Disinfo: Baltic countries dream about becoming an American base

Summary

Baltic countries dream about becoming an American base. Firstly, because the Americans will pay them something. Then, their hysteria about terrible Russia, which will destroy them, will weaken a little bit. And lastly, they are hoping the US will help them to take a more serious place in Europe.

Disproof

Several recurring disinformation narratives undermining the statehood of the Baltic countries, exaggerating the US presence in Europe, Russophobia and the West's strategy of encircling Russia. The Baltic States as well as Romania, Poland and Bulgaria are NATO allies and cooperate with the US in ensuring transatlantic security. The statement of the Bucharest Nine ahead of the NATO summit in 2018 can be read here. Baltic states are independent states. Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have been EU members since 1 May 2004 and NATO members since 29 March 2004. As for any of the EU Member States, Baltic countries have rights and obligations. There are no serious and non-serious places in the EU.

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ru.armeniasputnik.am (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 156
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 16/06/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, Lithuania, Estonia, Baltic states, Latvia
  • Keywords: US presence in Europe, Europe, Baltic states
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Disinfo: EU's own report clears Moscow of election meddling charges

In the face of its established tendency to accuse Moscow of meddling in elections, the EU has itself acknowledged that such charges are lacking in substance. In a recent report, the European Commission admitted there is insufficient evidence to identify a “distinct cross-border disinformation campaign” in the run-up to the 2019 European Parliament elections. This, however, did not stop the Commission from alleging that unspecified “Russian sources” had attempted to influence their outcome. This claim fits into the three-year campaign of baseless interference allegations which the US, France, the UK, Spain, and Germany have levied against Russia.

Jun 15, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative stating that all charges of election meddling, however well-grounded in the facts, are actually Russophobic plots used by Western governments to shift the focus away from domestic problems. The report in question does not absolve Russia of interference charges. The statement that "available evidence has not allowed to identify a distinct cross-border disinformation campaign" is immediately followed by this one: "However, the evidence collected revealed a continued and sustained disinformation activity by Russian sources aiming to suppress turnout and influence voter preferences" (p. 3, emphasis added). The conclusion does indeed fit in with earlier meddling allegations. They, too, were each supported by dozens of reports produced in the course of media investigations, official inquiries, and analytical work. See here for our dedicated database of resources pertaining to Russian interference in Western elections and referenda.

Disinfo: President Trump cannot resume dialogue with Russia because of the "deep state”

President Trump appears to be under the influence of a certain hidden system of power, which the Americans call the “deep state” or “shadow government” (they are responsible for all key political decisions in the United States). There have been repeated cases when Trump had to withdraw his initiatives under the influence of these forces – for example, the conservative elites controlling the “deep state” stand against the statements of Trump to resume the dialogue with Russia.

Jun 14, 2019
Disproof

This message presents a classical conspiracy theory that the “deep state” and “shadow government” control the work of democratic institutions in the United States. Here are some other examples of this narrative: “Deep state” fighting with Trump (here and here); “Deep state” shaping the US foreign policy (here).

No reputable political scientists and researchers confirm the existence of a “deep state” in the United States.

Disinfo: Washington financed the civil war in Donbas

Washington has financed the hostilities (civil war) in Donbas. Therefore, all the talk about “holding back” Russia is just a pretext for promoting American military presence in Europe.

Jun 14, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine, especially its portrayal as a civil war. Additionally, the story also promotes the disinformation narrative that the US is destabilising the world, and Ukraine in particular. Russia provoked and fuels the war in Ukraine; it is not a civil war. Overwhelming evidence confirms that Russia participates in the conflict in Ukraine sending mercenaries to Donbas. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court recognised that “the information available suggests that the situation within the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol amounts to an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation". The international armed conflict began at the latest on 26 February 2014 when the Russian Federation deployed members of its armed forces to gain control over parts of the Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian Government. The European Union stated in July 2014 that "arms and fighters continue flowing into Ukraine from the Russian Federation". At the NATO Summit in Wales in September 2014, NATO leaders condemned in the strongest terms Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine and demanded Russia stop and withdraw its forces from Ukraine and from the country’s border. NATO leaders also demanded that Russia comply with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities; refrain from aggressive actions against Ukraine; halt the flow of weapons, equipment, people and money across the border to the separatists; and stop fomenting tension along and across the Ukrainian border. Both Kyiv and Washington have stated that only the Minsk agreements can stop the war and ensure peace in this region.The US has called on Russia to cease hostilities and institute a full and comprehensive ceasefire, including cancelling the illegal sham elections it is organizing in the Russia-controlled parts of eastern Ukraine. The US is firmly committed to supporting Ukrainian security and stability. The US has contributed funding and personnel to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) that is monitoring and providing daily reporting, particularly in the conflict regions in the east