Disinfo: Getting a Sputnik V injection is like playing Russian Roulette says a senior EMA official

Summary

Moscow believes that its vaccine Sputnik V is still the subject of attacks and unfounded criticism.

The latest example was when an official from the European Medicines Agency declared that being inoculated with Sputnik V was like playing Russian roulette. A bad pun that greatly displeased the Moscow side.

Disproof

Disinformation linked to the current EMA rolling review of Sputnik V.

This is about words taken out of context. On 7 March 2021, Christa Wirthumer-Hoche, senior EMA member and chair of the board, was invited by the programme Talk/ Im Zentrum of the Austrian broadcaster ORF. At minute 31:40 she discusses the fact that some countries are tempted to authorise Sputnik V before its review by the EMA and doesn't recommend it. Indeed she said that [authorities] taking such an important decision before having the required information is like playing Russian roulette. This metaphor explains how an important decision is taken (firing the weapon) without having the appropriate information (is it loaded or not).

On 9 March Christa Wirthumer-Hoche also answered a question on the Sputnik V vaccine during a press conference (at minute 30:17) stating that the substance needs to comply with the EU's standards for such medicine not more and not less.

It was never said that anywhere (apart from in Moscow by a RT correspondent misrepresenting) that being inoculated with the Sputnik V vaccine was like playing Russian Roulette.

Logically, the question of inoculation comes after the decision to authorise the vaccine.

Read also related stories: Russia’s enemies are afraid of the advantage of Sputnik V and Russia’s leadership, The West ignores Sputnik V and does not allow others to use it or Previous Western criticism of the Sputnik V vaccine was due to Russophobia.

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  • Reported in: Issue 235
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 16/03/2021
  • Article language(s) French, Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Austria, EU, Russia
  • Keywords: Sputnik V, coronavirus, vaccination, Russophobia, Anti-Russian
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Disinfo: The West needs cases like Navalny to fill its information wars

The main obsession of European leaders has been to get Russia to pay a price for the luxury of living its own style, without consulting anyone. It is clear that if the West invests millions in information wars, it needs concrete cases to cover, to try to pit the public opinion against Russia. According to this approach, the Navalny case fills all the requirements. This is not a struggle for democracy or human rights, but a global power struggle. And it is clear that the EU will never be its main beneficiary, since its role is being reduced to be a mere instrument of the US global policy.

Mar 15, 2021
Disproof

This is a mix of several recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the West waging information wars in order to destabilise Russia, about the case of Alexei Navalny as a fabrication, and about Europe as a vassal of the US.

All the claims are false. “Information war” is a term used by the Kremlin to justify its own disinformation efforts, applied to anything that challenges its disinformation narratives or for calling out Russia’s illicit behaviour in the international stage. By claiming that the Navalny case “fills the requirement of an information war against Russia” and that it has nothing to do with democracy or human rights but with a global power struggle, this narrative aims to deflect any Russian responsibility for Alexei Navalny’s poisoning, his incarceration on politically motivated charges and the repression of demonstrations in his support.

Disinfo: The West encouraged the creation of the Islamic State, who are its mercenaries

The West wants to be the standard bearer of freedom and democracy, but they are the same people who encouraged the creation of ISIS. The US created the monster of the Islamic State, which was neither Islamic nor a State but a group of mercenaries led by the West.

Mar 15, 2021
Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the West’s alleged support for terrorism in the Middle East.

The claim that the West created the Islamic State is false. In fact, both the US and most EU members, as well as Canada and Australia, have taken part in the counter-terrorism mission Operation Inherent Resolve, while the EU established its own set of actions to counter Daesh.

Disinfo: Joe Biden will use US allies as tools or useful idiots

The National Security Strategic Guidance released by the Biden Administration wants to attract the faithful to go against China and Russia, to attract vassals disguised as allies. Many rubbed their hands with the arrival of Biden, but at the end there will be only one winner, the US, while its allies will be used as useful idiots: they will be only subjects or tools. Once it defeats its enemies, the US will prevail over its friends and the looting will go to the strongest because benefits are not shared.

Mar 15, 2021
Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative against the US and its allies, aiming to sow mistrust among members of the Transatlantic alliance and among the US and its partners all over the world. This disinformation piece is a direct reaction to the release of the US Interim National Security Strategic Guidance on March 3, 2021, which strongly focuses on reinforcing these alliances, a core goal of the Biden Administration. Contrary to the claim, the US doesn’t rule over these other governments, which are sovereign nations with their own policies and interests.

See other examples in our database, such as claims that Ukraine is ruled by Poles and Americans, that France is a puppet of the US, that Germany and Japan are occupied by the US, that Europe is a colony of the United States or that Georgia is under Western control.