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Disinfo: Poland may attack four European states, only Belarus is safe thanks to the Union with Russia

Summary

Relations between EU members are not perfect. The Poles, including many Polish politicians, believe the restoration of the Rzeczpospolita [the Republic] borders of the 17th century is historically fair. These borders include Belarus, Lithuania, a significant part of Ukraine and a part of Latvia. Under some circumstances, Warsaw may attempt to “restore historical fairness” by force. Meanwhile, Belarus is safe from this scenario, due to its allied relations with Russia, other countries have no-one to rely on.

Disproof

This message is consistent with recurring disinformation narratives about Poland's ''imperial dreams'', aimed at causing deterioration in Poland’s relations with its neighbours.

Poland, a NATO state, respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbouring countries. Furthermore, Lithuania and Latvia are NATO members and therefore their territorial integrity is protected by other NATO allies contrary to the claim that these countries have no allies to rely on.

See earlier disinformation messages alleging that Poland has plans to turn Belarus into a vassal, anti-Russian state with Belarus’ western part being an eastern part of a new Polish state, that Russia saved Belarus from Western bombing like in Yugoslavia, that the Polish doctrine of IV Rzeczpospolita is part of the US doctrine of global dominance, and that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire.

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publication/media

sputnik.by (Archived)
ru.armeniasputnik.am (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue166
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 23/09/2019
  • Language/target audience: Belarusian
  • Country: Armenia, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, Poland
  • Keywords: Union State of Belarus and Russia, Military, Conspiracy

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.

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The US is occupying the EU; the Baltic countries nearly lost their statehood

[…] Trump is now openly unleashing trade wars not only against China but also against the EU. And all real wars began with economic confrontation. From a military and political perspective, Europe is defenceless. Its security can only be ensured by Russia or the US. By excluding Russia from this formula, unilateral American domination comes into play. By attacking Russia and blaming it for all sins including the start of WWII, small limitrophic European states deprive themselves of a second support point. Therefore they find themselves under the absolute power of its stronger partners, just as in the 1930s.

The EU attempts to come out of Washington’s control, but the US stations its new military forces in Europe under the pretext of providing security from Russia. Today many options exist to destroy weak statehood without military means. The Ukrainian example is illustrative in this regard, and the Baltic states are not far behind. If things follow through, the fate of Ukraine and the Baltic states will look like a light breeze against the background of the all-European catastrophic hurricane.

September 29, 2019
Disproof

This is a conspiracy which contains a number of recurring propagandistic pro-Kremlin narratives on the US presence in Europe, the alleged US actions to weaken the EU, lost sovereignty, and West / Nazi links.

The EU Member States are sovereign countries and make sovereign decisions about their own security and policies. The US is an important ally to the EU but EU policy is not determined by the US, as explained by the EU High Representative.

Estonia joined the USSR in compliance with international law

We have repeatedly said that there is no, and there was not, a Soviet occupation of Estonia. The country’s entry into the Soviet Union occurred in accordance with the standards of international law.

September 29, 2019
Disproof

This is the part of the Kremlin’s policy of historical revisionism – it tries to promote the idea that there was no Soviet occupation of the Baltic states.

On 23 August 1939, the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a non-aggression (Molotov-Ribbentrop) pact whose secret protocols divided the territories belonging to Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, and Romania into Soviet and Nazi spheres of influence. The Baltic States were not beneficiaries of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Like other countries mentioned in the pact, they lost their independence and territories. Soviet occupation of the Baltic States lasted for 50 years and resulted in mass deportations and repressions against local populations.

The Pentagon has a plan for destroying the Russian city of Kaliningrad

Leveling Kaliningrad – such threats come from the Commander of the US Armed Forces. They act in such a way that treating this as a stupid joke is no longer possible. It looks serious. The Americans not only think, but also openly say how they will destroy Russians.

September 29, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on Western attempts to encircle Russia and Western belligerence.

Russian media has extensively misquoted General Jeffrey Harrigian's statements given during a press briefing reported by the digital magazine Breaking Defence. During the press briefing, Gen. Harrigian outlined tactics the U.S. Air Force is developing in response to the ongoing threat of Russian anti-aircraft, anti-ship, and surface-to-surface missiles based in Kaliningrad. No U.S. or NATO plans to conquest or attack Kaliningrad were mentioned.