Skripal poisoning: Provocation by the West before the Russian presidential elections

Summary

What happened to Mr Skripal: many people said that it would happen, that there will be a provocation [by the West] before the Russian elections, claiming that Russian secret services killed or poisoned somebody.

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.

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Reported in: Issue 101
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 07/03/2018
Language/target audience: Russian
Country: Russia, The West
Keywords: Sergei Skripal, Provocation, Secret services, Elections
Outlet: Vremya pokazhet @Pervyi kanal, 28:16

Either Ukraine will be part of Russia or gas pipelines will go around Ukraine

We [Russia] want to trade directly with consumers of our gas in Europe, with Germany and so on, without intermediaries. Therefore, we want to exclude these intermediaries. Therefore, either Ukraine will be part of Russia or the pipes will go around Ukraine.

[…]

IWe should not talk about Ukraine as a different country. We must talk about the reunification of the Russian people. We are a single people.

[…]

And it is necessary telling our Western partners not about fascists here but a noble idea. We must say: guys, we have a single Russian people that is the largest disunited people in the world.

March 12, 2018

Disproof

Ukraine is a sovereign country, whose independence has been recognized by the UN. Moreover, the Russians and the Ukrainians have been different peoples throughout the history and until today. Ukraine is recognised in international law as a sovereign nation state, with its own flag, nationality, language etc.

For 25 years, Russia has supported – artificially supported – the independence of the so-called Ukraine with the help of cheap gas

For 25 years, Russia has supported – artificially supported – the independence of the so-called Ukraine with the help of cheap gas and other resources.

March 12, 2018

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about Ukraine's statehood. euvsdisinfo.eu/disinformation-cases/?text=&disinfo_issue=&disinfo_keywords%5B%5D=77158&date=,

Ukraine is recognised in international law as a sovereign nation state, with its own flag, nationality, language etc.

As long as Europe is united, it is trying to capture Russia: it happened like that, when Europe was under Napoleon and Hitler, and it is happening like that now

As long as Europe is united, it will never be good to Russia. When Europe is being united, it feels super-strong and tries to capture everyone around including Russia. It happened like that, when Europe was under Napoleon and Hitler, and it is happening like that now.

March 12, 2018

Disproof

Neither the EU nor ‘united Europe’ has ever "tried to capture" Russia. Currently Russia occupies territories of Ukraine. www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=22140,