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Disinfo: Latvia and Estonia backed an attempted putsch in Belarus

Summary

The ambassadors of Latvia and Estonia were recalled from Minsk after the Baltic countries had backed an attempted putsch in Belarus.

Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Western attempts to organise a coup or colour revolution in Belarus.

The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election on the 9th of August, which were not monitored by independent experts, and are largely considered fraudulent by both international observers and a big part of the Belarusian society. On 19 August 2020 the European Council called Belarusian elections neither free nor fair. Mobilisations were organised and carried out by local actors, opposition politicians and Belarusian citizens, without any foreign involvement.

In October 2020, the EU-Council imposed sanctions against 40 individuals identified as responsible for repression and intimidation against peaceful demonstrators, opposition members and journalists in the wake of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, as well as for misconduct of the electoral process. See the full text and the Council conclusions (page 10).

Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland is preparing Euromaidan scenario for Belarus, that Belarus will turn anti-Russian in case it does not deepen integration with Russia, that the West's only interest in Belarus is to make it anti-Russian, and that the US plans to turn Belarus into its colony, a coup and foreign military invasion may happen.

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publication/media

News Front - German (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 215
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 07/10/2020
  • Language/target audience: German
  • Country: Latvia, Estonia, Belarus
  • Keywords: Coup

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

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