Disinfo: Germany called for lifting sanctions against Russia because of coronavirus

Summary

Germany called for the lifting of sanctions against Russia because of the coronavirus. Germany should rethink its attitude towards Russia and lift unproductive sanctions in light of the new coronavirus pandemic.

Disproof

Misleading title and the text that give readers the false impression that lifting sanctions on Russia is the position of the German authorities. It also pushes a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that sanctions against Russia are senseless and ineffective.

In fact, the sanctions from the US and the EU (including Germany) do not aim to punish Russia or the Russian people but were introduced to send a clear signal to the Russian government after Russia's illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula, deployment of armed formations in eastern Ukraine, and the downing of the Malaysian passenger plane MH17.

The first round of EU sanctions against Russia was introduced on 17 March 2014. Later, in view of Russia's actions destabilising the situation in eastern Ukraine, the EU imposed economic sanctions in July 2014 and reinforced them in September 2014. The latest decision on a six-month extension of EU sanctions against Russia was taken in December 2019, to last until 31 July 2020. The false narrative about sanctions being unproductive is often backed by false statistics. For example, the alleged economic growth of two percent does not withstand scrutiny. In 2018, the inflation rate went up and the rouble depreciated 20% against the dollar.

EUvsDisinfo has demonstrated that Russian media generalises singular incidents very often in order to produce stories that fit the Kremlin’s narrative.

Read similar cases on Western sanctions alleging that the EU suffers from its own sanctions more than Russia, EU sanctions against Russia are not democratic and that European Council sanctions are irrational and unjustified.

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publication/media

Sputnik Georgia - Russian

Reported in: Issue 189
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 18/03/2020
Language/target audience: Russian
Country: Germany
Keywords: coronavirus, Sanctions

The coronavirus will provoke the definite, rapid and irreversibile collapse of globalisation

The coronavirus will provoke the definite, rapid and irreversibile collapse of globalisation. If the spread of the virus is not contained in one and a half-two months, the entire global order will collapse from one day to another.

March 23, 2020

Disproof

Emerging pro-Kremlin narrative claiming that the coronavirus pandemic will soon lead to the breakdown of globalisation and the collapse of the global economic system. The narrative of “imminent collapse” is one of the core instruments of pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets, used to spread demoralisation and self-doubt among target audiences, as well as to sow discord, panic and diminish trust in national authorities, the EU and international institutions.

The article provides no evidence to support its apocalyptic claims about the imminent collapse of global order and the breakdown of globalisation. The COVID-19 pandemic is halting travel and commerce across the globe. Its spread will slow the global economy which is heavily dependent on international production and global supply chains. While the pandemic is a challenge for globalization, it will not bring the end to this long-term process. Globalisation has brought significant benefits for billions of people, and most of the world will not be eager to do away with these benefits and with the free movement of people, goods and capital.

The coronavirus outbreak is a magnificent example of global brainwashing

The wicked social control experiment using virus as the pretext for further enslavement is performing magnificently by implanting a sense of helplessness, dependence, and blind conformism. It should be noted that the favorable atmosphere enabling Them (whoever they are) to accomplish just that was contrived by the controlled and unscrupulous media in under a month of intense, coordinated, global brainwashing.

March 23, 2020

Disproof

An unfounded conspiracy theory, sharing a recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative about "secret elites" controlling world leaders.

See related pro-Kremlin disinformation cases about the coronavirus.

Coronavirus is a biological weapon created artificially

Coronavirus was created artificially and is a biological weapon. Researchers from India’s Jawaharlal Nehru University released a study, according to which COVID-19 contained HIV “insertions” and showed signs of being created in a lab. Since it is a new virus, Indian scientists concluded that the United States created COVID-19 to strike an economic blow against China.

March 23, 2020

Disproof

Conspiracy theory about the 2019-nCoV also known as coronavirus, based on recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about biological weapons.

There is no evidence that the novel coronavirus was bioengineered and genetic observations indicate that it came from an animal. Since the paper lacked substantiation, the authors soon voluntarily withdrew it.