continue defending the country against Russian aggression. There is no current plan or public debate about a possible peacekeeping mission to Ukraine.See similar cases that foreigners who join the Ukrainian army are criminals; that foreign mercenaries in Ukraine are fighting on the wrong side; that significant numbers of foreign mercenaries are fighting on Ukraine's side; and that Russia is at war not so much with Ukraine, but with the collective West and its mercenaries.

mercenaries, Foreign mercenaries, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, European Union

04.04.2023

The EU wants to send peacekeepers to Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-eu-wants-to-send-peacekeepers-to-ukraine

oroszhirek.hu

Russia, Ukraine, EU

Hungarian

Instead of using diplomatic means to try to bring peace to Ukraine, the European Union is providing Kyiv with more lethal weapons and fueling hostilities that are only getting bloodier and more brutal. The EU would not only send weapons but also peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative presenting the EU as a warmongering party to the war in Ukraine. A new element is that the EU allegedly wants to deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Some EU and NATO member states provide Ukraine with military assistance to help Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s attack, but they are not involved in direct fighting. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Western instructors train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use modern weaponry and EU officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but there are no EU troops fighting on the front. This support allows the Ukrainian armed forces to continue defending the country against the Russian aggression. There is no current plan or public debate about a possible peacekeeping mission to Ukraine.Read more about the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.

Warmongering, Invasion of Ukraine, European Union

03.04.2023

Russia’s nuclear deployment to Belarus is a response to NATO expansionism

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russias-nuclear-deployment-to-belarus-is-a-response-to-nato-expansionism

sputniknews.lat

Russia, Belarus, US, UK, EU, Canada

Spanish

Russia’s deployment of nuclear armament to Belarus can be seen as Moscow’s response to NATO’s expansionism of the last 30 years towards the borders of the Eurasian country.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO and encircled Russia. Framing the attempts to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus as a “response to NATO expansionism” is a prefabricated argument to justify Russia’s nuclear warmongering, part of a wider disinformation campaign aiming at coercing Western nations to cease aid to Ukraine for its self-defence against Russian aggression. Although Vladimir Putin stated on 25 March 2023 that Russia will station nuclear weapons on Belarusian facilities whose construction will be ready by 1 July -an allegation repeated afterwards by other Russian and Belarusian officials-, experts are very sceptic about the feasibility of this move, as there is no indication of any step taken in this regard.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that NATO destroyed trust in the new START treaty, that Western leaders’ nuclear rhetoric is becoming increasingly ferocious, that Ukraine asked NATO for preemptive nuclear strikes against Russia, or that Russia doesn’t threaten anyone with nuclear weapons.

NATO, EU/NATO enlargement, Nuclear issues, Union State of Belarus and Russia

03.04.2023

Kyiv is providing people for slaughter in return for weapons from the West

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyiv-is-providing-people-for-slaughter-in-return-for-weapons-from-the-west

nabd.com,arabic.rt.com,kachaf.com

Ukraine

Arabic

Zelensky has an unspoken agreement with the West: Kyiv provides an unlimited number of people for slaughter, and in return, the West provides the necessary amount of weapons to continue hostilities. Once one party breaks the rules, the other party can protest. That is why there is such frantic mobilisation in Ukraine.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which employs the Kremlin claim about lost sovereignty in Ukraine. The claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.Ukraine is acting in self defence against the Russian invasion as enshrined in the UN Charter Article 51. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated only as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.See similar cases that Ukrainian soldiers realise they die for US and NATO interests; that Zelenskyy sends his soldiers to be slaughtered for Western money; that Russia is at war with NATO and the Pentagon and only the soldiers are Ukrainians; that NATO is at war with Russia with the hands of Ukrainians; and that the West is using Ukrainians to fight Russia in Ukraine.

Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, West, Military

03.04.2023

Kyiv regime carries out a US-mandated anti-Orthodox policy

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyiv-regime-carries-out-a-us-mandated-anti-orthodox-policy

lantidiplomatico.it

Russia, US, Ukraine

Italian

The Kyiv regime has turned its religious policy into a tool to promote neo-Nazi practices. Ukrainian President Zelensky, appointed by Washington, carries out an anti-Orthodox policy at the behest of the Americans to attack Russia.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives stating that the West and the US support an allegedly Nazi regime in Kyiv and portraying Ukraine as an enemy of the Orthodox Church. With the first narrative, the Kremlin aims to de-legitimise Western support for Ukraine.There is no religious persecution in Ukraine. Freedom of religion is enshrined in its constitution. In late 2022, the Ukrainian government announced a law banning churches affiliated with Russia for their anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russia activities. Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies had conducted a series of investigations related to parishes which Kyiv had suspected of taking orders from Moscow. This move was mostly aimed at stopping the activities of the so-called Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate [UOC-MP] in Ukraine. This religious organisation is considered a key influence tool for Moscow in the country. Its leadership voiced its full support for Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, including siding closely with Putin, blessing soldiers and Russian guns and offering the church's support.The Ukrainian government does not plan to ban Orthodoxy. The UOC-MP’s parishes are free to switch to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine which received the Tomos of Autocephaly in January 2019.Also Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament.The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.The accusation of Nazism is one of the favourite techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets. Read our article Twelve-myths-about-Russia's war in Ukraine exposed.Read similar cases claiming that UN publishes a report on Kyiv’s discrimination against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, that Zelenskyy is the Nazi supreme in Kyiv, that the Kyiv regime is destroying the canonical Orthodox church, and that Zelenskyy's anti-Orthodox church policy is guided by the US.

Volodymyr Zelensky, War in Ukraine, Orthodox Church, Invasion of Ukraine, Nazi/Fascist

03.04.2023

Zelenskyy's anti-Orthodox church policy is guided by the US

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyys-anti-orthodox-church-policy-is-guided-by-the-us

tass.com

Ukraine, Russia, US

English

The Zelenskyy regime is not acting alone in his anti-church policy. The split of the Orthodox Christian Church is a blow to religious life in Ukraine. This goal was declared in Washington a while ago.

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Ukraine as an enemy of the Orthodox Church.There is no religious persecution in Ukraine. Freedom of religion is enshrined in its constitution. In late 2022, the Ukrainian government announced a law banning churches affiliated with Russia for their anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russia activities. Ukraine’s law enforcement agencies had conducted a series of investigations related to parishes which Kyiv had suspected of taking orders from Moscow. This move was mostly aimed at stopping the activities of the so-called Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate [UOC-MP] in Ukraine. This religious organisation is considered a key influence tool for Moscow in the country. Its leadership voiced its full support for Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, including siding closely with Putin, blessing soldiers and Russian guns and offering the church's support.The Ukrainian government does not plan to ban Orthodoxy. The UOC-MP’s parishes are free to switch to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine which received the Tomos of Autocephaly in January 2019.Read similar cases claiming that UN publishes a report on Kyiv’s discrimination against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, that Borrell's remarks on Russian patriarch give Kyiv 'sanction' to persecute canonical church and that the Kyiv regime is destroying the canonical Orthodox church.

War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Orthodox Church

03.04.2023

Belarus’s survival from Western aggression depends on the stationing of nuclear weapons

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/belaruss-survival-from-western-aggression-depends-on-the-stationing-of-nuclear-weapons

sputnik.by

Belarus, Russia, Poland, UK

Russian

The infamous Budapest memorandum was an Anglo-Saxon bluff. The global Britain’s interest lies in Russia’s disintegration and Europe’s weakening. Thanks to Russia’s successful use of existing controversies among Euro-Atlantic countries, Belarus will receive tactical nuclear weapons. [...] for Russia and its allies the nuclear arms are a matter of their survival and containment of the collective West.

The article gives a false pretext for stationing Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus in the context of nuclear fearmongering. The ‘aggressive West / Anglo-Saxons’ disinformation claim is frequently promoted by pro-Kremlin outlets – its is part of the recurring disinformation narrative accusing the West of anti-Russian policies, aggressive Russophobia and allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda to destroy, ruin Russia, aiming to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions.The term “Anglo-Saxons” in such cases normally stands for the US and UK and often means “evil”, “belligerent” and “morally corrupt” Westerners, as explained in our earlier analysis. As a negative catch-all term, the “Anglo-Saxons” term is a useful building block for pro-Kremlin conspiracy theories. You can find plenty of examples in our database.Reacting to the deployment of a nuclear weapon in Belarus announced by Russia, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter: “Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions”.See earlier cases alleging that West’s hybrid war against Russia forced it to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, that nuclear weapons in Belarus are justified because of territorial claims of Poland and the Baltic states, and that Anglo-Saxons want to crush and destroy the Russian ethnic group.

Nuclear issues, Anglo-Saxon, Anti-Russian

03.04.2023

The West supports lies about the killing of civilians in Bucha

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-supports-lies-about-the-killing-of-civilians-in-bucha

Laivaslaikrastis.lt

Russia, Ukraine, Europe

Lithuanian

The West supports lies about Russia. The biggest lie is about the killing of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha by Russian soldiers. The civilians were killed by Ukrainian security forces. Russians were good for civilian Ukrainians in Bucha, providing them with humanitarian aid.

Recurrent denial of war crimes committed by Russian forces during their full-scale military invasion of Ukraine.In December 2022 an investigation based on videos and telephone metadata of civilian devices stolen by Russian soldiers established the responsibility of a Russian regiment — and its commander — for the events in Bucha. The New York Times has identified 36 of the victims along Yablunska Street. A Russian military unit killed dozens in Bucha, a Times investigation shows. But an eight-month visual investigation by The New York Times concluded that the perpetrators of the massacre along Yablunska Street were Russian paratroopers from the 234th Air Assault Regiment led by Lt. Col. Artyom Gorodilov.Evidence includes photos and videos by Bucha survivors, CCTV footage, satellite footage, and details of calls to Russia made by perpetrators from the phones of murdered victims.The EU stands in full solidarity with Ukraine as formulated in this statement by Commission President von der Leyen during which she talks about how Russia must be held accountable for the horrific crimes in Bucha and elsewhere.Following the atrocities in Bucha, in Ukraine, President von der Leyen tasked Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, to follow-up and support the coordination of the EU efforts to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine. A Joint Investigation Team has been set up with the support of Eurojust to collect evidence and investigate core international crimes committed in Ukraine. The Joint Investigation Team consists of the International Criminal Court, Ukraine, and Lithuania, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Romania.One year after the Bucha tragedy was thrust into the spotlight, Kremlin still denied its responsibility. For more information see our publication: The Bucha massacre: mapping a year of Kremlin denial.

War in Ukraine, war crimes, West, Information war

03.04.2023

UN refusal to investigate Nord Stream sabotage opens the door to a global ‘law of the jungle’

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/un-refusal-to-investigate-nord-stream-sabotage-opens-the-door-to-a-global-law-of-the-jungle

sputniknews.lat

Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, China, EU, US, Norway

Spanish

Some UN Security Council members decided that there won’t be an international investigation for the explosions of the Nord Stream pipelines carried out by the US with the complicity of Norway. The UN opens the door to the law of the jungle on a global level. This way, several UN country members are taking the world to absolute chaos where the strongest imposes itself over the others.

The disinformation claim attempts to portray the United Nations as uninterested in an impartial investigation on the incident and therefore as biased against Russia, while promoting recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the Nord Stream sabotage. Accusing international institutions of an anti-Russian bias and calling for “real and impartial investigations” when these bodies probe the misdeeds of Russia or its allies, such as the downing of the MH17 flight or the use of chemical weapons in Syria and other places, is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique.Although there were no votes against Russia’s initiative at the UN Security Council calling for a UN-sponsored inquiry of the Nord Stream sabotage, the proposal failed to receive the 9 votes required for its approval. Countries such as the US explained their failure to back Russia’s proposal because they perceived the motion as “an attempt to discredit the work of ongoing national investigations and prejudice any conclusions they reach that do not comport to Russia’s predetermined and political narrative”. At the same time, the US recalled that Sweden, Denmark and Germany are all carrying out their own probes “in a comprehensive, transparent, and impartial manner”. Most of the Security Council members who abstained said they did so because national investigations should be allowed to conclude before considering whether any action at the United Nations was needed, according to Reuters.This disinformation story also repeats allegations about the US and Norway as responsible of the Nord Stream sabotage, which are not backed by any evidence. Talking about unsubstantiated allegations as if they were established facts while introducing minor variations, as in this case, is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that the West employed hybrid warfare against Russia in the UN General Assembly, that any international tribunal should be for Ukrainian Nazis, not for Russia, that OSCE is a criminal organisation that is in favour of war in Donbas, that World Anti-Doping Agency’s accusations are Russophobic provocations, or that OPCW has become a tool in the hands of hostile countries.

