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Disinfo: Poland is only capable of stopping Russian planes rushing to aid Italy

Summary

In Poland, known for its anti-Russian mood, a quiet tantrum ripens. There, they understand better than everyone else the irreversibility of the changes in Europe. And the maximum that this country is capable to do, is not to give an air corridor to the Russian planes rushing to aid Italy suffocating from a lack of artificial lung ventilation apparatus.

Disproof

This message is part of the Kremlin’s disinformation campaign around the Coronavirus epidemic, as well as accusing Poland of being Russophobic. It promotes a narrative of the EU's failing efforts in the fight with the epidemic and the successful Russian steps against the spread of the Coronavirus. The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a statement regarding the alleged refusal of Poland to allow Russian transport planes delivering aid to Italy to cross its airspace. Poland called these accusations absurd and fake – the Russian Ambassador to Warsaw, Sergey Andreyev, received an official protest of Poland about the spread of this fake news by a Russian Senator. For a more detailed debunk see Polygraph. See other disinformation messages connected to the Coronavirus epidemics - Coronavirus will cause the dissolution of the EU and NATO, Pentagon-funded biological laboratories involved in the creation of Coronavirus, The Baltic states may not survive the coronavirus-related economic crisis and Germany called for lifting sanctions against Russia because of Coronavirus.

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Sputnik Armenia - Russian (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 191
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 24/03/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Country: Italy, Poland, Russia
  • Keywords: coronavirus, Anti-Russian, Russophobia
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Coronavirus pushed the West into the Middle Ages

A combination of systemic crisis and the coronavirus epidemic dealt a blow to the West’s mythical unity. Western countries refuse to help each other by sending medical equipment or providing financial assistance. The US organised a military operation to export half a million of coronavirus tests from Italy, despite the deficit Italy is facing. The West is sinking in the Middle Ages, where everyone is for himself. The longer the epidemic stays, the further back in time the West will be submerged. The only positive aspect is that the combination of a global systemic crisis, low hydrocarbon prices, and the coronavirus pandemic may replace a new world war by moving away unsustainable political entities.

Mar 23, 2020
Disproof

This message is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin claims about the EU's helplessness in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak and a common narrative about the EU's imminent collapse. The European Union is supporting Member States in addressing the crisis and has adopted measure to mitigate the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. To cushion the blow to people’s livelihoods and the economy, the European Commission has adopted a comprehensive economic response to the outbreak, applied the full flexibility of the EU fiscal rules, has revised its State Aid rules and proposed to set up a EUR 37 billion Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative to provide liquidity to small businesses and the health care sector. To support scientific research into COVID-19, the European Commission earmarked 47.5 million EUR for shortlisted research projects that can improve epidemiology and public health, including preparedness and response to outbreaks. The EU has also created first ever stockpile of medical equipment. Read more about the EU's response here and here. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Italy, Spain, Portugal and possibly even France are in line to exit the EU, that a number of EU countries teeter on the brink of default, and that the coronavirus and economic crisis caught the EU by surprise because of its Russophobia.

Due to coronavirus, Italy is on the brink of default, many European states will likely cease to exist

The course of events in the next months can change Europe’s political map. Many European countries will likely not get through it, they will merge with bigger ones. Total economic downturns point at their absolute incapability to deal with the crisis. Italy is on the brink of default, and nobody can help it. The EU just does not possess enough money for saving the Italian economy. Everyone will care about himself in the first place. The situation is dramatic, similar events took place in the 1910s, 1920s, 1940s.

Mar 23, 2020
Disproof

This message paints a far-reaching gloomy economic and political scenario which is consistent with a common pro-Kremlin narrative about the EU's imminent collapse. Whereas the economic consequences of coronavirus outbreak for Italy are indeed grave and a sharp economic slowdown is expected, it will not inevitably face default as alleged. At present, no EU country has a credit rating low enough to justify that claim. The EU as a whole enjoys a very high credit rating. Before the coronavirus outbreak it was rated AAA/Aaa/AAA/AAA (outlook stable) by Fitch, Moody’s, DBRS and Scope and AA (outlook stable) by Standard & Poor’s. See earlier disinformation cases alleging that the coronavirus puts EU’s existence into question, that Italy, Spain, Portugal, and possibly even France are in line to exit the EU, that a number of EU countries teeter on the brink of default, and that the EU is rotten and countries are leaving it.

Research centres start to point out that COVID-19 is fabricated

Research centres in Russia and some American institutions have begun to question the origin of the COVID-19 and whether or not the virus is natural, abnormal, or laboratory-built.

Mar 23, 2020
Disproof

Conspiracy theory about the 2019-nCoV coronavirus. There is no evidence that suggests that the coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has been fabricated inside laboratories.

The medical Journal “Emerging Microbes & Infections” - Volume 9, 2020, published a scientific study entitled “No credible evidence supporting claims of the laboratory engineering” of the current Coronavirus, which denies any rumours about the epidemic being constructed inside laboratories.