Disinfo: Poland and Lithuania directly sponsor open extremist actions against Belarus

Summary

Instead of normal dialogue and respect, Belarus faces insolent attempts from Poland and Lithuania to push their interests – these countries clearly interfere in the domestic affairs of Belarus, ignoring its sovereign rights and directly sponsoring open extremist challenges and actions [against Belarus].

Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus and to disrupt Belarusian-Russian relations. The claims that Poland and Lithuania are trying to “organise a colour revolution in Belarus” or they “openly support extremist actions against Belarus” is a conspiracy theory. Lithuania and Poland are neighbours of Belarus and continue to support the Belarusian people. On August 14, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki presented the so-called “Solidarity Plan”, which is aimed at supporting Belarusian society, which faces harsh repressions from the side of the Belarusian authorities. This Plan has five components – support for people facing political repressions; a scholarship programme; better access to the Polish labour market; support to independent media; support to Belarusian NGOs. These steps have no connection to the alleged “active interference in the domestic affairs of Belarus”. The same can be said of the European Union, who has also stated that the elections were neither free nor fair and on 2 October 2020, 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. Poland respects the principles of international law and does not intervene in the domestic affairs of any country. See other examples of similar messages: The West supports a bloody post-election Maidan scenario in Belarus; The West wants to prepare Maidan in Belarus and Poland presented a plan of active interference in the domestic affairs of Belarus.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 215
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 09/10/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Polish
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Poland, Belarus, Lithuania
  • Keywords: Manipulated elections/referendum, Alexander Lukashenko, Colour revolutions, Sovereignty, Conspiracy theory
see more

Disinfo: Kyiv prepares militants to fight against Armenia

Now they [Kyiv] are carefully working and forming a group to send militants from Ukraine to Azerbaijan. This work is underway. Let’s see if it will be just talks or not. We saw that our jingoistic patriots were ready to fight with Russia, not directly, but by participating in some local conflicts.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the recent escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Ukraine. There is no evidence that Ukraine prepares militants to take part in the current military escalation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied the possibility of Ukraine providing military assistance to Azerbaijan or Armenia. Ukraine calls on the two countries to engage in dialogue and to de-escalate the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Ukrainian Ministry for Foreign Affairs has a similar position on events in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Disinfo: A strong external player is trying to create an "arc of instability" around Russia

There are hotbeds of tension throughout the post-Soviet space. We are talking about states that are not just Russia’s neighbours. These are countries that have partner relations with Russia. Many are again discussing the arc of instability, the State Department’s naphthalene plan to increase tensions on the Russian borders. A strong external player is trying to create a kind of “arc of instability” next to Russia.

Disproof

The article appeared in the context of the recent escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh which is a continuation of the decades-old conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This conspiracy theory is hinting that the escalation of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the result of deliberate Western actions aimed at harming Russia and its interests. It, therefore, corresponds to recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the belligerent and hostile US and West and fits well into the disinformation narrative that presents virtually all protests, civil uprisings, or local conflicts as a consequence of the West's intentional actions. Read similar cases on "colour revolutions"; for example the claim that Nagorno-Karabakh conflict favours US interests, someone wants to divert Russia from Belarus and Syria, that The escalation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is directed against Russia, or that the US embassy in Armenia is a mini-Pentagon escalating tension in the region and the Middle East.

Disinfo: Events in Kyrgyzstan are a test before a colour revolution in Russia

The events in Kyrgyzstan are a continuation of the Western policy to work out the scenario of a “colour revolution” in Russia, scheduled for 2021. The upcoming elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation are speeding up the West’s preparation.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory, pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on Kyrgyzstan based on recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative that accuses the West of orchestrating "colour revolutions" in Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, and other states. The protests in Kyrgyzstan erupted to contest the results of the parliamentary elections that took place on 4 October, which are considered unfair by oppositional parties. As a result of the elections, none of the twelve established oppositional parties secured seats in the parliament. The parties declared they would not recognise the results of the vote. The President and the ruling parties were accused of vote-buying and voter intimidation. On 7 October, the electoral authorities annulled the election results. Pro-Kremlin media frequently use disinformation narratives falsely claiming popular protests around the world are incited and funded by the US and other Western states. It has been applied, among others, to protests in Ukraine, Venezuela, Georgia, and Belarus, as well as to present a deceiving narrative on the aggressive West constantly preparing new coups. See similar cases claiming that the protests in Belarus are a colour revolution conducted according to a Maidan scenario and that the West wants to prepare Maidan in Belarus.