DISINFO: Poland did not invite Putin to the WWII commemoration ceremony to disrupt Belarus-Russia relations
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: sputnik.by (archived)*
  • Date of publication: July 26, 2019
  • Outlet language(s): Russian
  • Reported in: Issue 159
  • Countries / regions discussed: Poland, Belarus, Russia
Tags:
Anti-Russian WWII Conspiracy theory

DISINFO: Poland did not invite Putin to the WWII commemoration ceremony to disrupt Belarus-Russia relations

SUMMARY

By refusing to invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to the WWII commemoration ceremony Poland attempts to turn Belarus and Russia against each other. They hope that if [Belarusian president] Lukashenka comes to the ceremony and Putin does not, there will be bad blood between two of them.

RESPONSE

Conspiracy theory consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about the West's anti-Russian actions and attempts to discredit and disrupt Belarus-Russia relations.

Poland's decision not to invite the Russian delegation to WWII commemoration ceremony has to do with Russian aggression against Ukraine. Krzysztof Szczerski, chief advisor to the Polish president, stated in March 2019 that the anniversary ceremony will be held “in the company of countries with whom Poland now cooperates closely for peace based on the respect for international law, for the sovereignty of nations and of their territories”. This point was reiterated by Jacek Sasin, Polish deputy prime minister in July, who said: "I think it would be inappropriate to mark the anniversary of the beginning of the armed aggression against Poland with the participation of a leader who today treats his neighbours using the same methods."

See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland attempts to destroy the world order by not inviting Russia to commemorate the start of WWII and that the real reason behind the refusal to invite Russia is the Russian ban on the imports of Polish apples.

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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.

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