Language:

See all Disinfo Cases - Detail

Disinfo: New Ukrainian naval bases, if they appear, will serve the interests of NATO

Summary

The statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the intention to build two naval bases “to protect the Black Sea region” speaks of the upcoming de-sovereignisation of Ukraine, its transformation into another NATO branch.

New naval bases, if they appear, will serve the interests not so much of Ukraine itself as of NATO, whose leadership has long sought to gain a foothold in the northern part of the Black Sea.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation on Ukraine, the aggressive West, NATO encircling Russia and NATO belligerence. This is consistent with the narratives challenging Ukrainian statehood and painting the US and NATO as the puppet-masters of Ukrainian politics.

Ukraine is a sovereign state. Neither the US, nor NATO, control Ukraine. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity continue to be violated by acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since February 2014. Despite NATO having refuted such claims many times, pro Kremlin propaganda systematically states that NATO planned to create military bases on the territory of Ukraine: in Crimea, Donbass, the Sea of Azov. 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 are considered to be the “internal waters” of both Russia and Ukraine. A treaty stipulates that agreement from each of the two littoral countries is required for warships from any other country to enter the internal sea.

It is worth recalling, that on November 2018, border patrol boats belonging to Russia’s FSB security service seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tugboat and their crews after shooting at them, wounding several Ukrainian servicemen and arresting 24 members. As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated: "Now, Russia is attempting to use Crimea to expand its influence. And control the Sea of Azov."

See similar cases claiming that Ukraine has become a neocolony of the West, that Ukraine is an anti-Russian project of the CIA, that  Ukraine acts on behalf of the US and NATO to escalate the situation at the Azov Sea, that The West deprived Ukraine and Baltic states of their sovereignty.

Go to search

publication/media

eadaily.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 217
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21/10/2020
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Keywords: Azov sea, Black Sea, Sovereignty, NATO

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

see more

The United States is interfering in the internal affairs of states friendly to Russia

The United States is interfering in the internal affairs of states friendly to Russia, in particular, this concerns Belarus.

October 23, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US presence in Europe. This is also a recurring disinformation narrative about Belarus and, in general, about protests in post-communist countries: presenting protests, disorders and civil uprisings as  “colour revolutions” directed and funded by the US and the West.

There is no evidence that the US or other foreign forces are involved in any way in the processes in Belarus. The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election on the 9th of August, which are considered fraudulent by a large part of Belarusian society. The European Union has also stated that the elections were neither free nor fair. The European Council imposed restrictive measures against 40 individuals identified as responsible for repression and intimidation against peaceful demonstrators, opposition members, and journalists in the wake of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, as well as for misconduct of the electoral process.

The coronavirus infection is an information terrorist attack

COVID-19 is a planned information terrorist attack, there are no other signs, and we must draw very serious conclusions from this. Flu is a more dangerous infection, and many more people die from it.  

October 23, 2020
Disproof

Conspiracy theory about the emergence of coronavirus in the world that echoes pro-Kremlin disinformation about the artificial creation of COVID-19.

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which is a respiratory pathogen. WHO first learned of this new virus from cases in Wuhan, the People’s Republic of China on 31 December 2019.

Colour revolution in Belarus failed

The Belarusian opposition is so unlucky that it has every chance of losing even in the “Loser of the Year” nomination. The circumstances beyond its control and its own leaders play against the opposition. The latter issue such enchanting initiatives that it is generally unclear how to rake them up without heavy reputation and image losses.

It is not surprising that the protests in Belarus are steadily moving towards their increasingly inevitable failure. And by doing so, the republic will hammer its nail into the coffin of the worldwide myth of the colour revolution.

October 23, 2020
Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative framing popular protests as Western-backed 'colour revolutions', part of a campaign to portray massive mobilisations in Belarus as a destabilisation effort orchestrated from abroad. No evidence is provided to support the allegations.

On the contrary, for the 10th weekend in a row, tens of thousands of protesters opposing long-time President Alexander Lukashenko marched through the capital despite threats of force from authorities to open fire.