DISINFO: West and Ukraine have been demanding that Georgia open a second front against Russia
SUMMARY
After the start of a special military operation in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv and Western partners began to put pressure on Tbilisi with a demand to open a second front against Russia and “regain” Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Georgia in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, accusing the Western countries and Ukraine of pushing Georgia to open a second front against Russia.
Since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, pro-Kremlin media actively deployed a disinformation narrative that the US, the EU, or even Ukraine are dragging Georgia into the war with Russia in order to open a ‘second front’ against Moscow and to ease the situation for Kyiv on the Ukrainian front.
The claim is groundless. The West is not interested in an escalation of the war. Neither the US nor the EU, nor Ukraine are pushing Georgia to open a second front against Moscow.
This disinformation narrative often appeared in the context of showcasing various protests in Georgia as a foreign-led ‘colour revolution’ or a coup attempt. The pro-Kremlin media frequently falsely portray popular protests around the world as instigated from abroad, often by the US and the West.
This disinformation narrative has been applied, among others, to reports about protests in Georgia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Belarus, Venezuela, Slovakia, Hong Kong, with the aim of delegitimising popular movements. Such narratives also try to portray protest movements as aggressive actors, who receive orders from foreign parties constantly preparing for new coups.
Read similar disinformation cases claiming that The West urges Georgia to open a second front against Russia, The West aims at bringing an anti-Russian government to power in Georgia, that External forces like the US and Ukraine are ready to destabilise situation in Georgia, that The US and EU are pushing Georgia to start a war with Russia, that The US intends to drag Georgia into the war with Russia, that Kyiv aims to organise a coup in Georgia to drag it in the war with Russia, that Washington is using Georgia to open a second front against Russia, or that The US intends to use Georgia to inflame conflicts near Russia.