Disinfo: NATO is an instrument of US foreign policy and poses a threat to Russia

Summary

NATO is simply an instrument of US foreign policy. No one has any doubts about it. This is what is being talked about in Europe. The stationing of NATO weapons very close to the Russian borders is a “destructive activity” and poses a threat to Russia. Another problem is that NATO countries are hardly allowed to say anything against the Alliance stationing certain types of equipment on their territory. For example, parts of the missile defence system that would be deployed in Romania and soon also in Poland.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on NATO as a geopolitical project of the US and NATO as having a belligerent agenda against Russia. NATO is not an instrument of US foreign policy. NATO was founded in 1949 by twelve sovereign nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. It has since grown to 29 Allies who each took an individual and sovereign decision to join this Alliance. All decisions in NATO are taken by consensus, which means that a decision can only be taken if every single member accepts it. No member of the Alliance can order the deployment of armed forces of other member states. Moreover, NATO poses no threat to Russia. All Allies reaffirmed at the Brussels Summit that "the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia.” Also, in direct response to Russia's use of military force against its neighbours, NATO has deployed four multinational battle-groups to the Baltic States and Poland. These forces are rotational, defensive and proportionate. They cannot compare to the three divisions Russia has established in its Western Military and Southern Military Districts. Before Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea, there were no plans to deploy Allied troops to the eastern part of the Alliance. For more disinformation cases on NATO see here, here and here.

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Sputnik Germany (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 169
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/10/2019
  • Outlet language(s) German
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Romania, Poland, US
  • Keywords: security threat, West, European Union, Encircling Russia, NATO
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Disinfo: Orthodox world splits over “Ukrainian question”

The [Orthodox Church of Ukraine] was created as a political tool needed for its backers to expand their influence and financial wealth. Agressive actions of the OCU undrmine the concept of the Orthodox Church as a traditional religious system [sic]. These agressive actions will apparently lead to a further split among the Orthodox Church [sic].

Oct 12, 2019
Disproof

No evidence given. Conspiracy theory and recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to instigate revolutions in EU neighbourhood. Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets have frequently attacked the establishment of an autocephalous Ukrainian church. This message is also consistent with a narrative about the West challenging traditional values. Similar cases, where traditional values in Europe are attacked via "sects", can be found here, here and here.

Disinfo: Latvia rewrites World War II history

Latvia is engaged in rewriting history, speaking out against the fireworks in honour of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Riga from Nazi invaders. Soviet troops liberated Riga from the Nazis on 13 October 1944, the victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War does not need to be rewritten, this is an historical fact.

Oct 12, 2019
Disproof

Another example of pro-Kremlin historical revisionism. More cases here. The Soviet Union occupied Latvia twice. The first time the occupation lasted a year. In the summer of 1940, when Nazi Germany attacked France, the Red Army occupied Riga. This was enabled through a secret protocol to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on the separation of spheres of influence between the Soviet Union and fascist Germany. The second time, Soviet troops captured Latvia on 13 October 1944. Modern Latvia received full independence only after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 2015, the Ministers of Justice of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia signed a joint declaration on the calculation and the need to receive compensation for damage caused by the occupation of the USSR. The Baltic States' leadership have repeatedly emphasised that Russia is the successor of the USSR, therefore, it has an obligation to compensate the Baltic countries for the losses incurred. Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also emphasised that any events planned in Russia to celebrate the liberation of Riga from Nazi troops are unacceptable, because for the Baltic countries this "liberation" meant only a change from one occupying power to another, this one lasting 50 years.

Disinfo: The US has destabilised Eritrea to provoke massive migration flows to Europe

For the past 15 years the US government has deliberately destabilised Eritrea by supporting terrorism, proxy wars, regime-change and sanctions in order to provoke massive migration flows of young Eritreans to Europe. The US aims to empty Eritrea of young people in order to invade it more easily and to punish Eritrea for not agreeing to host a US military base in the Dahlak Islands. The following organisations are complicit in the US’s forced migration strategy in Eritrea: UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch. These organisations attract ever-greater funding thanks to the increase in migrations flows of Africans towards Europe.

Oct 12, 2019
Disproof

Conspiracy theory. No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative blaming Western governments for deliberately provoking massive migration flows to Europe.