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Disinfo: Belarusian Nationalism will lead to a coup d'etat; Russians and Belarusians are the same people

Summary

The spread of ideology claiming that Ukraine is not Russia and Ukrainians are not Russians caused the coup d’état in Ukraine in 2014 and the following dramatic events. This same formula (“we are not Russians”) is increasingly popular in Belarus, including among the Belarusian authorities. However, just as Russians and Ukrainians are the same people, Russians and Belarusians are the same people too. Pro-Western nationalistic opposition in Belarus has been working hard to undermine a common cultural and historical space between Belarus and Russia.

Disproof

This message contains recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about all-Russian nation, a coup d’état in Ukraine and West's plans to realize a 'Ukrainian scenario' in Belarus. The spontaneous onset of massive Euromaidan protests was a reaction of the Ukrainian population to the sudden departure of the President Yanukovych from the Association Agreement with the European Union and to the brutal dispersal of student protest actions on 30 November 2013. The 2014 events cannot be named a coup d'état because after Yanukovych's escape, the new President was elected in free and fair elections. According to the OSCE, "the people of Ukraine had the opportunity to genuinely express their will at the ballot box". The articles claim that Belarusians and Ukrainians are part of Russian people. This is an imperial Russian and Russian irredentist ideology of an "all-Russian nation" aimed at weakening the national identity of Belarusians and Ukrainians as well as their sovereignty. In reality, Ukraine and Belarus are well-defined nation-states with a long history. Both nations preserved language, literature and identity, despite foreign rule for long periods. See other disinformation cases alleging that the coup d'état in Ukraine was caused by the Eastern Partnership, by the European Union or that it was conducted by Ukrainian Nazis, supported by the CIA and Poland.

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fondsk.ru (Archived)
Together with Russia (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 152
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 06/05/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Country: Belarus, Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Anti-Russian, Conspiracy theory, Coup
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Moldova imports fewer products from the EU

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May 05, 2019
Disproof

This article has a headline that is misleading. According to information from the National Bureau of Statistics from Republic of Moldova, Moldovan imports from EU countries grew in the first two months of 2019, despite the headline's claiming the opposite. According to official data, in the first two months of 2017, the Republic of Moldova imported products from EU countries worth 273.402 thousand US dollars. In the first two months of 2019, Moldova imported products worth 387,729 thousand US dollars. Therefore, the trend is an upward trend. National Bureau of Statistics shows that in 2018 compared to 2017, imports of goods from the EU in Moldova increased by 19.4% to 2 billion 851.7 million US dollars.

There was coup d’état in Ukraine in 2014

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May 05, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Euromaidan. The spontaneous onset of the Euromaidan protests was a reaction of numerous parts of the Ukrainian population to former President Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013. See the previous debunk here. The 2014 presidential election in Ukraine was a genuine election largely in line with international commitments and respecting fundamental freedoms, despite the hostile security environment in two eastern regions of the country. According to the OSCE, "the people of Ukraine had the opportunity to genuinely express their will at the ballot box". This fact was reconfirmed by the parliamentary elections of 26 October 2014. The OSCE characterised the vote as "an amply contested election that offered voters real choice, and a general respect for fundamental freedoms".

The EU and the US block rebuilding of Syria

Rebuilding of Syria is blocked by EU sanctions and US oil embargo. Millions were devoted for the reconstruction of Notre-Dame, but the reconstruction and restoration of the Syrian churches takes place only sporadically with church and private funds.

May 05, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Syrian war. The EU is the leading donor in the international response to the Syrian crisis. In 2017, the EU, together with Ministers from Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, the UK and the US emphasised that recovery and reconstruction support for Syria hinges on a credible political process leading to a genuine political transition that can be supported by a majority of the Syrian people. Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, the EU has mobilised all political and humanitarian tools at its disposal in support of the Syrian people, remaining one of the main supporters of UN-led efforts to reach a political solution and the main humanitarian donor for Syrians, with over €16.9 billion mobilised collectively from EU Member States in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation assistance. Moreover, €10 billion was made available by the EU in 2018 to enable de-mining in liberated areas. This de-mining work is intended to make infrastructure and land safe for use once again, and also includes mine risk education for local populations, for returnees, and for displaced people.