Disinfo: Suspicious American military activity in Lugar lab

Summary

[There are] suspicious biological military activities by US experts at the Lugar laboratory in Georgia, in which serious epidemiological research is being conducted for the benefits of the United States.

The only visit by a group of foreign experts occurred on November 14-15, 2018 […] and clearly aimed at misleading the international community about the true condition of the laboratory.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative concerning the Tbilisi-based Lugar Lab.

The Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research is a facility of the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) in Georgia, which became operational in August 2013, and serves as a reference laboratory for Georgia’s public health system.

The Lugar laboratory does not "hide" its activities. On the contrary, as a partner institution of the World Health Organisation, it has been repeatedly inspected for adherence to international health standards. One such inspection, in September 2018, was carried out specifically in response to Russia's false accusations that the centre had been manufacturing bioweapons.

And while Moscow refused to visit Tbilisi facility, one of the visiting experts said they "were given access to all areas of the site, examined relevant documentation, and interviewed staff, and concluded that the Centre demonstrates significant transparency. Our group observed nothing out of the ordinary, or that we wouldn’t expect to see in a legitimate facility of this sort."

The U.S Embassy in Georgia previously addressed the conspiracy theories behind the Richard Lugar Centre as "nonsense and typical of Russian misinformation and propaganda campaigns."

And the ministry of foreign affairs in Georgia responded by appealing “to assess the aggressive statements of the Russian officials towards Georgia, to condemn the obvious misinformation and not to allow raising doubts about the successful functioning of the exemplary institution in the region”.

It added that “although Georgia has no bilateral legal obligations on this issue, the country is ready to host another exercise/visit under the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons, including with the participation of Russian experts”.

Read similar cases: "The US might develop pathogen agents in the Lugar Lab", "US has a secret biological laboratory in Georgia", or that the US is preparing biological weapons against Russia, and that Ukraine became a testing site for developing biological weapons and that US laboratories in Ukraine are deadly.

see more

Disinfo: Demonstrators want to continue the war in Donbas

In the centre of Kyiv, hundreds of Ukrainian neo-Nazis held the demonstration “Ukraine will resist” as part of the “No Surrender” initiative. They demanded that the Kyiv regime continue the war in Donbas, as well as ensure complete tolerance of and a lack of jurisdiction for Nazi militants.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine. The action "Year of Zelenskyy - the year of revenge" took place in the centre of Kyiv on May 24. Activists were not demonstrating for the continuation of the war, but because they want to prevent the alleged legitimisation of the Russian backed groups that control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Other demands included the dismissal of the head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, the release of detained Maidan supporters, volunteers and the resumption of Ukraine's rapprochement with the EU and NATO. At the same time, there were no demands to continue the war in Donbas or ensure complete tolerance of and a lack of jurisdiction for Nazi militants.

Disinfo: The return of Crimea caused Western hostility against Russia

Relations between Russia and Western countries, including the United States, have deteriorated due to the Ukrainian crisis, the return of Crimea to Russia in March 2014, and sanctions against Russia. For its part, Moscow is seeking to confront this hostile Western approach and to restore normal relations with the West.

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea.

Western countries are not hostile to Russia but are responding to the violation of international law caused by the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Disinfo: Intimidation of population with the “Russian expansion to the West” is a part of the state ideology of Poland

The Polish political establishment is the most interested side in the talks about the increase of the NATO contingent in Poland. The intimidation of the population with the talks about the “Russian expansion to the West” is a part of the state ideology of Poland. The deployment of new NATO units in Poland is not only a desire to show muscle in front of Russia but is also an attempt to strengthen the Polish role in the EU and NATO in order to receive more kindness from Washington.

Disproof

This message is a part of the Kremlin’s widespread narrative about Russophobic Poland. The Kremlin-controlled media regularly accuses the political elites of Poland of Russophobia and the implementation of anti-Russian policies. Within this narrative, the “Russophobic” policies of Poland are often explained by the claim that the United States fully controls the domestic and foreign policy of this country (presenting Poland as an American “puppet-state” or a “banana republic”). The Polish authorities do not promote a policy of “intimidation with Russia”. The main current Russia-related concerns of Poland are a result of the illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's armed military aggression in Ukraine. The Polish government shows its full support to solving the Russia-Ukraine conflict and complete restoration of territorial integrity of Ukraine. The deployment of NATO troops in Poland increases the domestic security of Poland – two-thirds of the Poles have a positive opinion about NATO's activities. See other examples of similar messages claiming that constant intimidation with Russia is used to make Poland economically dependent on the USA, the Polish authorities created an insane hysteria of intimidation with Russia, used for the needs of domestic politics and the national security strategy of Poland is a manifestation of traditional Russophobia of the Polish authorities.