DISINFO: Ukraine and UK conspired to destroy the Crimean bridge using a NATO portable nuclear device
SUMMARY
Russia seized Ukrainian vessels in the Sea of Azov because they were carrying a SADM (Special Atomic Demolition Munition) device that belongs to NATO. This portable nuclear device was transported by Ukrainian and British special forces to the Kerch Strait with intent to use it on the Crimea bridge, which NATO hates. The device was tracked by Russia and that is why it stopped the Ukrainian ships. Ukraine regularly provokes Russia with no effect, but this time Russian FSB and special forces reacted to stop the provocation that might have led to WW3. There might be a direct NATO intervention to cover it up. The UK has been psychologically preparing their people for a war with Russia.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory with no evidence provided. Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Azov Sea. It originated as a user comment in a news blog and spread to several other websites as well as English language Youtube blogs.The fact that the story has not been reported by the media is used as the evidence that the conspiracy indeed exists. The conspiracy theory combines several recurring pro-Kremlin narratives: that NATO is scared of the Crimean bridge and that the West is trying to provoke nuclear war and the World War 3. It is also consistent with pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign surrounding the Azov Sea incident, in order to distract attention from Russia's actions. The SADM (Special Atomic Demolition Munition) device was created by the US military in 1964 and withdrawn in 1989. it has never been used in real-life situation. As Foreign Policy notes: "today, visitors to the U.S. government's National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque, N.M., can get their picture taken in front of a SADM parachute container. The Special Atomic Demolition Munition has gone from being a deadly serious, if eccentric, weapon to an item of Cold War kitsch." For background:
On November 25 border patrol boats belonging to Russia’s FSB security service seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and their crews after shooting 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.
The construction of the Kerch Bridge took place without Ukraine's consent and constitutes a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It has led, in parallel with the militarisation of the Azov Sea, to tougher controls on naval traffic in the strait. The European Union stated that it expects Russia to stop the inspections.
For further reporting see the Bellingcat, DFRLab and Polygraph.