Disinfo: NATO Expansion Destabilizes Europe

Summary

NATO expansion takes place under the flag of a mythical threat from Russia, while the alliance has not managed to adapt to the new conditions, continuing to act on Cold War calendars. The expansion of NATO in the Balkans destabilizes the situation. “The Balkans should become a place where, in the interests of developing the region, it would be possible to add up efforts, say, to Russia and the European Union”.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives on NATO. euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=NATO&disinfo_issue=&date=, The claim about NATO "expansion" misrepresents the process of NATO enlargement. NATO does not "expand" but considers the applications of candidate countries which want to join. In any case, no such promise was made https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_109141.htm. EU enlargement is not an obstacle to maintaining or developing relations with Russia as long as the countries conserned commit to and implement the necessary democratic, economic, social and market reforms. Further debunking by Stopfake www.stopfake.org/en/manipulation-nato-expansion-destabilizes-europe/,

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russian.rt.com
  • Reported in: Issue 110
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 31/05/2018
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia
  • Keywords: Western Balkans, West, EU/NATO enlargement, Europe, NATO
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Disinfo: A very good appearance of Yulia Skripal on her recent interview’s video proves that Novichok was not used on her in the UK

Many women in Russia and in other countries […] will now ask whether it is possible to set up ‘Novichok’ clinics. We really like the changes in Julia’s [Skripal] appearance – from ‘before’ to ‘after’ [Photographs shown on the screen in the studio] It is obvious there has been no ‘Novichok’ used there.

May 29, 2018
Disproof

Comparing photographs of Yulia Skripal before and after the poisoning cannot serve as a proof that there was no attack.

Many competing and contradictory stories promulgated by Russian state-controlled media on the Skripal poisoning https://euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=sergei+skripal&disinfo_issue=&date= On Sunday 4 March Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned in Salisbury with a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia. As for the scar on her throat, news outlets, including the BBC and Telegraph, have described it as a result of a tracheotomy, a surgical procedure which opens a hole in a person's windpipe to help them breathe. She has not shared specifics of her treatment, but described it as "invasive, painful, and depressing." http://uk.businessinsider.com/skripal-poisoning-yulia-skripal-neck-scar-hints-at-painful-recovery-2018-5?r=US&IR=T For the UK response see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/novichok-nerve-agent-use-in-salisbury-uk-government-response The OPCW have confirmed the UK findings in the case. "The results of the analysis by the OPCW designated laboratories of environmental and biomedical samples collected by the OPCW team confirm the findings of the United Kingdom relating to the identity of the toxic chemical that was used in Salisbury and severely injured three people." https://www.opcw.org/news/article/opcw-issues-report-on-technical-assistance-requested-by-the-united-kingdom/

Disinfo: The doctors treating the Skripals admitted that the diagnosis was not made by them

It is impossible to understand how the patients who were poisoned, if they believe what the doctors say themselves by the powerful neural-paralytic substance A234, were able to be cured in Salisbury. It is known that there is no antidote for the poison. … When being poisoned by A234 it is meaningless to give the injured air through the trachea. It is from this procedure that Julia Skripal has a deep scar around her neck. … Until now, from the public appearances of those who in one way or another have been linked to the scandalous history in Salisbury, there has not been a single convincing proof, or at least evidence that there is a Russian trace in this case .

May 29, 2018
Disproof

In the original article by BBC, which Vesti is referring to, the medical staff does not state that they didn't diagnose the Skripals. They do explain though, that when the Skripals were found, an opioid overdose was suspected. "We were just told that there were two patients down in the emergency department who were critically unwell and they would be coming up to the unit," recalled ward sister Ms Clark. But when police became aware of Mr Skripal's former career as a Russian spy, they told the hospital and discussed the possibility that he may have been the victim of a targeted attack. www.bbc.com/news/uk-44278609, Further debunking by the Insider. Many competing and contradictory stories promulgated by Russian state-controlled media on the Skripal poisoning https://euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=sergei+skripal&disinfo_issue=&date= On Sunday 4 March Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned in Salisbury with a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed by Russia. As for the scar on her throat, news outlets, including the BBC and Telegraph, have described it as a result of a tracheotomy, a surgical procedure which opens a hole in a person's windpipe to help them breathe. She did has not shared specifics of her treatment, but described it as "invasive, painful, and depressing." http://uk.businessinsider.com/skripal-poisoning-yulia-skripal-neck-scar-hints-at-painful-recovery-2018-5?r=US&IR=T For the UK response see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/novichok-nerve-agent-use-in-salisbury-uk-government-response The OPCW have confirmed the UK findings in the case. "The results of the analysis by the OPCW designated laboratories of environmental and biomedical samples collected by the OPCW team confirm the findings of the United Kingdom relating to the identity of the toxic chemical that was used in Salisbury and severely injured three people." https://www.opcw.org/news/article/opcw-issues-report-on-technical-assistance-requested-by-the-united-kingdom/

Disinfo: Latvian Army shot at civilians in January 1991

Latvian Army General Raimonds Graube carried out a provocation by shooting at civilians in January of 1991, just as in 2014 in Ukraine on Maidan where there were unknown snipers who fired on civilians. A movie on the topic shows how pseudo-revolutions are organized.

May 29, 2018
Disproof

As shown by DFRLab, the aim of the movie appears to be to resurface old allegations of violence during Latvia’s transition to independence and away from the Soviet Union. The filmmakers of the documentary include Andrey Tatarchuk, a journalist with indirectly Kremlin-financed Baltnews.lv, and a Russian artist from Estonia named Sergey Chetvertnoy. Dmitry Yermolaev, the Editor in Chief of the official Kremlin media outlet Rosiyskie Vesti Latvian edition accused two Latvian military officers of shooting at civilians. In 2005, the Latvian Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB) blacklisted Yermolaev as a Russian intelligence officer.

Rita Aksenoka, the former Head of the Extraordinary Criminal Investigations at the General Prosecutor’s Office, said: From everything I heard and saw, frankly, there is not a single true word (in the movie). There are some facts that are interpreted in a biased way.