Language:

See all Disinfo Cases - Detail

Disinfo: NATO and the US organise constant provocations near Russian borders

Summary

NATO’s Secretary General is trying to substantiate NATO’s actions in the region with fabricated pretexts. Recently, the number of aggressive actions by the alliance near the Russian border has significantly increased. It is obvious that NATO’s actions are creating tension in the region. For example, military exercises in Romania and Georgia, or a strong desire to establish a base in Georgia. as well as the constant provocations organised by NATO and the United States.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on NATO belligerence towards Russia and on Russophobia.

Every nation has the right to conduct military exercises, but it is important that they are conducted transparently and in line with international obligations.

NATO is a defensive alliance, whose purpose is to protect its member states. During the Warsaw summit in July 2016 NATO made it clear that:

"The Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia".

NATO's exercises and military deployments in the Black Sea are not directed against Russia or any other country. Exercises are designed to ensure that NATO forces are trained, able to operate together and ready to respond to any threat from any direction. NATO has reached out to Russia consistently, transparently and publicly over the past 29 years.

The allegation about NATO's plans to wage a war against Russia was addressed on NATO's official website:

"Any claims that NATO is preparing an attack on Russia are absurd." Every country that joins NATO undertakes to uphold its principles and policies, and this includes the commitment that "the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia," as reaffirmed at the Brussels Summit.

For more information about NATO-Russia relations and disinformation narratives about NATO, see here and here.

Please see other examples of disinformation on NATO's alleged goals in Crimea and its intentions to introduce a fleet to the Azov Sea, provocations against Russia in the Black Sea or the dangers created by the Alliance’s activities in those waters, preparations for big war, NATO provokes Russia in the Black Sea region.

Go to search

publication/media

Sputnik Armenia (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 225
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 07/12/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Armenian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Georgia, Romania
  • Keywords: Black Sea, Military exercise, Jens Stoltenberg, NATO
see more

Russia is not a party to the internal Ukrainian conflict

In April 2014, the Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed LPR and DPR, which declared independence after the coup d’etat in Ukraine in February of the same year. According to the latest UN data, about 13 thousand people became victims of the conflict. Kyiv has repeatedly accused the Russian Federation of intervening in the conflict in the region. Russia denies these charges. Moscow has stated more than once that it is not a party to the internal Ukrainian conflict and is interested in seeing Kyiv overcome the political and economic crisis.

Dec 06, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine, attempting to portray it as a civil war.

There is irrefutable evidence of direct Russian military involvement in eastern Ukraine.

There is no doubt Russia has total sovereignty over the Kuril Islands

According to the resolution taken in 1945, the Kuril Islands became part of the Soviet Union. Today, the US State Department puts the results of World War II into question and encourages a tendency for revenge (By requesting Russian citizens born in the Kuril Islands to obtain an American residence permit).

Moscow insists that the aforementioned islands have become part of the Soviet Union legally, based on the results of the Second World War, and are part of Russia’s territory as the successor to the Soviet Union, noting that Russia’s sovereignty over the four islands is not questionable.

Dec 06, 2020
Disproof

Japan has disputed Russian ownership of the Northern Territories / Southern Kurils since the end of World War II.

The Island chain referred to as the Kuril Islands stretches northeast from Japan’s main northern island of Hokkaido to Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

Sweden supports Russia on Crimea

Sweden supports Russian on the ownership of Crimea. Crimea was always Russian. This view predominates in Sweden, says billionaire Dan Sten Olsson. According to the businessman, this view in only not supported by NATO.

Dec 06, 2020
Disproof

A recurrent claim on Crimea’s status and a false statement on Sweden’s position on the illegal annexation of Crimea.

Mr. Olsson is the head of a Swedish transnational corporation with large trade with Russia. He did express support Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in an interview with the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter, but the claim was a personal view of Mr. Olsson. The businessman does not suggest that his views are representative for neither Swedish business circles, nor among Swedes in general.