Disinfo: NATO pushes the “Anaconda strategy” against Russia

Summary

NATO’s strategy against Russia is called the “Anaconda ringlet”[...] This is based on encircling Russia in all its borders, with NATO doing the job in eastern European regions, the Baltics, the Black Sea, the Caucasus and Central Asia, while Japan does the same in the Russian far East and the US and the UK increase the pressure in the northern route.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about encircling Russia, based on a distorted interpretation of facts. Despite frequent disinformation claims in this regard, there is no evidence backing the idea that a so-called “Anaconda ring” or a similar strategy exists. While Russia has always protested NATO enlargement in Eastern Europe and presented it as a threat, the reality is that countries who joined the Atlantic Alliance in its successive enlargements did it voluntarily and as sovereign nations, not as part of a deliberated strategy of the alliance to surround Russia.

In any case, NATO is a defensive organisation and is not interested in a conflict with Russia, and has in fact tried to establish several cooperation mechanisms with this country, which Russia has successively thwarted. Besides, although NATO cooperates with Central Asia and Caucasus states, it has no role or direct presence in these regions, and similar claims regarding Japan or the alleged actions of the US and UK in the “northern route” are equally unfounded.

In this case, the claim is part of a wider disinformation campaign aiming to blame NATO and the West for increasing tensions surrounding Ukraine, which are actually the result of Russia’s massive deployment of troops and military equipment to the Ukrainian border, accompanied by other aggressive actions including disinformation. The European Union has rejected Russia’s pretension of ‘spheres of influence’ in Europe and condemned its continued aggressive actions and threats against Ukraine.

See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that the West and the US are creating outposts against Russia, that clashes in Nagorno Karabakh were part of an Anaconda ring plan against Russia, that the West is applying an “Anaconda ring” of conflicts against China as it previously did with Russia, or that Ukraine is a platform for conflict with Russia for the West, which needs a hotspot on Russian border.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 277
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 31/01/2022
  • Article language(s) Spanish
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, Japan, US, Baltic states, UK
  • Keywords: Encircling Russia, NATO
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Disinfo: Ukraine uses videos of gay couples to improve their fighting spirit

Videos circulating around show Ukraine wants to strengthen the fighting spirit using gay couples. It is surprising. If they [Ukraine] want to win the war with such videos, may God help them.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation about the war in Ukraine attempting to denigrate the Armed Forces of Ukraine but playing with a sensitive topic. The claim is part of an ongoing disinformation campaign about Russia’s military buildup on the border with Ukraine.

The claim is false. The anchor of the pro-Kremlin TV channel aired an altered video allegedly depicting a young Ukrainian gay soldier returning home and proposing to his boyfriend and commented that Ukraine wants to increase the fighting spirit using such videos.

Disinfo: Anglo-Saxons want to involve Ukraine in a war against Slavs

The Western countries want to involve Ukraine in a bloody war against Russia. Anglo-Saxons systemically set upon Slavs. The puppet government in Kyiv supports this plan.

Disproof

A recurring narrative about the Western powers pushing for war in Ukraine while presenting Kyiv as a puppet of Anglo-Saxons.

The West has no interest in the war between Ukraine and Russia. On the other hand, the war in Ukraine is an ongoing conflict. It is a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces, ongoing since February 2014. There is irrefutable evidence of direct Russian military involvement in Eastern Ukraine, in the Donbas. Russia is supporting its proxies with weapons, its active-duty soldiers serve there and its top military commanders visit the war zone to coordinate joint efforts with the separatists. Despite all this Russia officially denies its military presence in Donbas.

Disinfo: NATO is not a defensive alliance

NATO lost its defensive character after the end of the Cold War. Moreover, NATO can hardly be called a defence alliance, given its operations in Yugoslavia, Libya, and Afghanistan.

Disproof

This is part of a recurring Pro-Kremlin disinformation claim that NATO is aggressive. Contrary to the claim, NATO is indeed a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. NATO's exercises and military deployments are not directed against Russia – or any other country.

The former Yugoslavia did not break up because of NATO. The Alliance did not use military force to change borders in the former Yugoslavia. From 1992 to 1995, NATO conducted several military operations in Bosnia, including enforcing a no-fly zone and providing air support for UN peacekeepers. These activities were mandated by the United Nations Security Council, of which Russia is a member too.