Nord Stream 2, UN, International Law, Anti-Russian, Russophobia

03.04.2023

Russia alone won against NATO in Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-alone-won-against-nato-in-ukraine

baltnews.com

Ukraine, Russia, US, Europe

Russian

Russia alone fought against the NATO block last year. Ukraine and its allies are losing this fight. In this situation, the US is thinking about the deployment of NATO forces in Ukraine. It is part of Washington’s plan to create a unipolar World without governments it did not like. For this purpose, the US is ready to drown Europe in blood.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the US is behind the war in Ukraine and that other actors, such as NATO or Europe, are only the puppets of Washington.The US or NATO are not a part of the war in Ukraine. Kyiv is not fighting on behalf of any foreign government or organisation. It is acting in self defence against the Russian invasion as enshrined in the UN Charter Article 51. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated only as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022. The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. There are no NATO troops on the frontline in Ukraine.NATO is a collective defence alliance whose membership is voluntary, and where decisions are adopted through consultation and consensus. Russia also has not won the war in Ukraine. The Institute for the Study of War stated that “the Russian winter [2022-2023] offensive has failed to achieve the Kremlin’s goals of seizing the Donetsk and Luhansk oblast administrative borders by March 31.”See other similar claims of disinformation: Today NATO operates as Russia’s enemy; Ukraine conflict made Europe a slave to the US; US is waging the Ukraine war, so Russia should negotiate with it.

War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Puppets, Conspiracy theory, NATO, Europe

03.04.2023

Ukrainian soldiers shot a car with a woman and a child for speaking Russian

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-soldiers-shot-a-car-with-a-woman-and-a-child-for-speaking-russian

Rossiya 1,sevastopol.su,regnum.ru,360tv.ru,Moskovskij Komsomolets,lenta.ru

Ukraine

Russian

On a the country road, Ukrainian soldiers stopped the car of a woman because she allegedly overtook a moving convoy. One of the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to scold her in a rude manner, not paying attention to the presence of a small child in the cabin. When the mother tried to reprimand him about this, the military man became furious because the woman spoke Russian to him, and shot the car, after which he left, leaving the woman and the child in hysterics.

The video capturing the alleged incident was staged. OSINT-researchers from the GeoConfirmed project managed to find the location of the shooting, using the power line pylons, which are visible in the first seconds of the video, as well as the shape of the trees and bushes that fell into the frame. They pointed the location to Makiivka, a city in the Donetsk region that borders Donetsk and has been controlled by Russian troops since 2014, 30 km from the front-line. Exact location: 47.977044, 37.953754 XXG3+RG6 Makiivka, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.The conclusion by GeoConfirmed: This is Russian disinformation and they possibly used (and scared) a child for this.The Russian Foreign Ministry's official Twitter account removed their initial post claiming "“Ukrainians live in such terror: see how the Ukrainian military scolds and shoots a mother with a child in the back seat, calling her a “pig” and a “bastard” simply because ... they speak Russian. They say no Nazis…” , points out The Insider. Several pro-Kremlin telegram channels recognized that the video was staged, Meduza has found.Russian state media have a track record of manipulating with video images and footage - see our review here: "Lighting fire to emotions with lies".

Nazi/Fascist

03.04.2023

Turkey wants to pull out of NATO

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/turkey-wants-to-pull-out-of-nato

sputniknews.lat,sputniknews.lat

Turkey

Spanish

There could be a political explosion in Turkey, as the candidate of the Homeland party promised to break the game board for the US, pull the country out of NATO and recognize Crimea and the new regions as Russian. This has raised alarm in the West.

The claim is an attempt to raise the profile of fringe politician Doğu Perinçek, a pro-Russian, Eurasianist Turkish politician, leader of the Vatan Partisi (often translated as Homeland or Patriotic Party), while at the same time promoting recurring anti-NATO narratives.Perinçek’s chances of becoming president of Turkey slim to none, as he won’t qualify to run in the upcoming election scheduled for 14 May 2023. His party was only able to gather 27.061 signatures for his presidential candidacy, well below of the 100.000 needed to present it formally to electoral authorities. Neither the Vatan Partisi nor its predecessor İşçiPartisi (Workers’ Party) have ever had any parliamentary representation, as they couldn’t overcome the required 10 percent electoral threshold (lowered to 7 percent in April 2022). Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also formally rejected the idea of any electoral alliance with the Patriotic Party.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that NATO is Washington’s territorial expansion mechanism, that the US needs NATO in order to keep the Europeans under their tight control, that NATO had a plan to attack and occupy Turkey, or that if Georgia joins NATO, its territory will be annexed by Turkey.

NATO

31.03.2023

Zelenskyy will sacrifice his people to save himself

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyy-will-sacrifice-his-people-to-save-himself

almatareed.org,nabd.com,arabic.rt.com

Ukraine, US, EU

Arabic

The resistance in Artyomovsk was given extraordinary importance, and it is directly related to the financing of Ukraine by NATO and EU countries. Zelenskyy admits that Ukraine on its own, without Western support, is worth nothing, neither as a state nor as a military power. Therefore, Zelenskyy will continue to sacrifice his people to save himself and prove to the Americans that Ukraine is good for them.

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation claim about Ukraine's lost sovereignty. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state; it is not fighting on behalf of any foreign government or organisation, neither is its president fighting a war against the will of the Ukrainian people to prove his worth to external actors. Ukraine was forced into this situation and is acting in self defence against the Russian invasion, as it is its right enshrined in the UN Charter . Multiple countries support Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.See similar claims that: Zelenskyy sends his soldiers to be slaughtered for Western money; Zelenskyy uses civilians as human shield in Kyiv; West is using Ukrainians to fight Russia in Ukraine; Nazi Zelenskyy visits European circuses.

Volodymyr Zelensky, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukraine, NATO, Ukrainian statehood

31.03.2023

The US is developing climate weapons against Russia

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-is-developing-climate-weapons-against-russia

kp.ru

US, Russia

Russian

The US is looking for climate weapons against Russia: Volcanic winter could turn into a nightmare for the planet. The US is developing ways to manage the climate to fight Russia. The White House and the US Congress have adopted a five-year plan for "climate interventions", which provides creation of climate control technologies. One of the goals is to combat "the emerging dominance of Russia in agriculture".

This is a conspiracy theory. The document referred to in it is the US' White House "Request for Input to a Five-Year Plan for Research on Climate Intervention" and there is no indication in the document that supports the conspiratorial notion that the US is 'managing the climate to fight Russia'In the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), in coordination with relevant Federal agencies, was directed by Congress to develop a five-year “scientific assessment of solar and other rapid climate interventions in the context of near-term climate risks and hazards", There is no mention of Russia nor "the goal of combating the emerging dominance of Russia in agriculture" is mentioned. This is part of a broader pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign against the West, particularly targeting the US. Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets have a track-record of trying to discredit Western climate policies.

Climate, Russophobia

31.03.2023

The myth of Holodomor was created by Russophobic Ukrainians to demonize Russia

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-myth-of-holodomor-was-created-by-russophobic-ukrainians-to-demonize-russia

Sputnik on Twitter,francais.rt.com,Ukraina.ru

France, Ukraine, Russia, USSR

French, Russian

The decision of the French National Assembly to vote on March 28 on a resolution describing the "Holodomor" as genocide is unfounded and provocative. The notion of the Holodomor is a politico-ideological creature devised by ultranationalist and Russophobic Ukrainian forces to demonise Russia and attract support from the international community.[....] at that time the great famine affected not only Ukraine, but also other agricultural regions of the USSR, including the North Caucasus, the middle and lower Volga, part considerable extent of the Central Chernozem Oblast [region], Kazakhstan, Western Siberia and the Southern Urals. Millions of Soviet citizens fell victim of it.

This is a recurring Kremlin negation of the Holodomor in Ukraine using the concept of Russophobia to dismiss it.The Holodomor was an man-made famine deliberately caused by Stalin with the aim of removing a perceived Ukrainian threat to the Soviet regime. The Soviet state took away livestock, crops and seeds from the peasants claiming they had "plundered" state property. The Soviet law on the seizure of food from peasants was adopted in 1932 and is known as the "Five Spikelet Law". Anyone who gathered several ears of wheat on the collective farm field was a culprit of "theft of state property". The punishment for theft of kolkhoz or cooperative property was the death sentence. This law was personally attributed to Joseph Stalin. The famine of 1932-1933 claimed the lives of 7 to 10 million citizens of the Soviet Union; the disaster affected in large parts but not only Ukraine but also parts of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Russia.The claim that remembering Holodomor would be Russophobia because modern Russia claims Soviet heritage is unfounded. The use of the term Russophobia is often, as showed Dr Timothy Snyder, a notion used to justify past or future crimes: "russophobia, has been exploited during this war as a form of imperial propaganda in which the aggressor claims to be the victim. It has served this last year as a justification for Russian war crimes in Ukraine.”The Holodomor is well documented and confirmed by a huge array of declassified documents, including official documents of the Soviet authorities and the Communist Party. In 2006, the Verkhovna Rada officially recognised the Holodomor of 1932-33 as a genocide of the Ukrainian people. In 2022 15 UN member states and the Vatican state recognized the Holodomor as an act of genocide in Ukraine. In 2023 several other states joined this recognition and remembrance : France joined Iceland, which recognized the Holodomor as a genocide on March 23, and Belgium, which did so on March 10. The European Parliament and PACE have recognized the Holodomor as a crime of the Soviet regime against their own people and a crime against humanity.Read also related cases : The claim Ukrainians were targeted during the 1932-33 famine is false , Holodomor famine was largely caused by the West , Holodomor was a story invented by a British spy , Russophobic historical concepts, including so-called holodomor-genocide, have brought Ukraine to a civil war , The famine of 1932-33 was not ethnically directed against Ukrainians.

Russophobia, Holodomor, Genocide, USSR, Crime, Joseph Stalin, Nazi/Fascist

31.03.2023

Romania is preparing the annexation of several parts of Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/romania-is-preparing-the-annexation-of-several-parts-of-ukraine

Katehon - English,observateurcontinental.fr,reseauinternational.net,News Front - German,fr.news-front.info,es.news-front.info,news-front.info

Romania, Ukraine

English, French, German, Spanish, Russian

Against its aid to Ukraine, Romania demands its historical lands from Kyiv. Romania reiterates the request for restitution of territories unjustly held by Ukraine, as well as citizens of Romanian origin. Romania would annex the historical territories that belonged to it, respectively – Northern Bukovina, the land of Hertsa, Budjak (Cahul, Bolgrad, Izmail), historical Maramures and Snake Island.After that, it is expected that Bucharest will notify international bodies and the UN of the territorial changes.According to experts, the probability of dividing Ukraine into several territories next year is very high. Poland and Romania will claim these Ukrainian lands which at one time in history were part of these states.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the alleged annexation of Ukrainian territories by European countries.Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) rejected in a public statement the assertion made by the Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, in the speech given on the occasion of the National Unity Day, which falsely induces the idea that Romania has territorial claims against Ukraine.The MAE also emphasised that Romania reaffirms its firm support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.The Robert Lansing Institute for Global Threats and democracies Studies analyzed this alleged territorial claims as a GRU (Russian military special services) operation. Moreover, it has been established before that one of the outlet discussing this bill without mentioning that it comes from a extreme right and minor party is linked to Russian military intelligence.This claim is also mirrored in the Kremlins historical revisionism that Poland should harbour plans to annex parts of Belarus and Ukraine. Read also related cases: Poland continues its gradual seizure of Western Ukraine , Poland has plans to annex Western Ukraine , Polish politicians confirm their plan to partition Ukraine , Poland demands Western Ukraine in exchange for supporting Ukraine , Ukraine will inevitably end up being shared among its neighbours

Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration, Ukraine, International Law, illegal annexation

31.03.2023

The West is going to invade Belarus to destroy the country

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-is-going-to-invade-belarus-to-destroy-the-country

news.am,news.am

Belarus

Armenian

The formation of certain regiments, and legions, for the subsequent coup in Belarus, is in full swing. The West is preparing to invade the territory of Belarus to destroy our country. The West makes militants out of fugitive Belarusians [...]. At the same time, terrorists are thrown into the territory of Belarus to carry out sabotage and acts of intimidation, they are trying to create cells for coordinating protest actions, and they are transferring money and weapons.

