Disinfo: Riots in the US are a chance for Zelenskyy to get independence for Ukraine

Summary

The third option [for Zelenskyy] is to head the national liberation movement to restore the independence of Ukraine from the Americans. However, this is not so easy, and Zelenskyy is afraid to do it. However, the ongoing powerful unrest in the United States [the protests against the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis] can help him. Now the American system is disorganised, especially with regard to Ukraine.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative designed to denigrate Ukrainian statehood and its independence. Ukraine is a sovereign state, not controlled by any foreign government. On 1 December 1991, the All-Ukrainian Referendum on Independence was held in Ukraine. It confirmed the Act of Independence of Ukraine that was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on 24 August 1991. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by most of the free world, including the EU. Relations between the US and Ukraine are bilateral relations between two independent countries. The US recognised Ukraine as an independent state on 25 December 1991. U.S. policy is centred on realising and strengthening a stable, democratic, prosperous, and free Ukraine more closely integrated into Europe and Euro-Atlantic structures.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 200
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 07/06/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US, Ukraine
  • Keywords: Ukrainian statehood
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Disinfo: US unrest is a second civil war

We can discuss if the events in the US are a racist war or a class war. Rather, it may be a multi-factor civil war, where what stands out is the demographic war of the white Anglo-Saxon protestants (WASP) against the unstoppable rise of Latins and permanent tensions with African Americans, the second and third minorities of the country, as well as the generational war between baby boomers and millennials. The dynamic of this second civil war is highlighted in those two incompatible cosmogonies, when each of them reclaims its existential fight.

Disproof

Despite high polarisation in the US, the unrest after the death of African American citizen George Floyd at the hands of a police officer is not a civil war. Though the situation was very tense for some days and protests spread to all 50 states of the country, military top officials and police officers worked effectively to de-escalate the situation, and demonstrations became largely peaceful after the first days. See more examples of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the racial justice protests in US , such as claims that they may be a colour revolution orchestrated by leaders of the Democratic Party or that they are being fuelled by Bellingcat site.

Disinfo: Soros' followers fear the US protests may lead to Trump’s reelection

After US protests, there are two scenarios for November’s election: the Grey Rhino that Joe Biden’s victory would mean, or the Nixon Moment, when the 1968 riots unseated Texan Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson and Californian Republican Richard Nixon came to power. The group affiliated to George Soros is the one that fears this outcome the most: Edward Luce and Gideon Rachman of the Financial Times, controlled by the Rothschild slaver bankers, and Ian Buruma of Project Syndicate.

Disproof

Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the US racial justice protests, also invoking the common narrative of a 'shadow government' led by powerful figures above elected officials. The claim that journalists Edward Luce, Gideon Rachman and Ian Buruma are part of a "group affiliated to George Soros" is baseless. The claim also has an anti-Semitic undertone, considering the framing of the Rothschild family as “slaver bankers” and billionaire George Soros as a sort of puppet master. Conspiracy theories with anti-Semitic elements are a recurrent feature in pro-Kremlin disinformation. You can find many examples in the EUvsDisinfo database, such as claims that the Rothschilds "created" Emmanuel Macron, that the Rothschilds and the Gates gave green light to the coronavirus pandemic at Davos Forum, that Karl Popper and George Soros invented the term ‘conspiracy theory’ to discredit those who speak the truth, or that Soros is behind immigration waves and colour revolutions all over the world, including the 2020 racial justice protests in the US. This disinformation message appeared in the same article as the claim that “US protests are a second civil war”.

Disinfo: The US is on the verge of civil war. This is a political game to prevent Trump from being re-elected.

What we are witnessing in the United States is a political game on the verge of a civil war in order to prevent Trump from being re-elected in November. The organisers of this campaign are not thinking that the fate of the United States is at stake.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on George Floyd's death and protests against police brutality. Also consistent with the narrative that the protests are staged by the US Democratic Party ahead of the presidential elections. Protests in the US against police brutality and institutional racism broke out in different states sparked by the death of George Floyd.