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

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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Reported in: Issue 152
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 06/05/2019
Language/target audience: Belarusian, Russian
Country: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus
Keywords: Anti-Russian, Coup, Conspiracy
Outlet: Fond strategicheskoy kultury, https://www.fondsk.ru/ Vmeste s Rossiey, http://ross-bel.ru/

West assigns blame for chemical attacks without investigating them

Western governments and organisations continue to accuse Damascus of perpetrating chemical attacks, while being unwilling to actually investigate these alleged incidents. This undermines trust in the expertise and impartiality of the OPCW, whose recent findings seem to be based on political cues from the West.

In addition, Moscow has repeatedly warned the international community of false flag attacks and provocations which are constantly being prepared in Syria. Washington and its allies continue to ignore this vital information.

May 28, 2019

Disproof

The story advances recurring disinformation narratives deflecting blame for chemical attacks from Damascus and aiming to discredit the OPCW.

Claims of the OPCW's bias and subservience to Western governments began featuring in pro-Kremlin narratives around mid-2018, when the organisation was being granted new powers to assign blame for chemical attacks.

Strikes of the Russian and Syrian Air forces are inflicted solely on the confirmed terrorist targets

Russia calls on the USA and its partners to recognise responsibility for the crimes committed by the coalition in Syria. Strikes of the Russian and Syrian air forces are inflicted solely on the confirmed terrorist targets. Therefore, there can be no talk of peaceful coexistence with them.

May 28, 2019

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin regular narrative that Russian Forces do not target civilians. There is a growing body of evidence documenting Russian and Syrian bombing of civilian targets.

According to Amnesty International, Russian warplanes deliberately targeted civilians and rescue workers during their bombing campaign. The human rights group has documented attacks on schools, hospitals and civilian homes. The director of Amnesty's crisis response program, Tirana Hassan, said that after bombing civilian targets, the Russian warplanes "loop around" for a second attack to target the humanitarian workers and civilians who are trying to help those have been injured in the first sortie. More information about Russian military intervention in Syria, about civilian deaths. Reports from international organisations: Humar Rights Watch, UN Human rights office, Atlantic council. Read the Bellingcat investigation. And the most recent case is here.

Unpublished OPCW report confirms Douma chemical attack staged

An unpublished report by the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission confirms that the April 2018 chemical incident in Douma was a false-flag operation perpetrated by the rebels.

May 28, 2019

Disproof

Recurring disinformation narratives deflecting blame for chemical attacks from the Assad regime and aiming to discredit the OPCW.

The "unpublished report" appears to be an engineering assessment carried out by one individual who, contrary to Sputnik's false claim, was never a member of the Fact-Finding Mission and is not currently employed by the organization.