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Disinfo: Polish and Lithuanian mercenaries spotted by Luhansk militias in Eastern Ukraine

Summary

Paramilitary elements from Poland and Lithuania working for a foreign security firm arrived to an area in Eastern Ukraine to train Ukrainian troops in sabotage techniques, according to the spokesperson of the Luhansk militias, Ivan Filiponenko.

Disproof

No evidence given to support this claim. The existence of paramilitary fighters or mercenaries from NATO or US-friendly countries is a recurrent narrative in Russian disinformation since at least 2014, and it prompted a diplomatic protest from Poland back then.

The allegation has been repeatedly debunked in those years, but resurfaces again and again since it is useful to try to discredit the Ukrainian army and the countries that support Kiev efforts for stabilization. Many false incidents have been attributed this ‘ghost army’, from rapes to vendettas against Ukrainian soldiers due to low morale.

See here for other disinformation cases about alleged presence of foreign mercenaries in Eastern Ukraine, from Baltic snipers to snipers from Georgia, female snipers from Poland, and even a whole NATO brigade.

 

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  • Reported in: Issue 149
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 09/05/2019
  • Language/target audience: Spanish, Castilian
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Keywords: Ukraine, Eastern Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Donbas, Foreign mercenaries
  • Outlet: Sputnik Spanish
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UK is against Azerbaijan

Several agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom, that have nothing to do with sport, produce biased and unreal considerations and try to formulate opinions of the international community that it is inexpedient to hold important sporting events in Azerbaijan.  There are no allegations of theft nor fraud, and there is no problem with ethical conduct.  I think that in this issue we have to go down to political roots. Anti-Azerbaijani forces are clearly visible here. In the period of important international events in Azerbaijan, or during such events, these forces are launching a black campaign against Azerbaijan.  If we pay attention, we can see that such campaigns are biased and have no basis.

May 14, 2019
Disproof

This report comes after Arsenal and Chelsea fans were apparently warned they could be a target for terror attacks in Azerbaijan. The Premier League sides will compete in the Europa League final in the capital city of Baku on May 29. But British media reports wrote about a ‘likely’ attack.

This has been taken out of context, as the UK government responded, explaining this advice is not new: "We did not issue a new warning on the threat from terrorism in Azerbaijan. We issued an update to our Azerbaijan travel advice on 1 May to remove advice on travelling through Istanbul. It noted that there are consultative pages on every country for British people travelling abroad: “Each travel advice country page has a dedicated section with information on our assessment of the threat from terrorism in that country. This is to ensure we fulfil our duty of care to British nationals and is under constant review. Our assessment of the threat from terrorism in Azerbaijan has not changed.”

Ukrainian naval vessels violated the Russian border in Kerch Strait

Three Ukrainian naval vessels violated the Russian border on 25th of November of the last year. They entered the closed waters of Russia’s territorial sea and headed for the Kerch Strait through the Black Sea. They demonstrated dangerous manoeuvres and failed to obey the legitimate orders of the Russian authorities. The Russians arrested the sailors on the charges of illegal border crossing. Vladimir Putin called the incident a provocation related to the low ratings of then President Poroshenko before the elections.

May 13, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Kerch Strait incident.

On November 25th 2018, border patrol boats belonging to Russia’s FSB security service seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and a tug boat and their crews after shooting at them, wounding several Ukrainian servicemen. Russia argued that they were in Russian waters.

Foreign powers command political parties in Romania

The electoral campaign for the future European Parliament is ongoing. In Romania, as in the entire Union, the battle takes place between sovereignists and globalists. Romanian parties such as USR-PLUS, PMP, and Pro Romania obey orders coming from abroad and try to annihilate national sovereignty for the benefit of foreign powers.

May 13, 2019
Disproof

Conspiracy theory, no evidence given.

This message is in line with previous narratives claiming that the EU is a threat to member states' sovereignty and economic survival,  and that foreign powers are interfering in Romanian internal affairs.

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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.