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Disinfo: Blocking Crimea, the new NATO/US strategy in the Black Sea

Summary

Despite reports accusing Russia of deploying forces to take over Black and Azov seas, it is not difficult to understand that it is NATO who is trying to increase tension there due to military exercises such as Sea Breeze and Agile Spirit. The US may organize different provocative actions in the Black Sea using countries such as Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine, to get Moscow used to have US ships entering in its maritime space.

Disproof

No evidence is provided to support this claim. This is part of a recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying NATO as an aggressive power and Russia as acting in a self-defensive way.

Sea Breeze military exercises have been taking place each year since 1997, while Agile Spirit joint military exercises started in 2001 under a different name and were celebrated on a biennial base since then, so they can’t be considered a source of increased tensions. In both cases, the purpose is to enhance inter-operability between NATO and allied armies.

Here you can see other examples of disinformation on NATO alleged goals in Crimea and its intentions to introduce a fleet to the Azov Sea, provocations against Russia in the Black Sea or the dangers created by the Alliance’s activities in those waters.

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publication/media

Sputnik Spain (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 168
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 09/10/2019
  • Language/target audience: Spanish, Castilian
  • Country: Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Ukraine
  • Keywords: Azov sea, Black Sea, NATO

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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