Disinfo: HRVP Josep Borrell wants to destroy Russia

Summary

There is no incentive for Russia to engage in diplomacy with the West, because the EU wants to destroy Russia. This was evident when the EU's chief diplomat Josep Borrell visited the EU Military Assistance Mission to Ukraine in Poland, clad in a Polish military uniform and speaking about how to destroy Russia.

Disproof

This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that the West aims to destroy Russia. This claim was made in the context of Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.

In reality, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Josep Borrell visited a military facility in Poland where Ukrainian soldiers are training as part of the European Union Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM). Borrell was wearing, for practical reasons, the overcoat of a military uniform during a press conference on 2 December 2022. He did not call for the destruction of Russia. His press remarks were mostly dedicated to providing military, financial and economic aid to Ukraine in order to help it withstand the Russian invasion and prevail in this war.

The West has never strived to destroy Russia. From the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of a new and democratic Russia and up to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014, Western nations were treating Russia as an equal. The EU imposed restrictive measures on Moscow in 2014, which have been amplified and broadened since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

EU members are supplying Ukraine with weapons to help it repel Russian aggression rather than to instigate it to invade Russia and occupy any of its territories. A disintegration of Russia is not part of Europe's policies. The European Union and other Western nations are calling for withdrawal and an end to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Kyiv’s precondition for such talks is a complete Russian pull-out from all occupied Ukrainian territories including the illegally annexed Crimean peninsula and the non-government-controlled areas in Eastern Ukraine. Russia has been reluctant to engage in constructive talks and is putting forward unacceptable conditions.

See more examples of Kremlin disinformation about Ukraine.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 320
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 05/12/2022
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia, EU
  • Keywords: War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Josep Borrell
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Disproof

A recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative about dangerous nuclear and chemical provocations, which are supposed to be organised by Ukraine, UK and US in order to blame Russia.

Recently, Ukraine was repeatedly accused by Russian state and Kremlin-affiliated outlets of plans to create a “dirty bomb”.

Disinfo: The Western price cap is beneficial to Russia

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Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative portraying sanctions on Russia as useless, ineffective and destructive to the West.

This claim was made in connection with the recent EU decision to introduce a 60$ price cap for imported Russian oil. This step was taken in order to reduce Russian income from oil exports used by the Kremlin to fuel its war machine.

Disinfo: The Ukrainian authorities are enemies of Jesus Christ and Orthodox Christianity

The Ukrainian authorities have turned into the enemy of the Orthodox Christian church. Satanists in Kyiv are extending their repressions to the Ukrainian Orthodox church.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation aiming at portraying Ukraine as "Satanist", in line with the recurring disinformation narrative that Ukraine is "Nazi". In early December 2022, the Ukrainian government announced that it will draw up a law banning churches affiliated with Russia, following a series of raids on parishes that Kyiv says could be taking orders from Moscow.

Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets have employed Satan and symbols associated with evil forces to prop up their disinformation efforts. In addition, they have falsely accused Ukraine of being "Nazi".