Disinfo: Anti-Russian sanctions are illegal pressure

Summary

Anti-Russian sanctions are illegal pressure that undermines the foundations of the world order. Russia will respond to Western pressure harshly, but not to its own detriment.

Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about what they call a Western aggressive policy of sanctions, framing them as unjustified illegal pressure.

Sanctions are a key tool of EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The EU sanctions are legitimate restrictions imposed in accordance with international and European law as a response to violations of international legalities, such as Russia’s actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. The EU established the sanctions regime under its laws, specifically Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014, "concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine."

The EU has the right to impose economic sanctions within the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter. Crucially, any such measures must strictly conform to European and international law. Other international actors have the right to impose them under international law as well under certain conditions.

Through restrictive measures, the EU intervenes where appropriate to respond to emerging or current crises. EU sanctions are carefully targeted and designed to be proportionate to the objectives they seek to achieve. Moscow has falsely claimed that the EU sanctions are illegal ever since their imposition in 2014, following Russia's invasion, annexation, and ongoing occupation of Crimea.

Read here about the EU and the US sanctions explained.

Read more about the EU response and support for Ukraine. See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war.

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publication/media

tlgrm.ru (Archived)
tass.ru (Archived)
kp.ru (Archived)
Stoletie (Archived)
vesti.ru (Archived)
aa.com.tr (Archived)
ntv.ru (Archived)
rg.ru (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 307
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 31/08/2022
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia
  • Keywords: Sanctions, Anti-Russian, New World Order, Sergei Lavrov, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine
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Disinfo: Ukraine lost independence and is under external control

Full external control is established over the foreign and domestic policy of Ukraine. Over the past eight years, all financial institutions, including the National Bank of Ukraine, and all law enforcement agencies - the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Ministry of Defence - have been thoroughly permeated with foreign consultants, advisers, supervisors, and instructors.

Aug 30, 2022
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative alleging that Ukraine is under external control.

Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. The decisions are taken by the Ukrainian authorities: the President, the Verkhovna Rada, and the judiciary. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost the whole world with Russia as the key exception.

Disinfo: Without external financing, puppet-like Ukrainian statehood is a house of cards

Ukraine’s failed counteroffensive attempt in the Mikolayiv and Kherson regions points at the serious degradation of the Kyiv regime. Without monthly foreign financing worth USD 5 billion, the puppet-like Ukrainian statehood will collapse like a house of cards. Therefore, in the coming months the Ukrainian military forces are doomed to be sacrificed to secure new western loans and arms supplies.

Aug 30, 2022
Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about ‘Nazi Ukraine’ and lacking or artificial Ukrainian statehood.

The claim about USD 5 billion foreign assistance monthly probably stems from Volodymyr Zelenskyy's statement that due to Russia's full-scale offensive Ukraine's monthly budget deficit is currently assessed at USD 5 billion.

Disinfo: Ukraine shells Zaporizhzhia NPP so it can demand control over it

Ukrainian forces have been bombing the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant for several weeks. As a result, several Ukrainian shells penetrated the roof of a building where 9,000 containers of spent nuclear fuel are stored. Fires broke out around the station as a result of the bombing, in addition to periodic power outages in Kherson and Nova Kakhovka, which are under Russian control.

At the same time, Ukraine claims that the Russian forces themselves are the ones who bomb the station they control. The Ukrainian intentions are clear, Kyiv demands the transfer of the station to Ukrainian or Western control, arguing that this will eliminate the threat to the station.

Aug 30, 2022
Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation claim about Ukraine attacking the Zaporizhzhia power plant in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine. The claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.

This is not the first time the Kremlin’s manipulation and disinformation machine has used a deep-seated and very reasonable fear of a nuclear disaster to advance its political and military goals in Ukraine.