This message is a part of a widespread disinformation narrative about the aggressive West vis-a-vis Belarus. There is no evidence of an impending attack on Belarus. The West is not interested in an escalation of the ongoing war in Ukraine. No neighbouring countries are preparing to attack Belarus. Poland and the Baltic States adhere to international law regarding state borders and have no territorial claims upon Belarus or others.With the ongoing Russian aggressive war against Ukraine, European countries are forced to strengthen their borders, increase the defense capability of their armies, in order to resist any external aggression.Belarus itself is an accomplice in aggression in this war. Belarus has served as a staging post for Russian troops, missiles and aircraft, both before and after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.On 2 March 2022, the Council of the EU imposed further sanctions on Belarus for its role in the Russian military aggression on Ukraine. The UK and the U.S. Treasury have also imposed similar measures.See other cases in our database: The West wants to draw Belarus into the war; The EU might start a war against Belarus and Transnistria; Poland and Lithuania keep provoking Belarus by closing border crossing points.

West, War preparation, Warmongering, Alexander Lukashenko, Coup

31.03.2023

Evacuation of children from Ukraine is in compliance with humanitarian law

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/evacuation-of-children-from-ukraine-is-in-compliance-with-humanitarian-law

tass.com

Ukraine, Russia, EU

English

The evacuation of children from the combat zone in Ukraine proceeds in full compliance with international humanitarian law and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Western leaders’ use of the term ‘adoption’ in this context is deliberately misleading. Russia is only providing temporary preliminary guardianship or temporary guardianship. The main goal is for children to be in families, not orphanages.

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative denying war crimes committed by the Russian armed forces and the Russian federal administration in Ukraine. This claim was made in the context of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022.The abduction and forced transportation of Ukrainian children to Russia has been documented by the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Ukraine has already reported the actions of Russia's children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova to the International Criminal Court (ICC).On 02 March, ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan decided to seek authorisation to open an investigation into the situation in Ukraine. It includes within its scope any past and present allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed on any part of the territory of Ukraine by any person. On 17 March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova.The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in March 2023 that it is a war crime: "There is one topic that is particularly important to me - the topic of abducted Ukrainian children. This is a terrible reminder of the darkest times in our history. Deporting children is a war crime. We know today of at least 16,200 children who were deported, and only 300 have returned so far. ”UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grande said in an interview with Reuters in January 2023 that Russia was violating the "fundamental principles of child protection" in wartime by giving Ukrainian children Russian passports and putting them up for adoption.Read also related cases alleging that Russia hits only military targets in Ukraine and that Ukraine war crimes tribunal will be illegitimate.

War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, War crimes, Stealing children

30.03.2023

War in Ukraine is a tool for the US to weaken Russia and subjugate Europe

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/war-in-ukraine-is-a-tool-for-the-us-to-weaken-russia-and-subjugate-europe

asd.news

US, Russia, Ukraine, EU

Russian

With the help of the war in Ukraine, the US is trying to bleed and weaken Russia (by war and by the cost of restoration of Ukraine) and to completely subjugate old Europe under the strict control and dictate of Washington.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative undermining the statehood and sovereignty of Ukraine. The claim aims to deflect any Russian responsibility for the unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February 2022.Contrary to what this disinformation story claims, the Ukrainian state is under attack by Russia, while the US and Western countries are providing support to Ukraine. The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.The US does not subjugate the EU. The US and the EU are partners, not the enemies. They respect each others rights and positions. See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Ukraine conflict made Europe a slave to the US, that since 2014 the US has unleashed a real proxy war against Russia, that NATO instigated a war in Ukraine to weaken Russia, or that US and NATO fighting proxy war against Russia in Ukraine.

War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, NATO, US presence in Europe

30.03.2023

US Government proposes 20 years of jail to VPN Users

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/us-government-proposes-20-years-of-jail-to-vpn-users

fr.news-front.info,news-front.info

US, China

French, Russian

A bill has been introduced in the US Congress that provides a prison sentence of up to 20 years for people who circumvent blocks using a VPN.The bill proposes criminal penalties for using a VPN to access websites and applications banned in the United States. A fine of one million dollars would be added to the prison sentence.

Disinformation targeting confidence in the US government and freedom of speech.In March 2023, bipartisan lawmakers partnered with the White House on legislation to ban applications suspected to present a risk to national security and more generally tackle National Security Threats from Foreign Technology. Some concerns began circulating on social media that this law will punish VPN users with 20 years of prison and one million dollar fines, with some claiming that the proposed text could be interpreted in this way.The office of Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) denied this interpretation of the RESTRICT act: "This legislation is aimed squarely at companies like Kaspersky, Huawei, and TikTok that create systemic risks to the United States' national security – not at individual users".A summary of the bill is available here.Read also cases on freedom of speech such as such as Anti-war activists arrested for criticising US Secretary of State, the EU decision on Russia Today is a step towards self-destruction, Borrell: Dissent is prohibited by law in Europe.

Freedom of speech, Democracy, Cyber

29.03.2023

Poland can introduce its troops into Ukraine and to reclaim historical lands

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-can-introduce-its-troops-into-ukraine-and-to-reclaim-historical-lands

pl.sputniknews.com

Poland, Ukraine

Polish

The goals of Poland in this conflict were clear from the very beginning: a maximum weakening of Ukraine and a later reclaim of its historical lands, which would appear within the Polish borders. Soon, the Poles will be able to implement their insidious plan to introduce troops into exhausted Ukraine, taking over its western territories. Instead of trying to resolve the conflict, Poland delivers weapons to Kyiv in order to achieve the maximal weakening of both the Russian and Ukrainian Armies.

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative challenging Ukraine’s statehood and falsely presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. Apart from smearing Poland, the aim is also to deflect attention away from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.This disinformation message has adopted different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland either wants to create a "puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine" or annex these territories or that it is President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land due to his “Polish origin”.A limited number of Polish citizens have joined the official Ukrainian Army as volunteers – these people do not have any anti-Ukrainian plans.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belongs to it, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, that Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia or that Poland plans to establish control over its historical lands in Ukraine.

War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration, Imperialism/colonialism

28.03.2023

Russia liberates Donbas from Ukrainian strikes

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-liberates-donbas-from-ukrainian-strikes

oroszhirek.hu

Russia, Ukraine

Hungarian

Ukrainian armed forces have been shelling residential buildings in Donetsk from Avdiivka. According to the latest figures, the allied forces have liberated about 70% of the city, managed to cut or fire on all asphalt roads, and the muddy weather that has started is seriously hampering the Ukrainian forces' ammunition and reinforcements supplies.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative trying to claim that Ukraine is shelling civilian targets in Donbas and Russian forces are only liberating the territory.The claim that Ukraine attacks and disregards the life of the civilians while Russia is making the protection of civilians a priority is a part of a wider narrative trying to downplay the Russian attacks against civilian infrastructure. Contrary to these claims the UN have recorded at least 22,424 civilian casualties since the latest armed conflict began on 24 February, including 8,401 killed and 14,023 injured. However, the exact figures are likely to be much higher as ongoing hostilities have hindered the authorities’ ability to verify possible cases in many parts of the country.Most of the civilian casualties are from airstrikes and explosive weapons used by Russian forces with wide area effects, including heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. As a result, hundreds of residential buildings in many cities, including Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mariupol and Kyiv have been damaged and destroyed.See similar narratives debunked here.

Donbas, war crimes, Invasion of Ukraine, UNHCR

28.03.2023

EU accepts depleted uranium shells to Ukraine but threatens new sanctions for the deployment of nuclear weapons to Belarus

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/eu-accepts-depleted-uranium-shells-to-ukraine-but-threatens-new-sanctions-for-the-deployment-of-nuclear-weapons-to-belarus

LDiena.lt

Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, EU

Lithuanian

The EU is threatening Russia with new sanctions if Moscow deploys nuclear weapon to Belarus. Earlier, the EU ignored the question about the provision of depleted uranium shells to Ukraine. Now Russia will ignore protests from the EU and will deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus in response.

The article creates a false equivalence between depleted uranium tank rounds and nuclear weapons, in an attempt to manipulate in the context of nuclear fearmongering. The article attempts to portray the EU as holding double standards, while also continuing a systematic effort to undermine EU sanctions. On March 21, 2023, the Ministry of Defence of the UK already answered Russian claims about the deployment of depleted uranium shells to Ukraine and the interpretation of such kind of ammunition as a “nuclear weapon”. “It is a standard component and has nothing to do with nuclear weapons or capabilities. Russia knows this, but is deliberately trying to disinform”, says a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence of the UK. Depleted uranium has a higher density than ordinary steel; about 2,5 times and about 1,5 times more dense than lead. This allows a tank shell to gain more momentum and penetrate armour more effectively. See also more facts about depleted uranium shells here.Reacting to the deployment of a nuclear weapon in Belarus announced by Russia, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, HRVP Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter: “Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions”.See other examples of disinformation about nuclear issues: UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe; Radioactive substances brought to Ukraine could be used to make a “dirty bomb”; Containers with radioactive substances were delivered from Europe to Ukraine for a provocation to accuse Russia.

Nuclear issues, Sanctions, War in Ukraine

28.03.2023

The US is constantly instigating colour revolutions around the world

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-is-constantly-instigating-colour-revolutions-around-the-world

Ritm Evrazii,tass.ru

US, Russia, USSR

Russian

The United States is constantly [instigating] colour revolutions around the world, and now Washington is "selecting" the countries closest to Russia.Not a year goes by without Americans having a colour revolution somewhere, every single year - in Latin America, in Africa, in Eurasia, anywhere. And now they are approaching both Belarus and Kazakhstan. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, and in 1992 the United States began [...] to test the strength of the first former Soviet republic, the weakest link at that time was Tajikistan. A little later, at the beginning of the 2000s, in Kyrgyzstan, the "tulip revolution". Not so long ago they tried to swing Uzbekistan through Karakalpakstan, then Kazakhstan. In practice, they go from weak to strong and everywhere they try to do something.

Framing all popular protests against Russia’s interests as a foreign-led ‘colour revolution’ is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative. No evidence is provided to back up the claims.Pro-Kremlin media frequently falsely portray popular protests around the world as instigated from abroad, often by the US and the West. The disinformation narrative has been applied, among others, to reports about protests in Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Belarus, Venezuela, Slovakia, Hong Kong, with the aim of portraying protest movements as aggressive actors who constantly prepare new coups.See other similar cases claiming that The West’s main activity in the post-Soviet states is organizing revolutions, that Protests in Kazakhstan are a new Western attempt to organise a colour revolution, that US-sponsored Kazakhstan protests aimed to undermine CIS stability, that The West will finance the Belarusian opposition abroad for a coup d'état, that the protests in Georgia were organised by the US, and that CIA and MI6 changed power in Armenia in order to oust Russia from the region.

Coup, Colour revolutions, West, Encircling Russia, USSR

28.03.2023

Russian nuclear weapons deployment to Belarus is response to Western aggressive policy

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russian-nuclear-weapons-deployment-to-belarus-is-response-to-western-aggressive-policy

ru.armeniasputnik.am

Russia, Belarus, Baltic states

Russian

The deployment of Russian nuclear weapons on the territory of the Republic of Belarus is an adequate and restrained response of the Union State to the aggressive policy of the West.The reckless geographic and functional swelling in Eastern Europe of the NATO military bloc subordinate to Washington is naturally transforming into a threat of physical destruction of the alliance and the United States itself.

The claim is false. The West is not interested in an escalation of the ongoing war in Ukraine. No neighbouring countries are preparing to attack Belarus. Poland and the Baltic States adhere to international law regarding state borders and have no territorial claims upon Belarus or others. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated its neighbour's (Ukraine’s) territorial integrity.With the ongoing Russian aggressive war against Ukraine, European countries are forced to strengthen their borders, increase the defense capability of their armies, in order to resist any external aggression.Framing the decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus as a “response to NATO expansionism” is a prefabricated argument to justify Russia’s nuclear warmongering, part of a wider disinformation campaign aiming to coerce Western nations to cease aid to Ukraine for its self-defence against Russian aggression. Although Vladimir Putin stated on 25 March 2023 that Russia will station nuclear weapons on Belarusian facilities whose construction will be ready by 1 July -an allegation repeated afterwards by other Russian and Belarusian officials-, experts are very sceptic about the feasibility of this move, as there is no indication of any step taken in this regard.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that NATO destroyed trust in the new START treaty, that Western leaders’ nuclear rhetoric is becoming increasingly ferocious, that Ukraine asked NATO for preemptive nuclear strikes against Russia, or that Russia doesn’t threaten anyone with nuclear weapons.

