Disinfo: European Union is trading Russophobia

Summary

Europe wants to punish Russia for offers of a new security system in the continent. The European Union is not satisfied that it should sit outside the room when two superpowers – Russia and the US - solve problems.

Eastern Europe (young members of the EU) trade only Russophobia. They ask for “hard sanctions” on Russia.

The EU implemented anti-Russian sanctions because Russia prevented bloodshed in Crimea and politically supported Russian-speaking inhabitants of Donbas.

Disproof

The message includes a mix of narratives presenting the European Union as a puppet in the political game of superpowers (Russia and the US), accusing the EU and especially the countries of Eastern Europe of Russophobia, manipulating topics of sanctions, illegal annexation of Crimea and war in Ukraine. See our article for more on disinformation against Ukraine The Kremlin’s Playbook: Fabricating Pretext to Invade Ukraine - More Myths.

The European Union is not Russophobic but had to respond to the aggressive behaviour of the Russian Federation. The European Council “condemns Russia’s continued aggressive actions and threats against Ukraine, and calls on Russia to de-escalate, abide by international law and engage constructively in dialogue through the established international mechanisms”.

Russia illegally seized Crimea in 2014. The illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula was implemented through a non-recognised referendum, announced on 27 February 2014, and held at gunpoint on 16 March 2014, which the UN described as not valid and which could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. The EU continues to strongly condemn this violation of international law and has responded by imposing restrictive measures against the Russian Federation.

The war in Ukraine is a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces, ongoing since February 2014. There is irrefutable evidence of direct Russian military involvement in Eastern Ukraine, in the Donbas. Russia is supporting its proxies with weapons, its active-duty soldiers serve there and its top military commanders visit the war zone to coordinate joint efforts with the separatists. Despite all this Russia officially denies its military presence in Donbas.

Russia has now deployed more than 130,000 troops near Ukraine, transferred more Iskander operational-tactical missiles to the border, and increased its intelligence activity against the country, according to the Ukrainian Defence Ministry's latest intelligence assessment. Russia has also moved troops to Belarus for what it calls joint military exercises, giving it the option of attacking neighbouring Ukraine from the north, east and south.

Economic sanctions are the answer to the illegitimate actions of Russia. The EU established the sanctions regime under its own laws, specifically Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014, "concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine." More about the current EU's sanctions on Russia regarding the territorial integrity of Ukraine can be read here.

Furthermore, the European Union has stated that it will be standing firmly and decisively with Ukraine in front of any attempt to undermine its territorial integrity and sovereignty and has warned of severe political consequences and a high political and economic cost for Russia if it proceeds with further aggressive actions.

At the beginning of 2022, on 4-6 January, the EU High Representative Josep Borrell visited Ukraine, including Kyiv and the Stanytsya Luhanska checkpoint - see his statement/blog here on the consequences of the war. The High Representative said, inter alia:

“I could eyewitness the consequences of the war in the Donbas region and hear and see how the conflict has dramatically affected the lives of thousands of people, with many destinies destroyed. ...

Russia is a party to this conflict and not a mediator as it often claims. Our main interest, concern and purpose is to get Russia to de-escalate tensions.”

See similar examples of disinformation about the EU: The EU trains anti-Russian warriors in Ukraine; The European Union intends to destroy Russia; The EU helps militarising Ukraine.

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  • Reported in: Issue 272
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 26/01/2022
  • Article language(s) Russian, Lithuanian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, Ukraine, US, EU, Europe
  • Keywords: Russophobia, Anti-Russian, Sanctions, Puppets, War in Ukraine, illegal annexation
see more

Disinfo: Chemical weapons “provocations” are being prepared by the Ukrainian Military

Units of the neo-Nazi "Right Sector" and snipers from the 74th Reconnaissance Battalion and the SBU special unit "Alfa" have been moved to the contact line in Donbas to carry out provocations there. In late 2021, there was already a warning about provocations using chemicals that could be perpetrated by the Ukrainian military.

Avdeyevka, a city under Kyiv control a few kilometres from Donetsk, was not chosen at random here. As recently as the fall of 2021, several shipments of the nerve agent botulotoxin in containers ready to be fired or dropped in the format of 40-millimetre grenades were confirmed to Ukraine. At the end of the year, they were transferred to the localities of Krasny Liman and Avdeyevka.

Jan 25, 2022
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about war in Ukraine combined with unfounded allegations about potential chemical weapons attacks in East Ukraine.

There is no evidence to support claims that the Ukrainian military is preparing acts of sabotage, let alone chemical weapons attacks in non-government controlled areas of Eastern Ukraine.

Disinfo: US and Ukrainian talk of Russian invasion is aimed at inflaming anti-Russian rhetoric

The authorities in Kyiv, the US and their allies claim insistently that Russia is amassing large numbers of troops, more than 100,000, near the Ukrainian border, "in preparation for a new invasion" of the Ukrainian lands.

Russia has insisted repeatedly that it will not conduct any military operation against Ukraine, stressing that no such reports exist and that the intention of these allegations is to ratchet up tensions in the region and inflame anti-Russian rhetoric to make the case for economic sanctions against Russia, and to justify NATO's expansion to the east, which Moscow strongly opposes, as it threatens Russian security.

Jan 25, 2022
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives that are part of an ongoing disinformation campaign about Russia’s military buildup on the border with Ukraine. By accusing “Ukraine, the US and its allies” of being the driving force behind the escalation of tensions, this disinformation story aims to deny any Russian responsibility for the situation.

Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2014, occupies Crimea, and continues to fuel conflict in eastern Ukraine. What’s more is that since late October 2021, Russia has deployed more than 100,000 troops, as well as certain specialised military units, electronic warfare systems and heavy-armoured vehicles along the borders of Ukraine.

Disinfo: Western special services involved in Kazakhstan protests

The degree of organisational, logistical and operational coordination of the protesters indicates that there is a high probability foreign funds were used and Western special services were involved.

Jan 25, 2022
Disproof

There is no evidence to support claims about a foreign interference in the unrest in Kazakhstan. Instead, growing evidence points to an ongoing power struggle in the country as a driving cause in the radicalisation and expansion of the protests, which started peacefully after the government lifted price controls on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), in an already volatile context in the country.

This claim is advanced as part of a push suggesting a US policy of staging “colour revolutions” worldwide with the aim of destabilising Russia. In this case, the allegations seem to have been tailored to justify the Russian-led intervention of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation in the country.