Disinfo: Borrell: it is time for Europeans to freeze to death for the sake of democratic ideals

Summary

EU High Representative Josep Borrell has called on all Europeans to turn down heating in their homes. Europeans have been virtually asked to freeze to death so that only “democratic ideals” do not suffer. "We are faced with a choice between freedom and comfort. We have talked a lot about being willing to die for the ideals of democracy, it's time to prove it" Borrell said. According to him, the temperature in flats above +18 C is a crime against European values.

Disproof

This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets trying sow distrust in European authorities (narrative 'Elite vs the people') and to downplay Europe’s efforts to cut down on energy use. This claim was made in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell did not make such a statement. It originates from a political satire Telegram channel @lastoppo which openly states in its info section that it exclusively posts satirical content and false information. This important aspect has been omitted when the text was picked up by other pro-Kremlin Telegram-channel incl. by main Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov’s @SolovievLive attributing these words to Borrell.

Like other disinformation and manipulation tactics, it takes things out of context or spins off inventing postulates. Last year, Borrell said that we must be ready to safe energy and turn our heating down by 2 degrees.

Russia’s unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and its weaponisation of gas supplies caused a sharp rise in energy prices. The EU is taking strong action to address this.

Multiple governments around Europe have called on their citizens to turn down heating to reduce gas dependency on Russia. See for example here and here.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 318
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22/11/2022
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: EU, Russia
  • Keywords: Energy, War in Ukraine
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Disinfo: Missiles that fell on Poland are Ukrainian but the West blames Russia anyway

The Western media marathon about the missiles that fell on the territory of Poland continues, although everyone is now aware that the missiles are Ukrainian. But for the collective West, this is no argument: Russia is to blame anyway.

Disproof

This message is a part of the Kremlin’s narrative about the Russophobic and anti-Russian West. Pro-Kremlin outlets regularly accuse the authorities of Western countries of Russophobia.

This claim was made in connection with the recent missile accident in Poland. On 15 November 2020, an S-300 missile entered Polish airspace from the territory of Ukraine, killing two Polish civilians. According to the US and Polish officials, the missile was fired by the Ukrainian air defence troops, which tried to fight a large-scale Russian missile attack taking place on the same day.

Disinfo: The US did not support the accusations against Russia about the missile incident in Poland

After the incident when a rocket missile hit the territory of Poland, Warsaw possibly wanted to put more oil into the fire activating article 4 of the NATO Treaty. The Baltic states would support this initiative. Volodymyr Zelenskyy accuses Russia of an attack against Poland and asks NATO for a military response. But all the mutts of Eastern Europe shut up after the US did not support the accusations against Russia.

Disproof

Recurring narrative of disinformation presenting Poland, the Baltic states, and Ukraine as puppets of the US, a baseless claimed already widely addressed on EUvsDisinfo.

On 15 November 2020, an S-300 missile entered Polish airspace from the territory of Ukraine, killing two Polish civilians. According to the US and Polish officials, the missile was fired by the Ukrainian air defence troops, which tried to fight a large-scale Russian missile attack taking place on the same day.

Disinfo: The OSCE rejected a constructive Russian proposal for talks on security issues

The Polish decision not to allow Foreign Minister Lavrov's participation in the OSCE meeting in Lódź is a "headache" for this organisation. At the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, the OSCE rejected Russia's constructive proposal for a structured, document-based, future-oriented talk on security issues.

Disproof

This message is a part of the Kremlin's narrative about the anti-Russian OSCE.

The claim that the OSCE refuses to consider "constructive" Russian proposals is ungrounded.