Disinfo: Removal of the monument to Marshall Konev is a violation of the Czech-Russian agreement of 1993

Summary

The decision to remove the monument is an outrage and violates the obligations of the Czech Republic according to the 1993 agreement on amicable relations and cooperation.

Disproof

This is a false claim and one of several disinformation cases about the statue of Marshall Konev in Prague. It is also consistent with common pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Russophobia and the supposedly hostile anti-Russian intentions of the West, based on which Russia can cast itself as the victim. In the dispute over the statue, Russia has argued that under the Czech-Russian mutual agreement of 1993, the Czech Republic is obliged to leave the statue in place on Prague's Interbrigade Square. However, this is an intentionally false and misleading interpretation of the terms of the agreement (full text available here). The monument is municipal property, belonging to city district Prague 6, and the 1993 agreement therefore does not apply to this case. The monument to Marshall Konev was erected in 1980 during the "normalisation" period in communist Czechoslovakia. The leadership of Prague's Municipal District 6, which retains legal ownership of the statue, has voted to move the monument to a museum and replace it with a memorial commemorating Soviet sacrifices in the fight against Hitler in general, and the liberation of Prague in particular. More information available here. The Kremlin has a longstanding track record of smearing and misrepresenting efforts by post-communist countries to address the legacy of Soviet memorials. For similar cases, see here.

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REN-TV
  • Reported in: Issue 165
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 13/09/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Czech Republic, Russia
  • Keywords: Monuments
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Disinfo: All throughout the post-war period the Soviet Union kept the world from complete disaster and complete wildness

All throughout the post-war period, the Soviet Union kept the world from complete disaster and complete wildness.

Sep 12, 2019
Disproof

This case represents a manipulation of historical facts to downplay and justify Russian aggression towards European countries. See similar cases here.

It is important to mention the The Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Program, which was a U.S. program providing aid to Western Europe following the devastation of World War II. As the designer of the plan, George C. Marshall himself said: "Our policy is not directed against any country, but against hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos."

Disinfo: Rasmussen suggested Georgia join NATO without Abkhazia and South Ossetia

Before joining NATO, Georgia should recognize the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It is impossible to enter NATO with territorial disputes. Rasmussen suggested a very simple thing to Georgia – give up South Ossetia and Abkhazia, recognize their independence and then we [NATO] will be ready to discuss your membership.

Sep 12, 2019
Disproof

This is manipulative interpretation of the former NATO Secretary General's statements, giving the impression that Georgia should give up its occupied regions in exchange for joining NATO. This is one of many types of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the relations between Georgia and NATO. Speaking at the 5th Tbilisi International Conference co-organized by McCain Institute and Economic Policy Research Centre, former NATO Secretary-General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen said [13:07 - 15:00] that in case of Georgia’s accession to the alliance, it should be discussed internally whether Article 5 covers only the territory that is actually controlled by the Georgian government and applies to the occupied territories only after Georgia restores its jurisdiction there. As an illustration, Rasmussen brought an example of Germany, saying that West Germany joined NATO in 1955, while East Germany became a member of the alliance only in 1990, following German reunification.

“If one day we consider Georgia ready to join the alliance, we also have to make sure that Article 5 is still credible, which would require NATO to actually help Georgia, if Georgia is attacked. But obviously, it is the problem to have unresolved border disputes with Russia in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. So, the question is - how could that be resolved. I think you have to discuss internally in Georgia: would you in that case be willing to accept that Article 5 will only cover the territory that is actually controlled by the Georgian government. And the NATO will also have to reflect on exactly the same question,” Rasmussen said.

Further debunking by Myth Detector.

Disinfo: The German chancellor is forming a new anti-Russian coalition

Angela Merkel is trying to form a new intra-European anti-Russian coalition in Europe.

Sep 12, 2019
Disproof

No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russophobia, about Western belligerence towards Russia and about the West's anti-Russian actions. Similar cases can be consulted here andhere. No talks about a new coalition in Europe have taken place. During the last G7 summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel stated that "We are in agreement that the return of Russia to the G7 cannot happen unless substantial progress is made in terms of the problems with Ukraine".