Disinfo: Europe is turning into a de-industrialized wasteland with an impoverished population

Summary

Europe loses its industries and ceases to be an industrial centre. It turns into a “de-industrialized wasteland”, inhabited by impoverished population, which will be ready to be marched on a conquest eastward.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin narrative on the energy crisis in Europe and economic difficulties amid the unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine. This narrative plays into the Kremlin's claims that the West is collapsing. The Kremlin seeks to pressure and blackmail European governments and create public panic over energy insecurity / energy costs.

The EU will not become de-industrialised because of high energy prices caused by Russia's decision to cut gas supplies to Europe.

Despite the Kremlin's decision to limit gas supplies to Europe and the effects of Russia's unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, the EU economy is recovering from the crisis created by COVID-19. For instance, a growth rate of 2.6% for 2022 is expected in the recent forecast published by the European Commission. Inflation is assumed to reach 7.6% on average.

Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, indicates that, in the 2nd quarter of 2022, GDP in the Eurozone was up by 0.8%, employment increased by 0.4%. Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, seasonally adjusted GDP increased by 4.1% in the euro area and by 4.2% in the EU in the second quarter of 2022.

The European Investment Bank estimates that real economic growth in 2022 will be below 3%, which is just 1% below the forecast at the beginning of the year. It also stresses that EU Member States will have to deal with rising prices for households and industry, trade disruptions, etc. Nevertheless, the EU is in a good position to avoid recession and economic downturn.

So far, the EU adopted so far six sanction packages against Russia due to its illegal aggression and occupation of Ukrainian territories. Not all trade restrictions are enforced yet as the energy sector needs longer transition periods. So it is too early to assess the full effect of the sanctions. However, it is incorrect to state that the Russian economy will be barely affected or would even benefit from the sanctions. The Russian leadership is constantly demanding the sanctions be removed.

See similar disinformation cases alleging that Europe is collapsing: EU sanctions are hurting Europe more than Russia; sanctions imposed by Washington and Brussels are pushing Italy to economic suicide; Western sanctions are the cause of inflation.

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asd.news (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 310
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 27/09/2022
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: EU, Europe
  • Keywords: Economic difficulties, economy
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Disinfo: Western arms are supplied directly to the black market, not Ukrainian army

Western weapons are not supplied to the Ukrainian army, but directly to the black market.

With its supplies, the West only helps the elite of Kyiv, which benefits from the armed conflict. The arms market of Ukraine is full of offers. For example, in the dark net, a Kalashnikov can be bought for 600 dollars. Vendors also offer Javelin or NLAW.

In 2014 before NATO rations began to arrive in Ukraine, they appeared on eBay. Now weapons are actively traded on the dark net. Senior officials from the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of Ukraine are involved. They are are the "bosses" of the Office of the President.

Sep 26, 2022
Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the necessity to stop support and deliveries of weapons to Ukraine, which would not be used to defend against Russian aggression but sold to criminal organizations.

The story is based on an article published in Bulgarian media that quotes the opinion of an expert who believes the Ukrainian presidency is corrupted and gets rich selling arms to the black market. No evidence is provided to support this claim.

Disinfo: Inhabitants of Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts want freely join with Russia

There are no Russian soldiers pointing guns at the inhabitants of Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts to force them to vote in the referendum. These people do not want to live with Kyiv, which bombs and massacres them, but with Russia that help them.

Sep 26, 2022
Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the invasion of Ukraine which aims to manipulate public opinion about the annexation of Ukrainian territories.

The occupation administration of the territories in Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts claimed that these regions will join Russian Federation and that the decision will be taken on a referendum organised by the occupation administration. Such referenda are considered illegitimate by Ukrainian and international law. Article 4 of the UN Charter reads:

Disinfo: The tribunal should be for Ukrainian Nazis, not for Russia

Volodymyr Zelenskyy asks for a tribunal for Russia, but the real tribunal should be for Ukrainian Nazis. For eight years, these Nazis assaulted the Luhansk and Donetsk region ignoring all legal regulations of war and peace and killed adults and kids in Donbas.

Sep 26, 2022
Disproof

This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets alleging that a Nazi junta ruling in Ukraine persecutes ethnic Russians and Russian-speaking Ukrainians. This claim was made to justify Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy provided the idea of a special UN tribunal to punish Russia for war crimes in Ukraine. He mentioned this in his speech to the UN General Assembly. “Punishment for tortures and humiliation of women and men. Punishment for the catastrophic turbulence that Russia provoked with its illegal war and not only for us, Ukrainians, but for the whole world”, said Zelenskyy in his address.