Warmongering, Nuclear issues, Union State of Belarus and Russia, War preparation, NATO, EU/NATO enlargement

28.03.2023

Neo-pagans struggle against Orthodox Christianity in Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/neo-pagans-struggle-against-orthodox-christianity-in-ukraine

radiosputnik.ria.ru

Ukraine, Russia

Russian

The persecution of priests from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine was initiated by neo-Nazis. It is a struggle between neo-pagan Ukrainian nationalism and Orthodox Christianity. Ukraine has witnessed a high incidence of violence against priests and monks, bloodshed and repression against those believers of the canonical Orthodox Church.

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Ukraine as an enemy of the Orthodox Church.In reality, there is no persecution of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians. In late 2022, the Ukrainian government said it would draw up a law banning churches affiliated with Russia for their anti-Ukrainian and pro-Russia activities. This move was mostly aimed at stopping the activities of the so-called Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate [UOC-MP] in Ukraine. This religious organisation is affiliated with Russia and is considered a key influence tool for Moscow in the country. Its leadership has voiced its full support for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, including siding closely with Putin, blessing soldiers and Russian guns and offering the church's support.The Ukrainian government does not plan to ban Orthodoxy. The parishes of the UOC-MP are free to switch to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine which received the Tomos of Autocephaly in January 2019. The Ukrainians enjoy freedom of religion. There are various religious faiths and denominations in Ukraine, including neo-pagan groups such as Rindovira and Runvira. They are not numerous and do not intend to destroy Orthodox Christianity.Read similar cases claiming that Kyiv wants to exchange its Satanists for Orthodox priests, that Borrell's remarks on Russian patriarch give Kyiv 'sanction' to persecute the canonical church, that the West wants to destroy Eastern Christianity through the war in Ukraine, that Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church aims to open the way for neopaganism in Ukraine and that the Kyiv regime is destroying the canonical Orthodox church.

War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Religion, Orthodox Church

28.03.2023

ICC arrest warrant against Putin was issued because western sanctions don't work

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/icc-arrest-warrant-against-putin-was-issued-because-western-sanctions-dont-work

ahilesva.info

Russia, US, EU

Spanish

Western mainstream media obsessively wonder: do sanctions on Russia work? Everything indicates that sanctions reached their peak, or their bottom. The latest Western occurrence, out of frustration on the inefficiency of its measures, was the notorious but empty announcement of the International Criminal Court on the issue of an arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin.

Long-term pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the futility of sanctions and about Russia always being falsely accused, a recurring Russian strategy to avoid responsibility for its misdeeds.There is genuine research and discussion take place among Western experts and commentators on the efficiency of the sanctions. But contrary to what this disinformation story implies, the International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin is not an escalation on Western pressure against Russia in face of the supposed failure of sanctions but the result of Putin’s alleged oversight of Russia’s well-documented practice of the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children.The European Union has expressed support for the investigations of the ICC Prosecutor.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the ICC has no competence to issue arrest warrants against Russian citizens, that the kidnapping of Ukrainian children by Russia is an absurd hoax, that a secret society of paedophiles is taking revenge on Putin with this warrant, or that this poses new challenges to chances for peace.

ICC, Vladimir Putin, Sanctions, Anti-Russian, Russophobia

28.03.2023

Use of depleted uranium shells is a crime against humanity

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/use-of-depleted-uranium-shells-is-a-crime-against-humanity

News Front - German,fr.news-front.info,news-front.info

Ukraine, UK

German, French, Russian

The use of such ammunition is a crime against humanity and the planet. Their use is unacceptable and immoral.

Part of Kremlin’s disinformation campaign against the supply of depleted uranium to Ukraine. Russia uses this alleged high environmental risk to sabre-rattle with its nuclear arsenal. The depleted uranium shells UK MoD is sending to Ukraine are not prohibited by any international agreement.A crime against humanity is traditionally defined and prosecuted by the ICC (murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, mass systematic rape and sexual enslavement in a time of war, other inhumane acts, persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds). The use of depleted uranium shells it cannot be considered as one of the crimes against humanity. While a new concept of Environmental Crimes Against Humanity is emerging, the ecocide definition reads now as: “unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts”.However, the studies of health and environment consequences of Uranium depleted ammunition don’t establish any effect approaching to this definition. The EU assessment by the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks describes the risks as follow:DU munitions which hit the ground bury themselves in the soil, where the uranium oxidises and dissolves over years or decades. Over time, the uranium is removed from near the impact site. Total amounts are not high enough to add significantly to the natural uranium background.Surveys of DU residues from combat zones show generally low concentrations of the metal, within the range of naturally occurring uranium, though there may also be a small number of "hot spots”.Urine samples from serving soldiers and from civilians living in areas where DU ammunition has been used, typically indicate very low levels of DU exposure.In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.Read also related cases: UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe, UK will supply Ukraine with taboo genocidal weapons.

Nuclear issues, Invasion of Ukraine, ICC, War in Ukraine, war crimes, Protest, Corruption, Volodymyr Zelensky

28.03.2023

Russia deserves reparations for the US sabotage of Nord Stream 2

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-deserves-reparations-for-the-us-sabotage-of-nord-stream-2

oroszhirek.hu

US, Russia, Ukraine, Germany

Hungarian

Russia is entitled to claim compensation for the damage caused by the undermining of the Nord Stream pipeline. The United States and its NATO allies were involved in the attack and their actions to sabotage the investigation show that they are not interested in normal energy relations with Russia.

This is part of a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to amplify and exploit Seymour Hersh’s controversial article accusing the US of blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines. The article can’t be considered an evidence of this: it is based on a single, unidentified anonymous source and published in Hersh’s personal blog, so no editorial team was involved in its preparation.The central parts of its affirmations have been credibly debunked by journalists, experts and OSINT researchers, such as claims about NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg cooperating with the US since the Vietnam War (who was 15 at the time this war ended), the use of the M350 Alta ship (which had been out of use since 2012 and sent to the scrapyard in 2022), or that a P-8 aircraft of the Norwegian Navy was involved to detonate the explosives (none of Norway’s P-8 was remotely closer to the area of the explosions).Other allegations have been reported as highly implausible, such as the presence of this single source in all the preparatory meetings for the operation; that selected members of the US Congress and other government agencies weren’t informed out of need for maximum secrecy, but then Norway was enrolled and Sweden and Denmark would have been informed at some point; or that this top-secret operation was carried out during the BALTOPS military exercises, attended and closely watched by multiple NATO countries.The White House dismissed Hersh’s report as ‘utterly false and complete fiction.’ Similarly, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the allegations ‘nonsense.’ However, pro-Kremlin outlets and Russian authorities have massively reported and commented on it as if this allegation had been proven.The story has received great attention from pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets and has been the main point used by Russian Minister Lavrov to demand the UNSC address the issue with an investigation.Presenting unsubstantiated allegations as if they were established facts while introducing minor variations, as in this case, is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Joe Biden wanted to freeze Germany by destroying the Nord Stream, that American officials admit that the explosions at NS1 and NS2 were their work, that Western sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines caused an environmental disaster, or that sabotaging Nord Stream was the stupidest US action in years.

NATO, Nord Stream 2, Energy, Terrorism, Secret services

28.03.2023

Germany’s plans to boost arms deliveries prove direct involvement in Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/germanys-plans-to-boost-arms-deliveries-prove-direct-involvement-in-ukraine

tass.ru

Germany, Ukraine, Russia

Russian

Germany is constantly increasing the level of its involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Its plans to increase spending on military assistance to Kyiv from €3 billion to more than €15 billion in the coming years increases the level of Germany's involvement and do not bode well.

This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing Western nations of direct involvement in Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. The West provides Ukraine with military, financial and diplomatic support with the sole aim of repelling Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression -- as enshrined in the UN Charter, Article 51, but it does not engage in hostilities.An increase in military assistance to Kyiv from Germany and other Western nations does not suggest any direct involvement in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Apart from military support, Germany provides Ukraine with other kind of assistance such as maintaining the sanctions regime, documenting war crimes and mapping out how Ukraine can rebuild. All of it does not make Germany a warring side.Western instructors train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use modern weapons and NATO officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but there are no NATO troops fighting on the front. Ukraine does not plan to invade Russia. Kyiv’s aim is to restore its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. These also include the illegally annexed peninsula of Crimea and the temporarily occupied areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions.The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked.See similar cases that claiming that Russia is at war with NATO and the Pentagon and only the soldiers are Ukrainians; that NATO is at war with Russia with the hands of Ukrainians; that NATO was turning Ukraine into an enemy of Russia; and that NATO has no interest in peace in Ukraine.

War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Military

28.03.2023

UN publishes a report on Kyiv’s discrimination against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/un-publishes-a-report-on-kyivs-discrimination-against-the-ukrainian-orthodox-church

actualidad-rt.com,sputniknews.lat

Ukraine

Spanish

The UN published a report on Kyiv’s discrimination against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report on religious freedom in Ukraine in which it highlighted this discrimination.

The claim is patently false, as the UN didn’t publish any report on this subject. This disinformation story falsely refers to a long document titled Report on the Human Rights Situation in Ukraine – 1 August 2022-31 January 2023, released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights on 24 March 2023. It contains a single paragraph about searches conducted by the SBU (Ukraine’s Security Service) at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church premises and the issue of notices of suspicion to UOC clergy, and a sentence stating: “OHCHR is concerned that the State’s activities targeting the UOC could be discriminatory”. But most of the content of the report refers to massive Russian war crimes in Ukraine, -which are not mentioned at all in the pro-Kremlin reporting.Distorting the content of prestigious outlets and institutions to make them appear as supporting pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives is a frequent technique of pro-Kremlin outlets.Pro-Kremlin outlets have a history of false use of images, quotes, or simply inventing things and present it as facts: see our account here. See also other examples here in our database, such as false claims that IAEA experts confirmed that Zaporizhzhia plant is under Ukrainian attacks, that Russian war prisoners in Ukraine were tortured with electricity according to the UN, that Germany doesn’t trust Zelenskyy according to Der Spiegel, or that The National Interest explained why the US should side with Russia in Ukraine.

UN, Human rights, Religion, Invasion of Ukraine

28.03.2023

Uranium depleted shells are dirty bombs

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/uranium-depleted-shells-are-dirty-bombs

oroszhirek.hu

Ukraine, Russia, UK

Hungarian

London is sending a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks to Ukraine, as well as ammunition, including armour-piercing shells containing depleted uranium. The use of such projectiles is considered a "dirty weapon" because the uranium dust deposited on the ground is radioactive, highly toxic and cannot be decontaminated. It can lead to cancer.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation fearmongering about nuclear weapons. This is a part of a wider disinformation campaign, the ultimate goal of which is to present Ukraine as a threat and therefore justify Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion.On the 6th March 2023, the UK Government confirmed that:"Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition, including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles".Depleted uranium shells are not considered to be nuclear weapons."They are not meant to poison people. They are used because of their capability to pierce armour," says Dr Marina Miron, from Kings College London. See also this article from the BBC in which Former British Army tank commander - and chemical weapons expert - Col Hamish de Breton-Gordon states that "depleted uranium rounds used by Challenger 2 tanks contained only trace elements of depleted uranium. He added it was "laughable" to suggest depleted uranium rounds were in any way linked to nuclear weapons, which uses enriched uranium".In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.Depleted uranium has a higher density than ordinary steel; about 2,5 times and about 1,5 times more dense than lead. This allows a tank shell to gain more momentum and penetrate armour more effectively.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims Radioactive substances brought to Ukraine could be used to make a "dirty bomb", that Western tanks given to Ukraine could deliver nuclear warheads, that Kyiv passed from rejecting nuclear weapons to preparing a dirty bomb and that Ukraine is going to use a dirty bomb to accuse Russia of using tactical nuclear weapons.

