Disinfo: Lithuania is a hostage of the American interests in Eastern Europe

Summary

The recent training bombing realised by the US B-52 bombers in Lithuania was a clear provocation – Lithuania has become a hostage in process of realisation of the American interests in Eastern Europe.

Disproof

This message is part of a broader Kremlin’s disinformation narrative about the Baltic states, which are presented as “vassals” of US and NATO and used against Russia. See other examples of this narrative here, here and here. Lithuania is an independent state, which makes sovereign decisions about its foreign and domestic policy. NATO's increased presence in the Baltic Sea region has been a request of the Baltic states. Following Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia requested a greater NATO presence in the region. Lithuanian public support for NATO is currently at a five year high, with 86% of the population in favor of Lithuania’s NATO membership, according to public opinion poll carried out in December 2018 at the request of the Ministry of National Defence. 83% of respondents also approve of NATO allies’ presence on the territory of Lithuania. NATO is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. NATO exercises and military deployments are not directed against Russia. More information about NATO exercises is available here.

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publication/media

gazeta.ru (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 170
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 27/10/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, Lithuania, Baltic states, Russia
  • Keywords: Military exercise, Lithuanian military, Encircling Russia, Puppets, US presence in Europe, NATO, Baltic states
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Disinfo: Ukraine doesn't need Donbas

From the point of view of disinformation, the reintegration of the Donbas is impossible, because, firstly, the assets that the Donetsk clan had in Kyiv, they were plundered in their pockets. From the point of view of Ukraine, assets in Donetsk itself are no longer interesting. They (Ukraine) don’t need coal. They do not need an industry that is half destroyed. In general, Ukraine does not need Donbas.

Oct 26, 2019
Disproof

A recurring disinformation narrative that it's impossible to reconnect Donbas with Ukraine, there is no willingness to do it. On the contrary, the Donbas reintegration strategy is being developed at the state level. During 2015-2019 it was the State Agency of Ukraine on the rehabilitation of the Donbas. The new power in Ukraine is planning to develop the Donbas reintegration plan by 2020. On 30 October 2019, in Mariupol, the Donetsk region, there will be the "Unity Forum" with the President of Ukraine, government and NGOs. The main theme is the returning of Donbas. The purpose of the forum is to establish a dialogue between the public and the authorities in order to overcome the challenges arising from the conflict in Donbas and its consequences. As a result of the event, participants plan to develop a roadmap for change to implement the strategy in the areas prescribed. See previous debunks on "civil war in Ukraine".

Disinfo: Maria Butina's case is fabricated

Maria Butina was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison for spying, there is something wrong here. If one is a spy, then the punishment must be well over 1.5 years in prison. If one is not a spy, why are they convicted? Her jokes with a long-time friend living in Russia were portrayed as an attempt to infiltrate into an American organization. The justice system in America does not exist. Racism flourishes. If Butina was of another nationality, no one would have even looked at her. But she was Russian.

Oct 26, 2019
Disproof

Maria Butina plead guilty and was convicted for working as a non registered lobby agent of a foreign government, not for espionage. Staying in the US with a student visa, she tried to install "back channels" between the Kremlin and conservative political circles in the US, before and after the presidential election in 2016 , in order to improve Russia-US relations. The FBI special agent's affidavit to the criminal complaint against Butina was based on the searches of two premises, surveillance, and examination of documents, including electronic items. In the course of surveillance, FBI agents witnessed Butina's meeting with a Russian intelligence officer who worked undercover as a diplomat while her phone contained contacts of several Russian intelligence agents. Read the Insider's investigation into the ties between Butina and high-ranking Russian officials.

Disinfo: EU fiercely rewrites the history of WWII

For several years now, the history of World War II has been fiercely rewritten in the European Union. European countries destroy the memory of the heroic actions of Russian soldiers.

Oct 26, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the WW2. The European Parliament called the war as the bloodiest tragedy of the century, which resulted in millions of victims of authoritarian regimes of fascist Germany and the USSR. The European Parliament has also expressed concern about the efforts of the current Russian leadership to whitewash the crimes committed by the Soviet totalitarian regime, and see them as a dangerous component of the information war against democratic Europe. See a similar disinformation case: Latvia rewrites WW2 history.