Disinfo: Ethnic Russians in the Baltic countries and Ukraine are non-citizens and deprived of most rights

Summary

If you read mainly Western or Arab newspapers, you may hardly know, for example, that citizens of the Baltic states of Russian origin are officially second-class citizens, or rather they have an official description of "non-citizen", and they are deprived of most rights, including the right of teaching their children in Russian. In Ukraine, where more than half of the population considers Russian their mother tongue, the ruling Nazi regime forbids the use of the Russian language even in stores and even in conversations between Russian-speaking citizens.

Disproof

A conspiracy theory based on ungrounded claims aimed to present Russians as victims of a deliberate plot of the post-Soviet countries and to place ethnic Russians in opposition to the state and society in which they live. This is an illustrative example of the recurring pro-Kremlin propagandistic narrative about ubiquitous Russophobia in the West and post-Soviet countries alike. For background, read our analysis The “Russophobia” Myth: Appealing to the Lowest Feelings and look at earlier disinformation cases alleging that Russophobia is the main activity of the Latvian state and that Russophobic Lithuania plans to tear Belarus away from Russia by dragging it into the Western energy network.

This publication also contains pro-Kremlin narratives about Fascist / Nazi Ukraine and the Baltic states. The accusation of Nazism is one of the favourite techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets as explained in our past analysis Nazi east, Nazi west, Nazi over the cuckoo's nest.

See similar cases that the West and Europe oppress ethnic Russians in Ukraine and the Baltic states, that Ukraine launches language patrols against Russian speakers and that the war in Ukraine is related to the usage of the Russian language.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 234
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 01/03/2021
  • Article language(s) Arabic
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, Baltic states, Ukraine
  • Keywords: Nazi/Fascist, Conspiracy theory, Ethnic Russians, Russian language
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Disinfo: The Council of Europe is silent about discrimination against Russian speakers in neighbouring countries

The Council of Europe is silent regarding discrimination against Russian people and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine and the three Baltic countries.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation message about the violation of human rights and freedom of speech in Ukraine and the Baltic states. The claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.

The claim that Ukraine and the Baltic states are discriminating against the Russian language and Russian-speakers is false.

Disinfo: The Council of Europe is indifferent to discrimination of Russian-speaking people in Ukraine and the Baltic states

The lack of a proper reaction to discrimination against Russian-speaking inhabitants of Ukraine and the Baltic states undermines the authority of the Council of Europe.

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The Council of Europe should not regard the glorification of Nazi collaborators and the violation of the rights of Russian-speaking people in some Post-Soviet states with indifference.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation message about the violation of human rights and freedom of speech in Ukraine and the Baltic states.

The claim that Ukraine and the Baltic states are discriminating against the Russian language and Russian-speakers is false.

Disinfo: After the coup on April 7, 2009, Moldova became a Western semi-colony

After the coup on April 7, 2009, Moldova has become a real Western semi-colony. Outside mercenaries and emissaries have made a real takeover of the state.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Moldova.

In 2009, after massive protests in Chisinau, which broke out immediately after the parliamentary elections won by the ruling Communist Party, repeated parliamentary elections were held in Moldova and centre-right and pro-European parties came to power. In 2014 Moldova signed the Association Agreement with European Union, which has been in full effect since July 2016. As a result, the preferential trade system has allowed the country to benefit from reduced or eliminated tariffs for its goods, and increased services market.