Invasion of Ukraine, Nuclear issues

27.03.2023

Nuclear weapons in Belarus are justified because of territorial claims of Poland and the Baltic states

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nuclear-weapons-in-belarus-are-justified-because-of-territorial-claims-of-poland-and-the-baltic-states

sputnik.by

Poland, Belarus, Russia, Baltic states, UK, Ukraine

Russian

There are many good reasons to deploy the Russian tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. The growing militarisation of Poland and the UK’s decision to supply Ukraine with depleted uranium munitions are among them. Furthermore, revanchist ideas concerning Russian territories exist in Poland and the Baltic states and Polish authorities have territorial claims towards Belarus.

The article provides false pretexts for stationing Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus, attempting to manipulate in the context of nuclear fearmongering.It contains the “aggressive Poland” and, more broadly, the “anti-Russian West” disinformation narratives. Neither Poland nor the Baltic states have territorial claims towards Belarus or Russia. In contrast, Russia maintains territorial claims towards Ukraine and has violated its territorial integrity.The ongoing modernisation of the Polish Army and purchases of advanced military equipment is a Polish response to the current security crisis taking place in Eastern Europe – this situation is a result of the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The 2020 National Security Strategy of Poland states that the most serious security threat to this country is the neo-imperial policy of the Russian Federation, pursued by means of military force (aggression against Georgia, illegal annexation of Crimea and military actions in eastern Ukraine).The depleted uranium argument is also used to sabre-rattle with its nuclear arsenal. Read a more detailed debunk concerning the depleted uranium claim.Reacting to the deployment of a nuclear weapon in Belarus announced by Russia, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, HRVP Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter: “Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions”.Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that the UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe, that the UK will supply Ukraine with taboo genocidal weapons, and that Poland is eyeing to annex western Ukraine and Belarus.

Nuclear issues, Anti-Russian, Imperialism/colonialism, War in Ukraine, Military

27.03.2023

West’s hybrid war against Russia forced it to station nuclear weapons in Belarus

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/wests-hybrid-war-against-russia-forced-it-to-station-nuclear-weapons-in-belarus

sputnik.by

Belarus, Russia

Russian

A number of western countries inadequately reacted to Russia’s decision to place its nuclear weapons in Belarus. Given that the West has been waging a hybrid war against Russia it would be naïve to not expect any countermeasures from Moscow.

The article gives a false pretext for stationing Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus in the context of nuclear fearmongering. The ‘Hybrid war’ disinformation claim is frequently promoted in pro-Kremlin media – its is part of the recurring disinformation narrative accusing the West of anti-Russian policies, aggressive Russophobia and allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda to destroy, ruin Russia, aiming to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions. See also Russian Myths: no.5 Encirclement.The West is neither waging a hybrid war against Russia nor has it pushed Ukraine to war with Russia. The US, the EU and NATO condemn in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked. The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.Reacting to the deployment of a nuclear weapon in Belarus announced by Russia, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, HRVP Josep Borrell wrote on Twitter: “Belarus hosting Russian nuclear weapons would mean an irresponsible escalation & threat to European security. Belarus can still stop it, it is their choice. The EU stands ready to respond with further sanctions”.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.

Anti-Russian, Nuclear issues, Hybrid war

27.03.2023

Anti-war activists arrested for criticising US Secretary of State

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/anti-war-activists-arrested-for-criticising-us-secretary-of-state

actualidad-rt.com

US, Ukraine

Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, Ukraine

Activists were arrested for criticising the US Secretary of State. Several activists who challenged Secretary Blinken during an intervention in the Senate were arrested in Washington, for openly protesting against the war.

This is a distortion of actual events, aiming to promote several long-term pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about censorship and a lack of real democracy in the West. The group of activists mentioned in this story, called Code Pink, were arrested for loudly disrupting an official event, which is part of their political strategy as they state themselves. They do this in the knowledge that if they stay inside the limits of a peaceful protest, they will be released soon afterwards with no charges, as was the case again here. However, this disinformation story falsely frames this arrest as a reaction to their criticism of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, while disingenuously ignoring the actual reason for their actions. By portraying protests against US aid to Ukraine as the target of state repression, the ultimate goal of this disinformation story is to undermine Western assistance including military and financial aid for Ukraine’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the West is not interested in peace, that Western media suppress all facts and opinions that differ from official narratives, that US censor people on the internet while Russia doesn’t, or that over a half of Americans love Russia despite US disinformation.

27.03.2023

UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/uk-delivery-of-depleted-uranium-tank-shells-will-lead-to-a-nuclear-catastrophe

novorosinform.org

Ukraine, UK

Russian

British-Ukrainian plans [to transfer depleted uranium shells to Ukraine] will lead to a nuclear catastrophe.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation fearmongering about nuclear weapons. This is a part of a wider disinformation campaign, the ultimate goal of which is to present Ukraine as a threat and therefore justify Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion.On the 6th March 2023, the UK Government confirmed that: "Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition, including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles".Depleted uranium shells are not considered to be nuclear weapons. "They are not meant to poison people. They are used because of their capability to pierce armour," says Dr Marina Miron, from Kings College London. See also this article from the BBC in which Former British Army tank commander - and chemical weapons expert - Col Hamish de Breton-Gordon states that "depleted uranium rounds used by Challenger 2 tanks contained only trace elements of depleted uranium. He added it was "laughable" to suggest depleted uranium rounds were in any way linked to nuclear weapons, which uses enriched uranium".In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.Depleted uranium has a higher density than ordinary steel; about 2,5 times and about 1,5 times more dense than lead. This allows a tank shell to gain more momentum and penetrate armour more effectively. See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims Radioactive substances brought to Ukraine could be used to make a "dirty bomb", that Western tanks given to Ukraine could deliver nuclear warheads, that Kyiv passed from rejecting nuclear weapons to preparing a dirty bomb and that Ukraine is going to use a dirty bomb to accuse Russia of using tactical nuclear weapons.

Nuclear issues, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine

27.03.2023

Depleted uranium rounds are 'dirty' nuclear bombs

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/depleted-uranium-rounds-are-dirty-nuclear-bombs

nabd.com,arabic.rt.com

UK, Ukraine, Russia

Arabic

[The depleted uranium round] does not emit radiation, but is highly toxic. Its dust can enter the human respiratory tract. Russia has warned that if weapons containing depleted uranium are used in Ukraine, it will consider them a 'dirty' nuclear bomb.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation fearmongering about nuclear weapons. This is a part of a wider disinformation campaign, the ultimate goal of which is to present Ukraine as a threat and therefore justify Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion.This claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.On the 6th March 2023, the UK Government confirmed that:"Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition, including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles".Depleted uranium shells are not considered to be nuclear weapons. "They are not meant to poison people. They are used because of their capability to pierce armour," says Dr Marina Miron, from Kings College London. See also this article from the BBC in which Former British Army tank commander - and chemical weapons expert - Col Hamish de Breton-Gordon states that "depleted uranium rounds used by Challenger 2 tanks contained only trace elements of depleted uranium. He added it was "laughable" to suggest depleted uranium rounds were in any way linked to nuclear weapons, which uses enriched uranium".Depleted uranium has a higher density than ordinary steel; about 2,5 times and about 1,5 times more dense than lead. This allows a tank shell to gain more momentum and penetrate armour more effectively.In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims Radioactive substances brought to Ukraine could be used to make a "dirty bomb", that Western tanks given to Ukraine could deliver nuclear warheads, that Kyiv passed from rejecting nuclear weapons to preparing a dirty bomb and that Ukraine is going to use a dirty bomb to accuse Russia of using tactical nuclear weapons.Speaking about nuclear risks it would be much more relevant to address the Russian occupation and handling of nuclear power stations in Ukraine, such as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station where the IAEA has raised concerns about the safety. See more details here.

Nuclear issues, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine

26.03.2023

Rounds with depleted uranium are dirty bombs

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/rounds-with-depleted-uranium-are-dirty-bombs

yapolitic.ru

Ukraine, Russia, UK, US

Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia, UK, US

Rounds with depleted uranium are like dirty bombs. Their aim is radioactive contamination of a territory. Russian land – the Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson Regions – will be affected.

This is a new disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets, capitalising on fears of fissile material and trying to accuse the West of providing Ukraine with nuclear arms. This claim was made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.In reality, rounds using depleted uranium are not nuclear weapons or dirty bombs. The radioactivity level of depleted uranium is negligible. It carries minimal health effects. Under international agreements, munitions containing this isotope are considered neither nuclear nor chemical weapons. See here for further debunking by The Insider (in Russian).Former British Army tank commander - and chemical weapons expert - Col Hamish de Breton-Gordon, said Putin's comments on deliveries of rounds with depleted uranium were "classic disinformation". He added it was "laughable" to suggest depleted uranium rounds were in any way linked to nuclear weapons, which use enriched uranium. Depleted uranium has a higher density than ordinary steel; about 2,5 times and about 1,5 times more dense than lead. This allows a tank shell to gain more momentum and penetrate armour more effectively.Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby said at a briefing on 22 March 2023: “... there have been health studies done on depleted uranium munitions. It is not a radioactive threat. It is not anywhere close to going into the nuclear realm. (…) This is a commonplace type of munition that is used particularly for its armor-piercing capabilities.” He added: “So, again, if Russia is deeply concerned about the welfare of their tanks and their tank soldiers, the safest thing for them to do is to move them across the border and get them out of Ukraine.”Read disinformation narratives claiming that Radioactive substances brought to Ukraine could be used to make a "dirty bomb" and that Western Leopard tanks firing radioactive ammo will destroy health of Ukrainians.

26.03.2023

Romania is preparing its annexation of Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/romania-is-preparing-its-annexation-of-ukraine

russtrat.ru

Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary

Russian

Under the guise of "reunification with Moldova" Romania is preparing the annexation of Ukraine.NATO members, the countries of Eastern Europe, realising the inevitability of the defeat of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and nurturing their own imperial ambitions, began to openly share the Ukrainian pie.The nationalist forces of Romania believe that now is the right moment to "return" to themselves not only Southern Bessarabia, but also Northern Bukovina, which under the USSR became part of Moldova, and part of Ukraine.

A recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the annexation of Ukrainian territories by non-Russian neighbours. The aim with this disinformation appears to be deflecting attention away from Russia's responsibility for its imperialist policy and war of agression against Ukraine - pretending that "everybody has appetite on Ukraine". Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) rejected in a public statement the assertion made by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, in the speech given on the occasion of National Unity Day, which falsely induces the idea that Romania has territorial claims against Ukraine.The MAE also emphasized that Romania reaffirms its firm support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.The Robert Lansing Institute for Global Threats and democracies Studies analysed this alleged territorial claims as a GRU ( Russian military special services) operation. Moreover, it has been established before that one of the outlet discussing this bill without mentioning that it comes from an extreme right and a minor party is linked to Russian military intelligence.Read also related cases: Ukraine will inevitably end up being shared among its neighbours; The West is destabilising Moldova to justify military and political annexation by Romania.

illegal annexation, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration, International Law, Ukraine, Eastern Europe

26.03.2023

Romania no longer wants to be in NATO

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/romania-no-longer-wants-to-be-in-nato

mejdurecie.md

Romania

Russian

Romania no longer wants to be in NATO. It does not want the “defensive” alliance to drag Romania into an aggressive war, which NATO is waging in Ukraine.

Recurring anti-NATO rhetoric mixed with the pro-Kremlin narrative claiming that the war in Ukraine is instigated by NATO, aiming to elicit fear that NATO will involve Romania in the war against Russia.No evidence is given. On the contrary, a very recent opinion survey showed that 80% of Romanians don’t want Romania to exit from NATO. Romania joined NATO in March 2004.See here a similar case claiming that Romania is concentrating air defense systems to Moldova’s border and here a case accusing the West by pushing Romania ”to take-over of Moldova to distract Russia”.

