Disinfo: JIT investigators tried to bribe Volodymyr Tsemakh

Summary

Dutch and Australian investigators participated in fabrication of the MH17 case, which is a crime. They also tried to bribe Volodymyr Tsemakh, by offering witness protection, citizenship and a house in Holland.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Joint International Investigation and the downing of the flight MH17. A special team, known as the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), was established to conduct the criminal investigation of the downing of the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. The JIT comprises officials from the Dutch Public Prosecution Service and the Dutch police, along with police and criminal justice authorities from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and Ukraine. On the basis of the investigation conducted by the JIT the Dutch Public Persecution service will persecute 4 individuals for causing the crash of the MH17 and murdering of 289 persons on board. The JIT has also launched an appeal for witnesses who might have more information about the persons involved in the downing of the MH17. Every witness who comes forward maybe offered a witness safety and protection program. If necessary the program can protect witness identities and may include the use of assumed identities and may include re-location and in some cases permanent re-settling in another country. Read more here.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 172
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 03/11/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Australia, The Netherlands
  • Keywords: MH17
see more

Disinfo: Poland is losing its independence

The Polish government is submissive not only to its main ally (or even a hegemon) – the United States but also to much smaller countries such as Israel. The evidence for this statement is the recent anti-Iranian conference in Warsaw, which was in reality organized by the USA and Israel. Polish independence is weakening, or it has already been completely liquidated.

Disproof

A common pro-Kremlin narrative on the “lost sovereignty” - in the case of Poland, this country is often presented as a “puppet-state” of the United States. The statement that Poland is submissive to the will of the United States or other countries (Israel) is a conspiracy theory. Poland is a sovereign state, which shapes its own foreign and domestic policies. The Middle East conference in Warsaw took place on February 13-14, 2019 - it was officially organized by Poland and the United States. This event united 43 official delegations (mainly, from the countries of the European Union, Middle East, Middle Asia and North Africa). The main official issues of this conference were terrorism and extremism, missile development and proliferation, maritime trade and security, and threats posed by proxy groups across the Middle East. Read similar cases alleging that Polish policy towards Ukraine is shaped by the Americans and that the US keeps Poland on an anti-Russian leash.

Disinfo: A ruthless US doesn't allow Argentina to put an end to hunger

The US responded to the newly elected president of Argentina with a threat. Alberto Fernández’s plan ‘Argentina without hunger’, which includes the renegotiation of the debt with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a strategy, found a ruthless answer from the US Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin.

Disproof

This is a deliberate misinterpretation of Steven Mnuchin's statements, whose exact words were that Argentina had a commitment to the IMF and the US expected the new government to uphold it. However, he didn’t close the door to a renegotiation, only pointing out that if Argentina wanted this, they have to present a plan to the IMF for review, as with any other country. Besides, by directly linking Mnuchin’s alleged inflexibility to the hunger reduction programmes, this narrative tries to present the US as responsible for the suffering of the Argentinian people, in line with recurrent Russian disinformation about an evil US to be blamed for many of the world's problems, such as missile proliferation, Europe's disintegration, the promotion of coups and destabilisation all over the world (from Bolivia to Hong Kong, Russia, Syria, Venezuela or Hungary), the downing of Malaysian airlines flights, the sponsorship of religious destabilising movements and terrorism, the ignition of wars and the corruption of human rights.

Disinfo: Kyiv refuses to clear up its mines in Donbas

Ukraine is refusing to clear up mines in Donbas and therefore Finland will have to do it. After Kyiv refused to finance the clearing of mines left by Ukrainian soldiers, Finland has taken on the task.

Disproof

Another narrative attempting to portray Ukraine as a failing state. See recent EUvsDisinfo article Ukraine is attacked again. And again. Ukraine has never refused to clear mines in the Donbas war zone. Mine clearance is conducted simultaneously by Ukraine’s Armed Forces, the State Special Transport Service and the Emergency Situation Service. In addition, since 2016 several international organisations have been helping with mine clearance in Ukraine such as the Halo Trust, the Danish Demining Group, and the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action. In 2005, Ukraine became a signatory to the Ottawa Convention or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty and since 2012 has continued to dispose of prohibited explosive devices. In January 2019, a new law on mine safety and clearance came into force. The law states that anti-mine and clearance programmes will be financed through the state budget along with donor funds. Finland’s Foreign Ministry has confirmed that they are ready to allocate 600,000 euros for mine clearing in Donbas. In addition to Finland, over the last year Great Britain, Germany, NATO and others have provided financial assistance for mine clearing programs in Ukraine. Debunk by StopFake.