Disinfo: Looking for Russian traces in the 'yellow vests' protests is a cover-up

Summary

Looking for proofs that Russia may be involved in the ‘yellow vests’ protests aims to cover wrong political decisions of other countries, for example France. NATO, the United Kingdom and the United States benefit from the anti-Russian narrative. The BBC plays a crucial role in campaigns against states which may be perceived by the Western powers as an enemy to their interest.

Disproof

No evidence given. The potential involvement of Russia in amplifying the protests in France with help of social media has been mentioned in analyses (described ia. by Bloomberg and The Times). It is now subject to investigation by French authorities.

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sputniknews.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 130
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17/12/2018
  • Outlet language(s) English
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: UK, France, US, Russia
  • Keywords: yellow vests, West, Anti-Russian, Russophobia
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Disinfo: The protests in France were organized by the UK and US

The United States and United Kingdom organized the “yellow vests” protests in France, but accused Russia of standing behind them. They try to expand the protests all over Europe in order to destroy the European Union. // The US tries to revive the historical confrontation between Germany and France in order to destroy the EU.

Dec 16, 2018
Disproof

No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin conspiracy narrative about "yellow vests" and the United States' actions in Europe.

Disinfo: An Orthodox church in Ukraine seized by unknown people

On 15 December, a group of 20 unknown people seized a Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox Church in Vinnytsia city (west-central Ukraine). // The building has been seized by people that support the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church.

Dec 15, 2018
Disproof

No evidence given. Ukrainian media published a video about a service held in that church on the 17 December. Vinnytsia police chief Serhiy Syniavskyi informed that they “sent a special patrol to the church to check things out. Everything was normal as usual". And Stop Fake contacted the caretakers of the Vinnytsia church and were told everything was normal and no one had taken control of the church. "Over the telephone we could hear singing from the mass that was taking place there at the time", mentions Stop Fake.

Disinfo: Ukrainian boats illegally crossed the Russian maritime border

In late November, Ukraine’s Berdyansk and Nikopol gunboats and the Yany Kapu tugboat illegally crossed the Russian maritime border as they sailed toward the Kerch Strait, the entrance to the Sea of Azov. The Ukrainian vessels were seized by Russia after failing to respond to legal demands to leave the area. Moscow described the incident as a clear provocation in violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and promised to suppress any attempts to challenge its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Dec 15, 2018
Disproof

On November 25 border patrol boats belonging to Russia’s FSB security service seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tug boat and their crews after opening fire at them, wounding several Ukrainian servicemen. Russia argued that they were in Russian waters. However a bilateral treaty between Russia and Ukraine, signed in 2003 and ratified by Russia in 2004, governs the use of the Kerch strait and the Sea of Azov, which in the treaty is considered to be the “internal waters” of both Russia and Ukraine. See recurring disinformation examples about the Azov Sea.