NATO, War in Ukraine

25.03.2023

Nord Stream pipelines were blown up by US intelligence

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nord-stream-pipelines-were-blown-up-by-us-intelligence

RT English

Russia, US

English

US intelligence agencies were most likely behind last September’s sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

This is part of a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to amplify and exploit Seymour Hersh’s controversial article accusing the US of blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines. The article can’t be considered an evidence of this: it is based on a single, unidentified anonymous source and published in Hersh’s personal blog, so no editorial team was involved in its preparation.The central parts of its affirmations have been credibly debunked by journalists, experts and OSINT researchers, such as claims about NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg cooperating with the US since the Vietnam War (who was 15 at the time this war ended), the use of the M350 Alta ship (which had been out of use since 2012 and sent to the scrapyard in 2022), or that a P-8 aircraft of the Norwegian Navy was involved to detonate the explosives (none of Norway’s P-8 was remotely closer to the area of the explosions).Other allegations have been reported as highly implausible, such as the presence of this single source in all the preparatory meetings for the operation; that selected members of the US Congress and other government agencies weren’t informed out of need for maximum secrecy, but then Norway was enrolled and Sweden and Denmark would have been informed at some point; or that this top-secret operation was carried out during the BALTOPS military exercises, attended and closely watched by multiple NATO countries.The White House dismissed Hersh’s report as ‘utterly false and complete fiction.’ Similarly, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the allegations ‘nonsense.’ However, pro-Kremlin outlets and Russian authorities have massively reported and commented on it as if this allegation had been proven.The story has received great attention from pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets and has been the main point used by Russian Minister Lavrov to demand the UNSC address the issue with an investigation.Presenting unsubstantiated allegations as if they were established facts while introducing minor variations, as in this case, is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Joe Biden wanted to freeze Germany by destroying the Nord Stream, that American officials admit that the explosions at NS1 and NS2 were their work, that Western sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines caused an environmental disaster, or that sabotaging Nord Stream was the stupidest US action in years.

Nord Stream 2, Intelligence services, US presence in Europe

25.03.2023

EU’s economy is crumbling as a result of anti-Russian sanctions

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/eus-economy-is-crumbling-as-a-result-of-anti-russian-sanctions

RIA,tj.sputniknews.ru

EU, Russia

Russian

The EU is losing in its confrontation with Russia. Russophobic European bureaucracy has introduced ten sanction packages which killed the EU’s stability. Rising inflation and unemployment, riots, and a trembling banking system – this is what Brussels has provoked in the EU. The overall situation is frightening – Europe is neither capable of changing the destructive course which leads EU countries’ economies into the abyss nor understands Russia’s ideals and the reasons behind the special military operation.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about EU policies driven by Russophobia, and backfired Western sanctions on Russia. Following Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, as of March 2023 the Council has adopted ten packages of sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The sanctions aim at weakening Russia’s ability to finance the war and specifically target the political, military and economic elite responsible for the invasion, as the EU Council explains.The claim about the dire economic situation in western countries contradicts factual evidence. It follows from the analysis by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that in 2022, Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) dropped by at least 2.2% in the best-case scenario and by up to 3.9% in the worst-case scenario.A recent study from Yale University takes a detailed look into the effects sanctions are having on the Russian economy, concluding that "business retreats and sanctions are catastrophically crippling the Russian economy."According to the latest European Commission data, growth in the EU and the euro area is estimated at 3.5% for 2022, which is said to be “quite outstanding outturns, proving the remarkable resilience of the EU economy to the headwinds unleashed by Russia's war against Ukraine and in particular the energy crisis”.Read an earlier detailed analysis of the Russian disinformation narratives about EU sanctions and a few related cases : The New York Times reports that Russia is barely affected by sanctions; Sanctions are beneficial to Russia so the West should recognise Crimea as Russian; The EU lost more from sanctions than Russia, European sanctions against Russia do not work.

Russophobia, Economic difficulties, Sanctions

25.03.2023

Poland facing painful dilemma over Ukraine from European Reich

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-facing-painful-dilemma-over-ukraine-from-european-reich

RIA

Poland, Germany, France, Ukraine

Russian

Poland wants Ukraine in the EU the most, as it would become its subordinate. Poland wants to tear off a large part of Ukraine, including territory which was part of the interwar Poland. However, a trap prepared by Germany and France might be an issue. They might demand that Warsaw agrees to the creation of a European supra-national state in exchange for Ukraine's membership in the EU. Poland is facing a dilemma: to preserve sovereignty and independence, or to see Ukraine in the EU. Promoters of the European Reich are using the "Ukraine's carrot" to deceive the Poles, they will not get Ukraine or keep their independence.

This message is disinformation and conspiracy on several accounts.First of all, the creation of a European supra-national state is not on the agenda. Important issues concerning organisation, structure and governance of the EU as well as membership for new countries require approvals from all EU member states and are not a deal between a few countries as alleged in the article.Secondly, if and when Ukraine becomes a EU member it will not be subordinate to Poland or to any other EU country. While EU member states transfer part of their decision making competences to the EU level, they preserve their sovereignty. Read more about the ‘lost sovereignty’ disinformation narrative – one of the five dominant narratives used by Russian and pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets.Thirdly, the article promotes the “aggressive Poland” disinformation narrative about alleged Polish plans to take over Ukrainian territory. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine’s territorial integrity.Finally, the article draws absurd parallels between the EU and Nazi Germany by referring to the EU as the “European Reich” which corresponds to the frequent Nazi-labelling disinformation technique used by pro-Kremlin media. Furthermore, the message is part of the Kremlin’s disinformation narratives about the lack of solidarity between the EU countries and deep internal divisions within the EU.Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that the US plans to partition Ukraine between a number of states in pursuit of US interests, and that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states.

EU disintegration, Imperialism/colonialism, Nazi/Fascist, Sovereignty

24.03.2023

Moldova: Maia Sandu is attempting to forcibly "Romanize" almost all spheres of life

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/moldova-maia-sandu-is-attempting-to-forcibly-romanize-almost-all-spheres-of-life

Rubaltic.ru

Moldova

Russian

Everything Russian and Moldavian is being squeezed out of Moldova.The leadership of Moldova, headed by Maia Sandu, is doing everything to change the mentality of the Moldovans. The most obvious confirmation of this is the adoption by the PAS party and the signing by the president of a law that makes Romanian the state language instead of the Moldovan language, contrary to the country's Constitution. Today we can say that in the republic there is a violent "Romanization" of almost all spheres of life, and firstly - culture.

This claim is an attempt to discredit President Maia Sandu and her party, portraying them as Western puppets. This is happening in the context of a decision to call the state language Romanian, decision which is presented as a Western plot to forcibly "Romanise" Moldova.The official state language in Moldova is Romanian, the native language of 82.2% of the population. In 1991, the Declaration of Independence of Moldova from the USSR named the official language as Romanian, referring to the 1989 law adopted by the former Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic.In December 2013, the Constitutional Court of Moldova ruled that the Declaration of Independence takes precedence over the Constitution, and the state language should be called "Romanian".The International Organisation for Standardisation, which originally provided a separate code for the Moldovan language, later abolished it and identifies Moldova's language as Romanian.Thus, the recent decision of Moldova´s Parliament only brings the wording of the Constitution in line with the decision of the Constitutional Court.See more disinformation narratives on Moldova and Maia Sandu.

Maia Sandu

24.03.2023

UK deliveries of depleted uranium shells to Ukraine would spell a radioactive disaster

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/uk-deliveries-of-depleted-uranium-shells-to-ukraine-would-spell-a-radioactive-disaster

RT English

Ukraine, UK, Russia

English

The potential use of British-supplied depleted uranium shells by Ukraine would have a devastating impact on the country’s economy and population, lasting for centuries to come.

The claim advances a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative regarding Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine.Depleted uranium shells are not nuclear weapons. Any health effects flowing from their use on the battlefield would be minimal, given that the shells are armor-piercing rounds, which use a dense material designed to better penetrate main battle tanks through higher kinetic impact.The radioactivity of depleted uranium is negligible. Under international agreements, munitions containing this isotope are considered neither nuclear nor chemical weapons. See here, here, and here for further debunking by The Insider (in Russian).See examples of related disinformation narratives, such as claims that Ukraine is going to use a dirty bomb to accuse Russia of using tactical nuclear weapons, that Ukraine asked NATO for preemptive nuclear strikes against Russia, that Ukraine wanted to acquire nuclear weapons because of American pressure, or that Zelenskyy is pushing the world towards a nuclear war.

War in Ukraine, Nuclear issues

24.03.2023

Jake Sullivan gave the order to blow up Nord Stream before Christmas 2021

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/jake-sullivan-gave-the-order-to-blow-up-nord-stream-before-christmas-2021

pl.sputniknews.com

US, Russia

Polish

The US planned to blow up the North Stream gas pipelines at the end of 2021. Before Christmas, President Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan asked the contractors to “do their job”. One of the options was to blow up the pipeline.

This is part of a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to amplify and exploit Seymour Hersh’s controversial article accusing the US of blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines. The article can’t be considered an evidence of this: it is based on a single, unidentified anonymous source and published in Hersh’s personal blog, so no editorial team was involved in its preparation.The central parts of its affirmations have been  debunked by journalists, experts and OSINT researchers, such as claims about NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg cooperating with the US since the Vietnam War (who was 15 at the time this war ended), the use of the M350 Alta ship (which had been out of use since 2012 and sent to the scrapyard in 2022), or that a P-8 aircraft of the Norwegian Navy was involved to detonate the explosives (none of Norway’s P-8 was remotely closer to the area of the explosions).Other allegations have been reported as highly implausible, such as the presence of this single source in all the preparatory meetings for the operation; that selected members of the US Congress and other government agencies weren’t informed out of need for maximum secrecy, but then Norway was enrolled and Sweden and Denmark would have been informed at some point; or that this top-secret operation was carried out during the BALTOPS military exercises, attended and closely watched by multiple NATO countries.The White House dismissed Hersh’s report as ‘utterly false and complete fiction.’ Similarly, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the allegations ‘nonsense.’ However, pro-Kremlin outlets and Russian authorities have massively reported and commented on it as if this allegation had been proven.The story has received great attention from pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets and has been the main point used by Russian Minister Lavrov to demand the UNSC address the issue with an investigation.Presenting unsubstantiated allegations as if they were established facts while introducing minor variations, as in this case, is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Joe Biden wanted to freeze Germany by destroying the Nord Stream, that American officials admit that the explosions at NS1 and NS2 were their work, that Western sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines caused an environmental disaster, or that sabotaging Nord Stream was the stupidest US action in years.

Nord Stream 2, Anti-Russian, US presence in Europe, security threat

24.03.2023

ICC arrest warrant for Putin is a hoax akin to accusations for attacking Litvinenko and the Skripals

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/icc-arrest-warrant-for-putin-is-a-hoax-akin-to-accusations-for-attacking-litvinenko-and-the-skripals

lantidiplomatico.it

Russia, UK, Ukraine

Italian

The arrest warrant against Putin is yet another hoax to criminalise him and Russia. The war crimes 'investigation' is baseless and, like the Litvinenko and Skripal cases, will serve to cement the legend of Putin as a monster in public opinion to get rid of as soon as possible.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives denying the war crimes committed by the Russian armed forces and federal administration and about ethnic cleansing presented as a justification for the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022.Pro-Kremlin outlets repeatedly promote the idea that the West “invents” various “anti-Russian provocations” such as the attempted, and successful, murders of the Skripals, Litvinenko and Anna Politkovskaya.The abduction and forced transportation of Ukrainian children to Russia has been documented by the UN, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International. Ukraine has already reported the actions of Russia's children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova to the International Criminal Court (ICC).On the 17th of March, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin.The court alleges he is responsible for war crimes, and has focused its claims on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.It says the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.In a statement, the ICC said it had reasonable grounds to believe Putin committed the criminal acts directly, as well as working with others. It also accused him of failing to use his presidential powers to stop children being deported.For the Skripal and Litvinenko cases see here.Read similar cases stating that the kidnapping of Ukrainian children by Russia is an absurd hoax and that secret society of paedophiles takes revenge on Putin with ICC warrant that London failed to provide proof of Novichok and Russia’s responsibility in Skripal case, and that US keeps reminding Europe about “Russian threat” through Skripal and Litvinenko cases.

ICC, Vladimir Putin, Russophobia, Alexander Litvinenko, Sergei Skripal, war crimes, War in Ukraine

23.03.2023

Fascist spirit in Europe behind Ukrainian soldiers burning the Koran

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/fascist-spirit-in-europe-behind-ukrainian-soldiers-burning-the-koran

elkanananews.com,arabic.rt.com

Ukraine, Europe

Arabic

Ukrainian soldiers burned the Koran as a result of the fascist spirit's alliance with the right-wing in Europe. There will be no reaction from the West because Ukraine is a line of defence for the future of Western liberalism.

