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Disinfo: Crimeans were always eager to reconnect with Russia

Summary

There was no need for rigging the referendum in 2014. The Crimean population was always eager to reconnect with their Russian homeland. NATO and the European Union have every interest in maintaining a conflictual situation.

Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative on the illegal annexation of Crimea. No international body recognises the so-called referendum, announced 27th of February and held less than three weeks later. On March 27th, 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. Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, recognised April 17th 2015 that "our soldiers were deployed in Crimea to help the inhabitants express their opinion" (Interfax). No evidence given to support that "NATO and the European Union have every interest in maintaining a conflictual situation" in Ukraine.

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Sputnik France - YouTube
Sputnik France (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 138
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 25/02/2019
  • Outlet language(s) French
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: West, European Union, Manipulated elections/referendum, Crimea, NATO
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The West is getting rid of the Bulgarian weapons supplier to Ukraine

The West is getting rid of Bulgarian weapons supplier to Ukraine, Emilian Gebrev, for two reasons. On the one hand, the West wants to accuse Russia of poisoning him. On the other hand, it wants to get rid of witnesses to military crimes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Feb 24, 2019
Disproof

No evidence given. This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Skripal poisoning. For more examples see here. Gebrev admitted that he had contracts with Ukraine, but insisted they were "peanuts, small amounts, low tech". For background: Emilian Gebrev fell into a coma in April 2015, along with his son and one of his company directors. They survived the suspected poisoning, but the case was never solved. On March 4th 2018, the Skripals were poisoned in Salisbury with Novichok, a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia. In October 2018, Gebrev approached Bulgarian prosecutors with the results of laboratory tests from 2015, which he believed showed he could have been poisoned with a nerve agent similar to Novichok. Britain and Bulgaria are currently jointly investigating the 2015 poisoning of a Bulgarian arms dealer to determine whether it involved Novichok. Novichok is known to be more powerful than VX and was developed in Russia in the 1970s and 1980s. It is so unusual that very few scientists outside of Russia have any real experience in dealing with it and no country outside of Russia is known to have developed the substance. See reports by CNN, BBC, the Guardian.

Moldovan parliament ready to give up on Transnistria for the EU and NATO

The Moldovan parliament is ready to give up on Transnistria in order to join the EU and NATO. Romania announced that it wants to make Moldova part of a Great Romania.

Feb 24, 2019
Disproof

No evidence given. This is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Moldova and Romania, specifically focused on questioning Moldova's integrity and undermining Moldova's EU aspirations. There is no evidence that Romania is considering annexing Moldova. Regarding Transnistria, the speaker of the Moldovan Parliament, Andrian Candu, said in an interview: "I am sure that once - although, unfortunately, not tomorrow and, apparently, not in the near future - but in the medium term, we will be able to agree on the return of Transnistria in the status of autonomy and the beginning of reintegration".

The Bulgarian people support Venezuela

The Bulgarian people support Venezuela. On 23 February, people gathered in Sofia to partake in an anti-US rally to support Venezuela. The US intervention in other countries domestic politics truly infuriates Bulgarian people. All progressive people believe the US is a sponsor of terrorism and upheaval in the world. Nowadays, the US criminal authority is illegally transporting weapons into Venezuela, which is eerily similar to the situation in Ukraine in 2014.

Feb 24, 2019
Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative on US interference in Venezuela, presented without evidence. Similar cases can be found here and here. See background information on other Venezuela-related conspiracies. The claims that the "Bulgarian people supports Venezuela" seem overstated. The pictures, provided by the disinformation outlet, shows a rather small number of participants in the demonstration in support of Venezuelan President Maduro.