Disinfo: Poroshenko may provoke a military clash with Russian forces in order to postpone election

Summary

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko may provoke a direct military clash with Russian forces before the election – that way, voting will be postponed and he will remain in power. But since Poroshenko is not an independent figure and does not make military decisions himself, this strategy would be part of unified plan led by NATO and the US, just as it happened in August 2008 in Georgia. Alternatively, if the elections take place after all, this orchestrated clash would help Poroshenko mobilise voters in his favour.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory with no evidence given. This case is consistent with pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the election in Ukraine. For similar cases see: Kerch confrontation - part of Poroshenko's plan to postpone the Ukrainian election. This disinformation case occurred in the context of President Poroshenko's address to the UN, where he declared his expectation that the UN will continue with its peacekeeping mission in eastern Ukraine.

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Pervyi Kanal (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 138
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21/02/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, Ukraine
  • Keywords: Military, Provocation, Elections, Petro Poroshenko, NATO
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Disinfo: The US introduced anti-Russian sanctions that are illegal under international law

The US introduced anti-Russian sanctions that are illegal under international law. In recent years, the US has pursued a policy towards Russia that can hardly be described as friendly. Russia’s interests are ignored while anti-Russian activities are pursued. Without any provocation whatsoever from Russia, illegal sanctions under international law are imposed repeatedly.

Feb 20, 2019
Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about international sanctions against Russia. In December 2018, the US imposed sanctions on Russian persons "in response to Russia’s 2014 invasion of Ukraine, election interference, malicious cyber-enabled activities, human rights abuses, use of a chemical weapon, weapons proliferation, illicit trade with North Korea, and support to Syria". Earlier, In August 2017, the US imposed sanctions on Russia over its alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election, its annexation of Crimea, and its involvement in Syria’s civil war. At that time, sanctions were introduced against entities doing business with Russian military or intelligence agencies, companies involved in Russian off-shore oil projects, and those participating in Russian oil or gas pipeline construction within Russia. The economic sanctions imposed on Russia were a reaction to Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. Sanctions were imposed not only by the United States, but also by Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union and other European countries outside the EU, including Ukraine.

Disinfo: White Helmets are involved in organ trafficking in Syria

The White Helmets volunteer group is running a cross-border organ trafficking operation in Syria, according to a report presented during a UN Security Council Panel of Experts in December 2018. The report provides overwhelming evidence of the abuse perpetrated against Syrian civilians living under the occupation of the White Helmets. The UK and other countries that are financing the White Helmets are ignoring this evidence.

Feb 20, 2019
Disproof

The news item presents an unverified report to advance the recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about crimes and hoaxes perpetrated by the White Helmets. The report in question was presented by Maksim Grigoryev, a member of Russia's Civil Chamber, and bases its claims on a "fact-checking" methodology consisting solely of purported witness testimony and unverifiable hearsay. The presenter himself pointed out that Grigoryev's findings are merely "evidence heard" at this point, as the UN has yet to assess their veracity and take an official stance on them. Russian officials and media outlets have previously used dubious witness accounts to support the Kremlin's narratives about Syria. An interview with an 11-year-old Syrian boy was filmed at a Russian army base and broadcast on the state-owned Rossiya-24 channel as proof that the Douma chemical attack had never occurred. A similar tactic was used at an OPCW hearing in The Hague, where the Russian delegation presented a group of Syrian nationals as supposed witnesses to the fact that the chemical attack never took place.

Disinfo: Russian takeover of Crimea prevented Polish coup d'état in Belarus

Russia is the only state genuinely interested in Ukraine’s integrity. Western countries want Ukraine as a state to disappear. The US was only interested in Crimea as a springboard for US missiles, to create a deadly threat to Russia and Belarus. If Crimea were under the Pentagon’s control, the situation in the whole region would change radically for the worse, and provoke Poland’s aggression. If Poland wouldn’t execute an outright military intervention in Belarus, it would have at least organised a successful coup d’état.

Feb 20, 2019
Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Russia's true peaceful intentions that contains disinformation elements about the war in Ukraine and the West's aggressive intentions. It is consistent with other recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives that Russia did not contribute to the disintegration of Donbas and that there are no Russian soldiers in Ukraine. For similar cases see here. There is absolutely no evidence that the US planned a takeover of Crimea or planned to place any missiles on the peninsula. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has stated that “[t]he information available suggests that the situation within the territory of Crimea and Sevastopol amounts to an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. This international armed conflict began at the latest on 26 February 2014 when the Russian Federation deployed members of its armed forces to gain control over parts of the Ukrainian territory without the consent of the Ukrainian Government." There is no evidence given for the claim that Poland was or would have prepared an aggressive operation against Belarus. This is another recurring disinformation narrative, as shown in previous cases here and here.