Disinfo: Lithuania is using Tatar minority as a weapon against Moscow

Summary

The Tatar minority in Lithuania became a “weapon” in the political struggle against Moscow in the context of the status of Crimea. Vilnius showed special interest in its Tatar minority after Crimea joined Russia in 2014. Lithuania started to support the radical flank of Tatars, who refuse to recognise the results of the referendum regarding the status of the peninsula. It shows that Lithuanian authorities are manipulating the feelings of Tatars to satisfy their own political ambitions.

Disproof

Recurring disinformation linked to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea.

Lithuania, as the whole EU and other international bodies, has not recognised the so-called referendum in Crimea. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution entitled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine”, stating that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 17 December 2018, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.

The European Union does not recognise and continues to strongly condemn this violation of international law, which remains a challenge to the international security order. In response to the illegal annexation of Crimea, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against the Russian Federation. On 21 June 2021, the EU renewed sanctions for a further year until 23 June 2022.

Tatars are amongst the ethnic minorities who historically lived on the territory of Lithuania. Some Crimean Tatars moved to the territory of Great Dutch of Lithuania in the XIV century when the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas formed a union with Tatars. Today the ethnic group of Tatars in Lithuania is quite small and represents 0.1 per cent of the population of Lithuania. Lithuanian parliament has also declared 2021 as the Year of Lithuanian Tatar History and Culture.

See other examples of disinformation attempting to legitimise the annexation of Crimea: Crimea’s return to Russia restored historical justice; Referendum in Crimea was held in strict accordance with international law; Crimea is primordially Russian land.

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baltnews.lt (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 257
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 06/09/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Lithuania, Russia
  • Keywords: Crimea, Crimean Tatars, Referendum, Anti-Russian
see more

Disinfo: The Biden-Zelenskyy summit proves Ukraine has become a US colony

When they say that the US is supporting future steps in certain sectors, this involves agriculture, climate and energy. That is, the one paying will have access to lands, energy production, railways and port infrastructure. This is an undeniable proof that Ukraine has become an American colony.

Sep 05, 2021
Disproof

This is a recurring disinformation narrative widely promoted by pro-Kremlin outlets to make allegations of ”foreign control” of Ukraine. The narrative is aimed at undermining Ukraine's sovereignty and struggle for territorial integrity, as well as at discrediting international support in the wake of still ongoing acts of Russian aggression in the country's Donbas region and the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula.

The disinformation claim above refers to a recent high-level summit between US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The summit has resulted in broadening strategic cooperation between the two countries in a number of areas, including the economy, military, and climate among others. In sharp contrast to the disinformation claim, active economic cooperation with a foreign country does not result in becoming a colony.

Disinfo: Global elites overthrew Donald Trump

The US does not exist as a national state which defends the interests of citizens. This was shown by the overthrow of Donald Trump. The US has become a hostage of its own global elites.

Sep 05, 2021
Disproof

This disinformation claim combines a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about secret global elites with the narrative about the stolen 2020 US presidential election from former President Donald Trump. The narrative is now being repeated in the context of the withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan.

Donald Trump was defeated by Joe Biden in a legitimate and valid election: the 2020 presidential election, which has been indisputably proven to be the most secure democratic election in history, well managed and legitimate, as determined by the US Supreme Court. See here more about OSCE election observations in the US.

Disinfo: Western leaders vowed NATO would not expand eastwards

What has not been put on paper, history quickly reduces to zero - just like the promise made by then-German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to then-Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO will not be expanding to the East.

Sep 05, 2021
Disproof

This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets alleging that the West deceived the former Soviet Union and subsequently Russia by breaking its promise not to expand NATO to the East.

In reality, these claims are unsubstantiated because there is no trustworthy evidence that any Western leader ever gave assurances to former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev about NATO’s pledge not to admit new members. There is no recorded or otherwise documented commitment to this effect. Gorbachev himself denied this claim in an interview in 2014: