Disinfo: Poland's national strategy is to restore its 1939 borders

Summary

High-ranking Polish officials have long ago made clear that Poland’s national strategy is to return its 1939 borders together with local inhabitants. Poland gives Belarus slaps in the face by its activities, including its territorial claims. Numerous statements of Polish president Andrzej Duda about criminal Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and Soviet occupation target Belarus and Ukraine.

Disproof

This publication contains a disinformation message about Poland's territorial claims towards Belarus and Ukraine, deducting it from Poland's criticism of Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. It fits into recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about Poland's plans to take over Belarus and partition eastern neighbours. Poland respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbouring countries, including Belarus. Claims about Poland's alleged ''imperial dreams'' are part of recurring disinformation narrative, whose aim is to deteriorate Poland’s relations with its neighbours. 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 the Polish doctrine of IV Rzeczpospolita is part of the US doctrine of global dominance, and that IV Rzeczpospolita program's objectives are to trick, deceive, derussify and to take away the sense of self-preservation from Belarusian society.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 171
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 28/10/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Poland, Belarus, Ukraine
  • Keywords: Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Imperialism/colonialism, Andrzej Duda, Conspiracy theory
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Disinfo: Ukrainian autocephalous church is a US project

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Disproof

A conspiracy theory presented without any evidence. Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets have frequently attacked the establishment of an autocephalous Ukrainian church. The Constantinople Patriarchy, not the US, decided to grant the autocephaly to the Ukrainian church. The final decision was made in January 2019, when all members of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate signed off the Tomos of autocephaly. The signing of the Tomos happened after months of careful preparations and considerations by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy Synod.

Disinfo: The US forced the Greek church to recognise Ukrainian autocephaly

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Disproof

A conspiracy theory presented without any supporting evidence. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The process of recognition was initiated by the Orthodox Church of Greece on 8 January 2019, when the Permanent Synod of the Church of Greece decided that the issue of recognition would be dealt by the Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece. In February, the Synod of the Church decided to appoint two commissions to study the issue. In August, the commissions presented a report and recommended to recognise the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. On 12 October, the primate of the church Ieronymos II of Athens and other hierarchs supported the conclusions and voted for the recognition, stating that “the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has the right to granting autocephaly”.

Disinfo: Al-Baghdadi and ISIS sprang up as a result of US actions in the Middle East

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Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that US is behind the creation of ISIS/Daesh. This message is part of a broader conspiracy theory alleging that the United States and its NATO partners have established many terrorist organisations and control global terrorism. In fact, the US is part of the global coalition against Daesh. See similar messages about the US being behind terrorist organisations here, here and here.