DISINFO: Europe blaming others for its problems with claims about alleged coronavirus “Russian disinformation"
SUMMARY
Europe’s claims about alleged “Russian disinformation” concerning the coronavirus pandemic spring from its desire to blame others for its own problems with the pandemic. The preoccupation in Europe about “Russian disinformation” in the current coronavirus pandemic situation is bizarre, to say the least. This situation clearly requires uniting the forces of all peoples and countries. A well-known Chinese proverb says: “He who directs the attention of a community towards a black cat in a dark room lacks dignity, especially if there is no cat”.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative denying that Russian media has been involved in spreading disinformation about the coronavirus. The EUvsDisinfo Database on disinformation currently (9 April 2020) contains close to 300 cases of disinformation. Russia’s disinformation campaign on the coronavirus has been well documented by both media and governments, and some of their elements were widely reported by Russian and international publications. The coronavirus is a relentless and daily topic in pro-Kremlin media, including in state-owned outlets. These messages are characteristic of the Kremlin’s well-established strategy of using disinformation to amplify divisions, sow distrust and chaos, and exacerbate crisis situations and issues of public concern. Some cases, for example, claim that Bill Gates and George Soros are sponsoring the Wuhan coronavirus, that it is a UK, US or NATO creation and Americans have its cure, that it is an artificial disease which specifically targets Chinese DNA, that it was created with economic goals while big pharma companies are spreading panic for their own profits, that it is a biological weapon against Russia and China, that it will wipe out Ukraine’s population in a few days or that it was predicted by Nostradamus and others. Read previous cases claiming that mainstream media ignores the fake news campaign against Russia and that the EU is not publishing the coronavirus disinformation case it accuses Russia of spreading.