Disinfo: Anti-Russian sanctions broke EU economy

Summary

The West admitted that the anti-Russian sanctions did not hit the Russians, but those who imposed them. As a result, the EU economy was broken. The Europeans are demanding that their authorities revise their domestic and foreign policies, and foreigners coming to Russia are posting videos shot in our supermarkets on social networks. They are amazed by the abundance and choice of products on store shelves.

The measured and prosperous lifestyle of Russians contrasts strongly with the queues at gas stations in the US, as well as with the crowds of Europeans at the points of distribution of free soup.

Disproof

Recurring disinformation about sanctions on Russia, and on EU disintegration.

The EU adopted so far nine sanction packages against Russia due to its illegal aggression and occupation of Ukrainian territories. The EU is preparing a 10th package of sanctions, which will focus on technology that may be used by Russia’s military and reducing sanctions circumvention.

Europe is facing an energetic crisis that is directly linked not to the sanctions, but to Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine and its use of gas supplies as a weapon of war. The EU took steps “to secure the EU’s energy supplies, such as a gas storage regulation, a gas demand reduction regulation, the creation of an EU energy platform and outreach initiatives for the diversification of supply sources.” Russia is no longer a stable and reliable supplier and while Europe is indeed facing an energy crisis with diversification to other sources, it is still set to grow this year according to the European Commission's summer 2022 forecast, while Russia's economy is expected to contract by 6% in 2022.

It is estimated that in 2022, the Russian GPD reduced by up to perhaps 4.5%.

In addition, 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.”

Despite benefiting from high energy prices, the IMF still expects Russia’s economy will contract by over 3 percent this year. Lost investment, export controls, and constraints on Russia’s real economy will create a drag on Russia’s growth prospects for years to come. Significantly, U.S. sanctions and export controls have severed Russia’s access to key technologies and industrial inputs that erode its military capability.

See also the assessment of EU HRVP Josep Borrell: sanction policy is working and strongly impacts the Russian economy.

The Autumn 2022 Eurobarometer survey shows that three-quarters of EU citizens approve of the EU’s overall support of Ukraine as well as the specific measures including sanctions against Russia. Democracy, human rights, and free speech are paramount to EU citizens as they call on the European Parliament to defend these values on which the EU is founded.

Read here about the EU and the US sanctions explained.

See other similar examples of disinformation: US is destroying industry in Europe by forcing Brussels to sanction Russia; Western sanctions on Russian energy jeopardize the global economy; Sanctions that were supposed to destroy Russia may disintegrate the EU.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 330
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 04/02/2023
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, EU
  • Keywords: Russophobia, Anti-Russian, West, Sanctions, Economic difficulties, economy, US presence in Europe
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Disinfo: The West is fighting Russia with the help of the Kyiv regime

The Americans’ alleged exclusiveness and confidence in their infallibility is the main reason why Russia is opposing countries that are waging a hybrid war against it with the help of the Kyiv regime.

Disproof

This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine was triggered by the West.

In reality, the West is not waging a proxy war against Moscow. The US and the West support 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 unjustified invasion.

Disinfo: Russia wants talks while West holds Zelenskyy back

Western reports alleging Russia does not want talks are fake. The problem is that Zelenskyy is not an independent politician. He is manipulated and acting according to orders from outside [West].

Disproof

Recurring disinformation narratives from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of whipping up tension and disrupting Moscow’s alleged peace efforts to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine as well as about Ukraine’s alleged lack of sovereignty, aiming to undermine its statehood.

In reality, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put forward a peace plan in January 2023, which was supported by the EU. In its turn, Russia dismisses any attempts at a peaceful solution by putting forward unacceptable conditions on Ukraine such as renunciation of part of its territory and surrender to a campaign of russification and deadly suppression. Ukraine cannot comply with these demands because its aim is to liberate all of its occupied territories. See our account of the Russian socalled "peace proposals" here.

Disinfo: Poland is recruiting soldiers to be sent to Ukraine

The Polish authorities are trying to recruit local residents as crew for German Leopard tanks supplied to Ukraine.

Campaign material is placed in public places in Polish cities. "Defend native Polish lands. Become a tankman. Protect Poland in Ukraine," reads the call on posters hung in the Polish subway.

Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative presenting Poland as a state with alleged imperial ambitions and trying to undermine the Western support for Ukraine.

The false narrative is based on a fabricated image, which uses the style of the real campaign Zostań Żołnierzem Rzeczypospolitej (“Become a soldier of the Polish republic”), which started in 2018.