Disinfo: Russian ex-spy may have overdosed

Summary

Skripal and his daughter may have overdosed on Fentanyl.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory, no evidence given. Many competing and contradictory stories promulgated by Russian state-controlled media. euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=sergei+skripal&disinfo_issue=&date=, The toxin was identified as a nerve agent at Porton Down, which is Britain's military research base. They have not done tests with nerve agents since 1989, but are still able to identify these toxins, in order to protect British civilians and troops from attacks http://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-43335148/porton-down-britain-s-secret-research-facility. The nerve agent has been identified as Novichok (which means newcomer in Russian). It is known to be more powerful than VX and was developed in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s https://www.voanews.com/a/british-prime-minister-russia-poisoning-spy/4294683.html. It's so unusual, that very few scientists outside of Russia have any real experience in dealing with it and no country outside of Russia is known to have developed the substance https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/13/europe/what-is-novichok-nerve-agent-intl/index.html British Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday a “military-grade nerve agent” known to have been developed by Russia was used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and that her government has concluded it is “highly likely” Moscow was responsible. “Either this was a direct act by the Russian state against our country or the Russian government lost control of this catastrophically damaging nerve agent and allowed it to get into the hands of others,” she said. Further debunking by Julia Davis twitter.com/JuliaDavisNews/status/971924556423356416, .

Go to search

publication/media

RIA
  • Reported in: Issue 101
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 06/03/2018
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: UK, Russia
  • Keywords: Sergei Skripal, Chemical weapons/attack, Conspiracy theory
see more

Disinfo: The US and the UK ordered the use of chemical weapons in Syria

The Syrian government has always refused allegations that it used chemical weapons, while now there is proof that the American and British governments ordered terrorists in Eastern Ghouta to use chemical weapons and then accuse the Syrian government of committing those acts. The orders were given to the jihadists of Tahrir al-Sam, Fajlak al-Rahman and Ahrar al-Sam.

Mar 05, 2018
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about chemical weapons in Syria.euvsdisinfo.eu/smear-campaign-against-civilian-rescuers-in-syria-continues/, No evidence supporting the claims. In November 2017, a UN Security Council-mandated investigation concluded that both ISIL and the Syrian government had been responsible for chemical attacks in Syria news.un.org/en/story/2017/11/570192-both-isil-and-syrian-government-responsible-use-chemical-weapons-un-security, . Russia repeatedly cast veto of United Nations Security Council action on Syria. www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-chemicalweapons/russia-casts-10th-u-n-veto-on-syria-action-blocking-inquiry-renewal-idUSKBN1DG31I,

Disinfo: Next-generation nuclear weapons unveiled by Vladimir Putin in his state of the nation address have been designed with one goal: to save peace

What we heard on March 1 [Putin’s state of the nation address] is, perhaps, a scientific and technical version of the Munich speech [Putin’s speech in Munich in 2007]. This is a technological Munich speech. And how should we name the missile [next-generation cruise missiles unveiled by Putin]? It can be called “The Peacemaker”, for example. Because its purpose is to save peace. This is peace.

Mar 05, 2018
Disproof

This is not how president Vladimir Putin presented it. In the nearly two-hour TV film World Order 2018, Russian president Vladimir Putin tells host Vladimir Solovyov: “This is called reciprocal strike.” “If there is this decision to destroy Russia then we have a legal right to respond.” “Yes, this would be a global catastrophe for humanity but I, as a citizen of Russia and the head of the Russian state would like to ask you this—what do we need a world for if there is no Russia in it?” www.newsweek.com/putin-russia-nuclear-war-834553,

Disinfo: The US bets on reducing the turnout in Russia's presidential elections to below 45 percent

On a tactical level, our overseas opponents staked on the maximum drop in turnout and delegitimization of the results of the voting on March 18. They even set specific “planks”: to recognize turnout only at the level of no more than 45 percent.

Mar 05, 2018
Disproof

Conspiracy theory, no evidence given. Neither the US nor the EU stated their wish to reduce or assess the turnout in Russia’s presidential elections to below 45 percent. Further debunking by Polygraph.info: www.polygraph.info/a/meddling-in-russian-election/29087414.html,