Disinfo: Amnesty International and the Red Cross are missionaries for CIA and the US State Department

Summary

Amnesty International, National Endowment for Democracy, Freedom House, Peace Corps, Carnegie Endowment, International Committee of the Red Cross, Heritage Foundation, Open Society Foundations and others are named “missionaries of the empire” for their obvious connections with the CIA and the US State Department.

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative casting civil uprisings in other states as US-funded "colour revolutions", consistent with multiple pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the US and its global role. Pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets regularly describes Western support to civil society and pluralism as attempts to destabilise Russia, without any proof. Similar cases can be found here and here.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 165
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 23/07/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US
  • Keywords: Amnesty International, Conspiracy theory
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Disinfo: White Helmets created by Western intelligence, have links to terrorist organisations

The White Helmets are supported by the West, helped by Israel, and are also moving freely in areas controlled by terrorist organisations, fabricating and falsifying news images and feeding on foreign money, while some say that it is the fruit of Western intelligence work.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the association of the White Helmets with terrorism in Syria. The claim that the White Helmets are the creation of“Western intelligence work” is unsubstantiated and constitutes a groundless conspiracy theory. The White Helmets are a volunteer search and rescue organization made up of a group of Syrian civilians who mobilized to help war casualties in Syria, namely injured civilians trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings. The organisation - which is made up of 3,400 volunteers including teachers, engineers, tailors and firefighters - states that it has no affiliation to any political or military actor and is committed to render services to anyone in need. See here, here and here for background on Russian disinformation campaigns against the White Helmets.

Disinfo: EU institutions are merely tools to impose Franco-German hegemony over Europe

EU institutions are merely tools used by Paris and Berlin to impose Franco-German hegemony over Europe.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory and a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative asserting that the EU is controlled by Germany and France and that the Berlin-Paris axis dominates other EU members (see examples here, here and here). The EU is governed by the principle of representative democracy with citizens directly represented at Union level in the European Parliament and Member States represented in the European Council and the Council of the EU. The European Commission has a monopoly on the initiative in EU law-making and represents the Community interest.

Disinfo: France and Germany aim to use immigration as a weapon to weaken Italy economically and blackmail it politically

France and Germany aim to use immigration as a weapon to weaken Italy economically and blackmail it politically in order to punish Italy because Italian voters refuse to follow EU rules imposed by Paris and Berlin. France and Germany seek to transform Italy into a refugee camp.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory, no evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about mass immigration being used as a weapon by powerful Western elites to weaken and destabilize Italy and/or other European countries. Another common pro-Kremlin narrative is that the Franco-German axis allegedly controls the EU (examples here, here and here), and, in this particular case, seeks to undermine Italy’s national interests.

Many EU countries – including France and Germany – are becoming increasingly aware that mass irregular migration poses a serious challenge for Europe as a whole, not just for individual member states. Italy, where most migrants end up if they make it across the Mediterranean, is demanding that the rest of the EU share its burden.