This claim is based on a video alleging that Ukrainian soldiers engaged in the act of burning the Koran.The Center for Strategic Communications investigated this case and determined that the video was staged. As experts explain, it contains errors in pronunciation and an “unhidden Russian accent”. Experts quoted the phrase of one of the heroes of the video, which sounds like this: “Guys, you can’t set the fire”. The Center for Strategic Communications is sure that the Russian military independently filmed a video, tearing up the Koran and passing it off as the actions of the Ukrainian armed forces.Said Ismagilov, the Mufti of UMMA — the Spiritual Administration of Ukraine's Muslims, also slammed Russia for spreading fake news about Ukrainian soldiers desecrating the Koran and argued that, unlike Russia's army, Ukraine's military respects "the spiritual choice of each soldier.""They aimed to provoke outrage among the Muslim world in Ukraine with the actions of alleged Ukrainian soldiers. But just like any other propagandistic news, this video is clueless"Russian state media has a track record for broadcasting manifestly false, emotionally charged material to stoke anger. See our article on this topic: Lighting fire to emotions with lies.Read also related cases: Nazi Ukrainian soldiers put lard on the Koran, spoke Ukrainian and burned it.

Muslim/Islam, Religion, Nazi/Fascist, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine

23.03.2023

UK will supply Ukraine with taboo genocidal weapons

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/uk-will-supply-ukraine-with-taboo-genocidal-weapons

sputniknews.com,fr.sputniknews.africa,fr.sputniknews.africa

UK, Ukraine, Russia

English, French

The Anglo-Saxon's intention to supply depleted uranium shells to Ukraine is a provocation of a new level of aggression and confrontation. The use of depleted uranium projectiles is an act of genocide against the population. Washington and London are lying about their desire for peace in Ukraine and their true goal is to destroy it.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation about the Anglo-Saxons wanting the destruction of Ukraine and preparing genocide against the Ukrainian population with the weapons supplied to counter Russian aggression.On the 6th March 2023, the UK Government confirmed that: "Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition, including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles".Depleted uranium shells are not considered to be nuclear weapons. "They are not meant to poison people. They are used because of their capability to pierce armour," says Dr Marina Miron, from Kings College London. See also this article from the BBC in which Former British Army tank commander - and chemical weapons expert - Col Hamish de Breton-Gordon states that "depleted uranium rounds used by Challenger 2 tanks contained only trace elements of depleted uranium. He added it was "laughable" to suggest depleted uranium rounds were in any way linked to nuclear weapons, which uses enriched uranium".Genocide is the crime of intentionally destroying part or all of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, by killing people or by other methods. Raphael Lemkin coined the term in 1944, combining the Greek word γένος (genos, "race, people") with the Latin suffix -caedo ("act of killing").The use of depleted uranium projectiles cannot be qualified in any way as genocide. The intent of using such a weapon is to kill or incapacitate enemy soldiers that are protected by significant shielding. Depleted uranium has a higher density than ordinary steel; about 2,5 times and about 1,5 times more dense than lead. This allows a tank shell to gain more momentum and penetrate armour more effectively.In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims Radioactive substances brought to Ukraine could be used to make a "dirty bomb", that Western tanks given to Ukraine could deliver nuclear warheads, that Kyiv passed from rejecting nuclear weapons to preparing a dirty bomb and that Ukraine is going to use a dirty bomb to accuse Russia of using tactical nuclear weapons.Read also related cases: Ukraine commits water genocide in Crimea, Kyiv agrees to carry out genocide of Ukrainian citizens in exchange for IMF loans, France is a new look on tyranny  "Anglo-Saxons" is a favorite derogatory phrase in Kremlin disinformation and manipulation - see our account here.

Maria Zakharova, Invasion of Ukraine, Genocide, Diplomacy with Russia

23.03.2023

Putin has saved the children from the battlefields in Ukraine

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/putin-has-saved-the-children-from-the-battlefields-in-ukraine

sputnik-georgia.ru,sputnik-georgia.com,sputnik-abkhazia.ru,sputnik-ossetia.ru

Ukraine, Russia

Russian, Georgian

The Russian President is accused of stealing children who were actually taken away from the battlefield. Where Russia is trying to save children, the West would simply abandon them.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative denying war crimes committed by the Russian armed forces and the Russian federal administration, in the context of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022.The abduction and forced transportation of Ukrainian children to Russia has been documented by the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Ukraine has already reported the actions of Russia's children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova to the International Criminal Court (ICC).On 17 March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.The court alleges Vladimir Putin is responsible for war crimes, and has focused its claims on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. It says the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.In a statement, the ICC said it had reasonable grounds to believe Putin committed the criminal acts directly, as well as working with others. It also accused him of failing to use his presidential powers to stop children being deported.Read similar cases stating that Donbas children not deported to Russia but saved from bombing, that the kidnapping of Ukrainian children by Russia is an absurd hoax and that secret society of paedophiles takes revenge on Putin with ICC warrant.

ICC, International Criminal Court, Stealing children, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine

22.03.2023

Delivery of depleted uranium shells to Ukraine risks use of nuclear weapons

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/delivery-of-depleted-uranium-shells-to-ukraine-risks-use-of-nuclear-weapons

pl.sputniknews.com

US, EU, Russia, Ukraine

Polish

Recently, the UK announced its plans to provide Ukraine with depleted uranium shells and Challenger tanks. This decision leads to a tragedy on a global scale, which will primarily affect European countries. There are concerns about possible Kyiv’s ability to use a dirty bomb or even tactical nuclear weapons in future.

Part of Kremlin’s disinformation campaign against the supply of depleted Uranium to Ukraine. Russia uses this alleged high environmental risk to sabre-rattle with its nuclear arsenal.The depleted uranium shells UK MoD is sending to Ukraine are not prohibited by any international agreement.A crime against humanity is traditionally defined and prosecuted by the ICC (murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, mass systematic rape and sexual enslavement in a time of war, other inhumane acts, persecutions on political, racial or religious grounds). The use of depleted uranium shells it cannot be considered as one of the crimes against humanity.While a new concept of Environmental Crimes Against Humanity is emerging, the ecocide definition reads now as: “unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts”.However, the studies of health and environment consequences of Uranium depleted ammunition (DU) don’t establish any effect approaching to this definition. The EU assessment by the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks describes the risks as follow:DU munitions which hit the ground bury themselves in the soil, where the Uranium oxidises and dissolves over years or decades. Over time, the Uranium is removed from near the impact site. Total amounts are not high enough to add significantly to the natural uranium background.Surveys of DU residues from combat zones show generally low concentrations of the metal, within the range of naturally occurring Uranium, though there may also be a small number of “hot spots”.Urine samples from serving soldiers and from civilians living in areas where DU ammunition has been used, typically indicate very low levels of DU exposure.In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted Uranium.Read also related cases: UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe, UK will supply Ukraine with taboo genocidal weapons.

War in Ukraine, Nuclear issues, US presence in Europe, Anti-Russian, Brussels

22.03.2023

The followers of Satan have seized power in Kyiv

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-followers-of-satan-have-seized-power-in-kyiv

asd.news

Ukraine

Russian

The Zelenskyy regime has launched a final offensive against Orthodoxy. The attack on the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra characterises the Zelenskyy regime as absolutely inhuman. Everything we are witnessing is evidence that the followers of Satan have seized power in Kyiv.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying Ukraine as an enemy of the Orthodox Church.Freedom of religion is enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine. In late 2022, the Ukrainian government announced a law banning churches affiliated with Russia, following a series of investigations related to parishes that Kyiv says could be taking orders from Moscow. This mostly affected the activities of the so-called Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate [UOC-MP] in Ukraine, which is affiliated with Russia and considered a key influence tool for Moscow in the country, and whose leadership has voiced its full support for the Russian war on Ukraine including siding closely with Putin, blessing soldiers and Russian guns and offering the church's support.Moreover, the government of Ukraine is not seizing the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra. In fact, it has always been state property. It is managed by the National Kyiv-Pechersk History and Culture Preserve. In 2013, the government of Ukraine has leased its premises to the UOC-MP. However, in 2022, a special commission found that the UOC-MP violates the terms of the lease agreement. For instance, illegal construction and reconstruction of historical monuments is carried out on the territory of the Lavra. In 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine stated that it has found pro-Russia literature, documents, and people who were hiding illegally on the territory of the UOC-MP monastery. Read similar cases claiming that Kyiv wants to exchange its Satanists for Orthodox priests, that Borrell's remarks on Russian patriarch give Kyiv 'sanction' to persecute canonical church that the West wants to destroy Eastern Christianity through the war in Ukraine, that Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church aims to open the way for neopaganism in Ukraine and that the Kyiv regime is destroying the canonical Orthodox church.

Orthodox Church

22.03.2023

UK transfer of depleted uranium shells to Ukraine is a genocide

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/uk-transfer-of-depleted-uranium-shells-to-ukraine-is-a-genocide

sputnik-ossetia.ru

Ukraine, UK, Russia

Russian

By and large, the use of depleted uranium projectiles is a manifestation of genocide against the population where these weapons are used, and against the population that uses them.

A pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the UK prepares genocide against the Ukrainian, as well as, the Russian population with the weapons supplied to counter Russian aggression. On the 6th March 2023, the UK Government confirmed that:"Alongside our granting of a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine, we will be providing ammunition, including armour piercing rounds which contain depleted uranium. Such rounds are highly effective in defeating modern tanks and armoured vehicles".Depleted uranium shells are not considered to be nuclear weapons.Genocide is the crime of intentionally destroying part or all of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, by killing people or by other methods. Raphael Lemkin coined the term in 1944, combining the Greek word γένος (genos, "race, people") with the Latin suffix -caedo ("act of killing").The use of depleted uranium projectiles cannot be qualified in any way as genocide. The intent of using such a weapon is to kill or incapacitate enemy soldiers that are protected by significant shielding.Depleted uranium has a higher density than ordinary steel; about 2,5 times and about 1,5 times more dense than lead. This allows a tank shell to gain more momentum and penetrate armour more effectively.In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted uranium.Read more related cases that UK will supply Ukraine with taboo genocidal weapons, that Use of depleted uranium shells is a crime against humanity, that Depleted uranium rounds are 'dirty' nuclear bombs, that UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe, that Western Leopard tanks firing radioactive ammo will destroy health of Ukrainians.

Genocide, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Maria Zakharova

22.03.2023

The creeping Romanian annexation of Moldova is ongoing

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-creeping-romanian-annexation-of-moldova-is-ongoing

russtrat.ru

Moldova, Romania

Russian

The news about the launch by Moldova and Romania of a joint control at the largest checkpoint of their common border Leușeni-Albița is additional evidence of the creeping annexation of Moldovan territory by Romania.Obviously, as a result, joint checkpoints may end up appearing along the entire perimeter of the borders of Moldova.

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Romania's alleged expansionist ambitions, questioning Moldova's integrity and sovereignty.Moldova and Romania launched joint border control at the largest checkpoint between the two countries in April 2023. The new mode of operation of the most demanded border crossing point will reduce the waiting time. On 1 February, the Moldovan parliament approved the signing of an agreement between Chisinau and Bucharest on joint border control at the Leușeni-Albița checkpoint, which will be valid for a six-month period and will have the option to be extended based on the results of a joint assessment of the checkpoint’s operations.Romania adheres to international law regarding state borders and has no territorial claims upon Moldova. The development of the relationship with the Republic of Moldova is a priority of Romania's foreign policy, based on the communion of history, language, traditions and culture and on supporting the European aspirations of the neighboring state.Romania was the first state to recognise the independence of the Republic of Moldova, immediately after the proclamation of the independence of the new state (August, 1991).The basis of the bilateral relationship are established by the Declaration on the establishment of a strategic partnership between Romania and the Republic of Moldova for the European integration of the Republic of Moldova (signed in Bucharest, on April 27, 2010). Read other similar cases: The West intends to push Romania's take-over of Moldova to distract Russia; The West is provoking destabilisation in Moldova to justify its military and political annexation by Romania; Moldova is just one of the stages of Romania's expansionist strategy.

illegal annexation, Imperialism/colonialism, West, Conspiracy theory

21.03.2023

Western media are creating a smoke screen about Nord Stream

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/western-media-are-creating-a-smoke-screen-about-nord-stream

actualidad-rt.com

US, Germany, EU, Europe, Russia, Ukraine

Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, Germany, EU, Europe, Russia, Ukraine

There is an explosion of lies about Nord Stream. Western media are working nonstop to generate fog, a smokescreen and chaos, so there is talk of a “pro-Ukrainian group” behind the Nord Stream 2 sabotage. The goal is to distract, create debate, confusion, divert the attention.

