Disinfo: COVID-19 is a biological weapon created by Bill Gates, George Soros and the "Deep state"

Summary

COVID-19 is, of course, a biological weapon. It has an artificial origin, like this information wave raised around it. And the creators are supposedly the former head of Microsoft, one of the richest people on the planet, Bill Gates, and the so-called benefactor George Soros. In addition, the “Deep state”, with its centre in London is closely connected with these two. The “headquarter” of this game is located in the British Salisbury.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory, with no evidence provided to support any of the claims. This is part of a disinformation campaign on coronavirus, well documented by both media and governments. Elements of this campaign were widely reported by Russian and international publications, and by the European External Action Service. The EUvsDisinfo database has a long set of Kremlin-linked disinformation cases on this subject, such as claims that Bill Gates and George Soros are sponsoring the coronavirus, that it is a UK, US or NATO creation and Americans have its cure, that it is an artificial disease which specifically targets Chinese DNA, that it is a pretext to gain control of the world’s population, that it was created with economic goals while big pharma companies are spreading panic for their own profits, 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. The claim that Gates Foundation has a link with the ”creation” of Coronavirus is based on the fact that Bill and Melinda Gates finance some researches projects of Pirbright Institute, a centre of excellence in research and surveillance of virus diseases of farm animals and viruses that spread from animals to humans, based in the UK. On January 24, 2020, Pirbright institute posted a press release explaining that the organisation have no link with the new COVID-19. This disinformation message appeared in the same article as the claim that "The most powerful virus has been brought to Italy by Gladio, NATO's secret terrorist network".

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 193
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/04/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Armenian, Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: UK, US
  • Keywords: coronavirus, Bill Gates, Deep state, George Soros, Conspiracy theory
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Disinfo: Authoritarian regimes are best at handling disasters

What happens in the United States (the spread of the Coronavirus) confirms that capitalism is a catastrophe, and neoliberalism remains a very big predicament because it only cares for big investors and neglects people.

Democracy cannot be present amid the spread of such an epidemic (Coronavirus). Democracy is a disaster. There must be a dictatorship and I call for more oppression.

Disproof

The claim about the superiority of political authoritarianism and isolationist “closed societies” in preventing and controlling epidemics does not reflect reality. Authoritarian regimes, which tend to control and manipulate information and to limit the freedom of doctors and scientists to engage in international cooperation, are often an obstacle to the timely detection and containment of epidemic outbreaks.

A clear example isChina’s deliberate cover-up of the early days of the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan. The regime suppressed information about the virus and allowed it to spread unchecked in the crucial early days and weeks. The Chinese authorities censored and detained those doctors and whistleblowers who attempted to sound the alarm and warn their fellow citizens when they understood the gravity of the coronavirus threat.

Disinfo: The COVID-19 outbreak is not about a virus, it is about power

China is partly back to normal, so why drive people to suicide or hunt them like criminals? Because it’s not about the virus anymore, but about power.

Disproof

An unfounded conspiracy theory, sharing a recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative about "secret elites" controlling world leaders. When in March 11, 2020 the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, there were more than 118 thousand confirmed coronavirus cases in 114 countries. An updated situation report from WHO on the coronavirus pandemic can be found here. Several countries, including in Europe, have introduced restrictions on movement to curb the spread of the contagion. Some countries are easing the restrictions, as the number of cases fall. See more examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the coronavirus here.

Disinfo: Kyiv will soon try to take back the Donbass

While the world is preoccupied with the coronavirus, Ukraine will soon make a new push to take back the separatist republics in the Donbass by force. Ukraine wants to seal the fate of territories that have not bowed to the coup yet.

Disproof

No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about the war in Ukraine. The EU strongly condemns the clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since February 2014. No coup took place in Ukraine in 2013-2014. The spontaneous onset of the Euromaidan protests was a reaction of large parts of the Ukrainian population to former President Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013. See more examples of disinformation about the Euromaidan protests here.