Disinfo: Coronavirus is a biological weapon, according to scientists

Summary

The belief that the Wuhan coronavirus spread from an animal market was rejected by the World Health Organisation and now many prestigious international scientists launched the idea that virus is a result of bioengineering. Francis Boyle, creator of the 1989 ‘Law against terrorism and biological weapons’ and specialist at the University of Illinois, claimed that it is a weapon for biological war.

His claims were ignored by globalised media involved in an anti-China campaign following the guidelines of the US Department of State. Chinese pathogen QX was taken as base for the coronavirus 2019-nCoV and researched in the Wuhan BSL-4 high security lab, where not only Chinese but also US, British and Canadian biologists had access to it. Interestingly, one of the sponsors of the research was the USAID, an open collaborator of the CIA.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory. No evidence is provided to support any of the claims.

See related examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about coronavirus, alleging that Bill Gates and George Soros are sponsoring it, that it is a UK, US or NATO creation and that the Americans have its cure, that it is an artificial disease which specifically targets Chinese DNA, that it was created with economic goals while big pharma companies are spreading panic for their own profit, that it is a biological weapon against Russia and China, that it will wipe out Ukraine’s population in a few days or that it was predicted by Nostradamus and others.

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mundo.sputniknews.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 186
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/02/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Spanish
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: China, US
  • Keywords: coronavirus, Virus / bacteria threat, USAID
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Disinfo: There is no accurate list of victims who were killed during NATO bombing of Yugoslavia

There is no accurate list of all the victims even after 20 years since the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Estimates are that during the NATO bombing, between 1,500 and 2,500 people died and about 6,000 were injured. However, none made a list of their names.

Feb 12, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the number of civilian casualties of NATO bombing, previously debunked by Polygraph, and war in former Yugoslavia, aiming to portray NATO's bombing in Yugoslavia as more devastating and to demonise NATO's actions during the Yugoslav war. The Sputnik article presents no source of the quoted number of killed civilians.

According to the Humanitarian Law Center, in Serbia (excluding Kosovo) and Montenegro, 275 persons lost their lives in the NATO bombings: 180 civilians, 90 members of the Yugoslav Armed Forces and five members of the Ministry of Interior of Serbia. In Kosovo, 484 people were killed: 267 civilians (209 Albanian and 58 non-Albanian), 171 members of the YA, 20 members of the Serbian MUP and 26 members of the KLA (19 of whom died in the NATO bombing of the Dubrava prison, near Istok).

Disinfo: Crimea is a Russian region

Crimea is a Russian region; in light of current development programmes, any proposal to supply water to [Crimea] on a commercial or a non-commercial basis can be considered.

Feb 12, 2020
Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea.

Crimea is not Russian but was illegally annexed by Moscow based on an illegitimate referendum. On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 17th December 2018, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.

Disinfo: The conflict in Donbas is an internal Ukrainian problem

For Donbas, this is an internal Ukrainian problem, and we [Russia] are doing everything we can to contribute to its solution.

Feb 12, 2020
Disproof

One of the most common disinformation narratives claiming that Russia has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. See a similar case denying Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

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 and at successive summits since then, NATO leaders condemned Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine in the strongest terms and demanded that Russia stop and withdraw its forces from Ukraine and along the country’s border. NATO leaders also demanded that Russia complies with international law and its international obligations and responsibilities; end its illegitimate occupation of Crimea; 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.