No evidence is provided to support the allegation. This disinformation story is a reaction to the publication of several US and German media stories pointing in a different direction than what US journalist Seymour Hersh had previously stated about the Nord Stream sabotage, accusing US security services of having carried it out following president Joe Biden’s orders. Multiple aspects of the article were quickly debunked or proven false, while Russia has strongly amplified and promoted Hersh’s story (see here for further debunking on this topic).However, on 07 March 2023 The New York Times published an article quoting anonymous US officials who affirmed that, according to fresh intelligence, an unspecified “pro-Ukrainian group” would have carried out the operation. No evidence was provided to back the allegation. But the same day, a German media consortium led by Die Zeit reported that investigators were following leads about a specific recreative vessel -later identified by Der Spiegel as a yacht called ‘Andromeda’-, and that a group of six people with high-quality forged passports may have taken part in the operation. This was confirmed afterwards by Germany’s Federal Prosecutor Office, while many elements were also verified independently by other media outlets. International investigations by Germany, Sweden, Denmark and other countries remain open. Nonetheless, Russia has stuck to its previous stance. The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov affirmed that “the authors of the attack want to distract attention”, and that “this is clearly a coordinated media blast”, without giving any proof of this claim.This disinformation narrative appeared in the same story as the claim that “NATO sabotaged Nord Stream to claim itself necessary to protect critical infrastructure”.See other examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Nord Stream, such as claims that NATO might disintegrate because of the Nord Stream pipelines explosions, that Joe Biden violated the US Constitution by blowing up Nord Stream, that the US wants to silence the situation about the Nord Stream investigation, or that Joe Biden wanted to freeze Germany by destroying the Nord Stream.

21.03.2023

The West calls for Russian state to be destroyed

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-calls-for-russian-state-to-be-destroyed

ru.armeniasputnik.am,RIA,tass.ru,news.am

Russia

Russian, Armenian

The West, led by the United States, has launched a large-scale information campaign to discredit [Russia], directly calling for the destruction of Russian statehood. Growing information and ideological impact on Russian society is aimed at destroying basic Russian spiritual and moral values, and family traditions, reformatting historical memory, splitting society along national, cultural, and religious lines, as well as promoting terrorism and extremism.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation claim accusing the West/US of anti-Russian policies, aggressive Russophobia and allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda, in particular towards Russian moral values. See also Russian Myths: no.5 Encirclement.From the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of a new and democratic Russia and up to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the West has been trying to establish good-neighbourly relations with Moscow. According to the 1997 Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation, Russia was viewed as a partner of the alliance.The EU has conducted half-year summits with the Russian leadership for years until 2014 in an effort to enhance relations. EU has also tried to change the course of Russia's aggressive actions and give diplomacy a chance such as with the efforts of HRVP Josep Borrell - see here.US President Joe Biden, speaking recently in Warsaw, addressed Russian citizens, assuring them that the US does not seek to destroy or control Russia. French president Macron stated that "Russia must be defeated but not crushed."Pro-Kremlin sources often claim that President Vladimir Putin saved Russia’s values and identity from the threat of Western decadence and that he is the only world leader that protects traditional European and Christian values. “Threatened values” is one of the most common narratives used by pro-Kremlin outlets. Read more here.The EU imposed restrictive measures on Moscow in 2014, which have been amplified and broadened since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. For background, read our analysis: The “Russophobia” Myth: Appealing to the Lowest Feelings.

Nikolay Patrushev, Russophobia, Anti-Russian, Destabilising Russia, Encircling Russia, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Terrorism, Western values

21.03.2023

ICC is a pathetic and powerless organisation

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/icc-is-a-pathetic-and-powerless-organisation

oroszhirek.hu

Russia, Ukraine, The Netherlands

Hungarian

It is clear that there is no practical use for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin. But it will have disastrous consequences for international law. It means the collapse of the foundations and principles of law, including the postulate of the inevitability of punishment. No one will now turn to international institutions. Everyone will make agreements among themselves. All the stupid decisions of the UN and other organisations will fall apart. There will be a dark decline of the whole system of international relations.

A new pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative following the decision communicated on 17 March 2023 by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue a warrant against Vladimir Putin for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population from Ukraine to Russia during the war in Ukraine. The narrative tries to paint the ICC’s decision as a threat to international law and claims that the institution is powerless.As a result of the ICC's decision, 123 member states are obliged to detain and transfer Putin if he sets foot on their territory, significantly limiting his ability to travel abroad. Diplomatic immunity would not protect him against this.Putin is just the third head of state to be indicted by the International Criminal Court while still in power. Although the ruling will not mean a prison sentence for Putin in the short term, it will restrict his movement internationally to countries that are not party to the ICC.The ICC, the world's permanent war crimes court was created by the Rome Statute, a treaty ratified by all the EU states, as well as Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Switzerland, 33 African countries and 19 nations in the South Pacific. Russia is not a member and neither are China, the United States or India. Russia signed the Rome Statute in 2000, but withdrew its backing in 2016, after the ICC classified Moscow's annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea Peninsula as an armed conflict.Several states, including Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and Ukraine, announced in March and April 2022 that they would conduct investigations of war crimes in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine under the universal jurisdiction principle of international humanitarian law.Read OSCE Report on violations of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity committed in Ukraine since 24 February 2022.Read more about the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.See more cases on the ICC arrest warrant on Putin here.

International Criminal Court, Vladimir Putin, War crimes, Invasion of Ukraine, International Law

21.03.2023

Putin ICC arrest warrant organised by a group of British paedophiles

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/putin-icc-arrest-warrant-organised-by-a-group-of-british-paedophiles

geworld.ge

Russia, Ukraine, UK

Georgian

The issuance of a warrant for Putin's arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) is organized by a group of British pedophiles. It turns out that the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Karim Ahmad Khan, issued the strange order to arrest Putin in exchange for the early release of his brother, Imran Ahmad Khan. Imran is not just a paedophile. He is also gay and a member of the British Parliament.A secret society of paedophiles seeks revenge on Putin for Russia's policies aimed at strengthening the family and against LGBT propaganda and paedophilia.

The claim that Karim Khan issued the warrant for Putin’s arrest in exchange for his brother’s release from prison is false. Under British law, it was known immediately after Imran Ahmad Khan was sentenced to 18 months in prison that he would be released on parole after nine months. Read the full debunk here.This is a conspiracy theory, part of a larger pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the moral decay of the West, in the context of Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. See other narratives aiming at justification of this non provoked aggression, such is Nazism and Western biological weapons in Ukraine.On 17 March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova. The court alleges Putin is responsible for war crimes, and has focused on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia committed from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.In a statement, the ICC said it had reasonable grounds to believe that Putin committed the criminal acts directly, as well as working with others. It also accused him of failing to use his presidential powers to stop children being deported.According to Ukrainian governmental data, by April 3, 2023, 467 children have died, 944 were wounded, 379 are reported missing, 19 531 deported, 328 previously abducted children returned to Ukraine.Russian disinformation media are trying to reduce the UN-sponsored institution of the ICC, which employs 18 judges, to a meaningless organisation. The Russian Foreign Ministry called any decisions of the ICC “insignificant from the point of view of law”, and the Kremlin specifies that Moscow does not recognize the jurisdiction of this court. Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitri Medvedev threatened the court with a hypersonic missile. For context, see also the debunk of the false pro-Kremlin media narrative that the West encourages paedophilia.See more cases concerning the ICC arrest warrant here.

Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, ICC, International Criminal Court, Western values, Stealing children

21.03.2023

The West finds unacceptable that Georgians want to make Georgian laws

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-finds-unacceptable-that-georgians-want-to-make-georgian-laws

ahilesva.info

Georgia, EU, US, Russia

Spanish

Georgia’s ‘sovereignty’ is surveilled from the West. In February, two bills were presented in the Parliament about the interference of foreign governments. One was the “Georgian legal initiative” and the other the “US law”, because it was basically the Foreign US Foreign Agent Registration Act of the US translated in Georgian. Most legislators found it paradoxical to approve a law on foreign interference by making cut and paste of a foreign law, so the “Georgian law” was approved by a wide majority in the Parliament. Immediately opponents took to the streets, while Washington and Brussels threatened Georgian authorities with sanctions and serious obstructions to Georgia’s entrance in the EU. And since most people don’t read any bill, mainstream media found the fashionable way for the collective West to perceive this legal initiative as the personification of evil, starting to call it as “Russian law” instead of Georgian. Some months ago, the Georgian government refused to deliver weapons to Ukraine and insisted that they won’t get their country involved in an armed conflict with Russia. Washington is twisting the arms of small countries.

This disinformation story distorts some key elements of the March 2023 protests in Georgia. The controversial ‘foreign agents law’ was not nicknamed “Russian law” by some international media in order to demonize it, but because it mirrored a 2012 law in Russia used to crack down on dissent and suppress western-funded NGOs and media, and which could be used to restrict freedom of expression and association. For these reasons, it found strong rejection among Georgian citizens, which led to massive protests and ultimately to its withdrawal by the Georgian government.This disinformation story also falsely implies that these mobilisations were orchestrated by Western powers, which is not based in any evidence. Framing all popular protests against Russia’s interests as a foreign-led ‘colour revolution’ is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the West arranges puppet governments through colour revolutions, that Kyiv regime came to power as a result of illegal coup organized by the West, that after Ukraine, western scriptwriters tried to organize coups d’etat in Belarus and Kazakhstan, or that colour revolutions provoked by the US and NATO created migration crisis

Protest, Colour revolutions, Imperialism/colonialism

21.03.2023

NATO sabotaged Nord Stream to position itself as needed to protect critical infrastructure

https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nato-sabotaged-nord-stream-to-position-itself-as-needed-to-protect-critical-infrastructure

actualidad-rt.com

US, EU, UK, Canada, Russia, Germany, Ukraine

Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, EU, UK, Canada, Russia, Germany, Ukraine

NATO’s involvement in the Nord Stream affair is showing its underlying strategy, to make itself necessary to safeguard critical infrastructure. This is, the same thing that they blew up will serve as pretext to claim that they are more necessary than ever.

Conspiracy theory not backed by any evidence. Responsibility for the Nord Stream sabotage has not yet been ascertained, as there is no definitive proof of which actor is behind it. International investigations by Germany, Sweden, Denmark and other countries remain open.On 08 February 2023, Washington-critical US journalist Seymour Hersh accused US security services of having orchestrated the sabotage following orders by president Joe Biden. Multiple aspects of the his blog post article were later debunked or proven false, despite of which Russia has strongly amplified and promoted Hersh’ story. This disinformation story is, in fact, a reaction to the publication of several US and German media stories pointing in a different direction.On 07 March 2023, The New York Times published an article quoting anonymous US officials who affirmed that, according to fresh intelligence, an unspecified “pro-Ukrainian group” would have carried out the operation. No evidence was provided to back the allegation. But the same day, a German media consortium led by Die Zeit reported that investigators were following leads about a specific recreative vessel -later identified by Der Spiegel as a yacht called ‘Andromeda’-, and that a group of six people with high-quality forged passports may have taken part in the operation. This was confirmed afterwards by Germany’s Federal Prosecutor Office, while many elements were also verified independently by other media outlets.However, Russia has stuck to its previous stance. The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov affirmed that “the authors of the attack want to distract attention”, and that “this is clearly a coordinated media blast”. This disinformation story accuses NATO and states an alleged motivation for it to carry out the sabotage, but doesn’t provide any evidence of its involvement. Talking about unsubstantiated allegations as if they were established facts while introducing minor variations, as in this case, is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique.This disinformation narrative appeared in the same story as the claim that “Western media are working nonstop to create a smoke screen about Nord Stream”See other examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Nord Stream, such as claims that NATO might disintegrate because of the Nord Stream pipelines explosions, that Joe Biden violated the US Constitution by blowing up Nord Stream, that the US wants to silence the situation about the Nord Stream investigation, or that Joe Biden wanted to freeze Germany by destroying the Nord Stream.