Disinfo: European solidarity does not exist

Summary

The ban on exports of medicines and equipment from the European Union, introduced due to coronavirus, shows that European solidarity does not exist.

Disproof

This message claims inefficient governance in the EU and is consistent with a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the EU's and other Western states' inability to deal with a crisis, and divisions in alliances. However, The European Commission already announced that it will use all the instruments at its disposal to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic. Across the European Union, countries, regions and cities are helping their neighbours with the treatment of patients, protection of health workers and repatriation of the citizens amongst others. More about the European response to the outbreak can be found here. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Italy, Spain, Portugal, and possibly even France are in line to exit the EU, that a number of EU countries teeter on the brink of default, and that the EU is rotten and countries are leaving it.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 191
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 16/03/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: EU, Azerbaijan
  • Keywords: coronavirus, EU disintegration
see more

Disinfo: Strange coincidence that areas around the 40˚parallell are mostly affected by Coronavirus

It is a strange coincidence that the areas most affected by the Coronavirus are at a latitude of 40°: Wuhan, France, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Seattle, Washington and New York.

Disproof

This is another conspiracy theory about the 2019-nCoV coronavirus, based on recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about biological weapons and the Lugar Lab in Georgia.

The coronavirus (2019-nCoV) comes from a family of viruses originating in animals that include other viruses such as SARS and MERS. A group of 27 prominent public health scientists, from nine countries, wrote a statement published online by the Lancet, that "strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin", and they “overwhelmingly conclude that this coronavirus originated in wildlife,” just like many other viruses that have recently emerged in humans.

Disinfo: There are reasons to suspect that coronavirus is a US biological weapon

There are more than enough reasons for suspicions that the coronavirus is a US biological weapon. The time and place are too well-chosen to be a coincidence.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory about the 2019-nCoV coronavirus, based on recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about biological weapons. The virus "2019-nCoV” comes from a family of viruses that include the common cold and viruses such as SARS and MERS. There is no evidence to suggest it was developed artificially as a weapon of mass destruction. There are numerous similar disinformation cases about coronavirus claiming that this virus is a US provocation against China, Coronavirus is a tool to weaken the Chinese economy, Coronavirus is an attempt by the Anglo-Saxons to control China.

Disinfo: The US power elite is using the coronavirus as a biological weapon in order to reduce the world’s population

The coronavirus is a US biological weapon. Both the beneficiaries of biological weapons (financial speculators) and the managers of such weapons are in the US. The US elite possesses a complete arsenal of biological weapons. The use of these weapons is an aspect of US hybrid warfare against economic sectors that the Americans do not control. The US elite itself is safe from this virus. At the same time, it is armed not only with information technology, but also with biological weapons and with an enormous arsenal to manipulate International financial markets. Primitive Malthusian ideas prevail among the US élite: the idea that the planet cannot survive with such a high population is constantly repeated. People of the “yellow race” are victims of the virus (China, Japan, Korea). In Europe, the victims are mostly the elderly, that is, people with reduced immunity, who are traditionally viewed as “dead weight” by the US elites’ money-dominated ideology.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory. No evidence is presented to support the article’s claims. Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the 2019-nCoV 2019-nCoV coronavirus, that claims the virus was created by the US as a biological weapon, as well as recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the secret elites, “globalist elites” and “shadow governments” that manipulate global politics, economics and finance, robbing nations of their sovereignty and identity, crushing economies and threatening traditional values. The current coronavirus (2019-nCoV) comes from a family of viruses that include other viruses such as SARS and MERS. It was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in central China and has been rapidly spreading with new cases being reported in the Asian-Pacific region a well as Europe, North America and the Middle East. The World Health Organisation is working with Chinese authorities and global experts to learn more about the virus. There is no evidence to suggest it was developed or disseminated artificially. Read similar disinformation cases claiming that the US is behind the spread of Coronavirus, that the US military might have released the coronavirus to challenge China and that coronavirus is a new US biological weapon against China.