Disinfo: Tbilisi, Brussels and Washington orchestrate massive information attack against South Ossetia

Summary

The goal of the “Tsnelisi provocation” is to destroy the concept of South Ossetia’s border. A massive information attack orchestrated by Georgia, the EU and the USA against South Ossetia is another attempt by Tbilisi, Brussels and Washington to question the political consequences of the war in August 2008. Supported by its Western partners, Georgia is refusing to accept the consequences of its provocative actions. The country is refusing to sign a document on the non-use of force and is preparing its forces for a military conflict. The aim of South Ossetia is to put an end to Tbilisi’s aggression even by joining the Russian Federation.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative targeting the EU's monitoring mission in Georgia (EUMM), aiming to undermine its international credibility. The Tsnelisi incident took place on October 24 when the EUMM monitors had been detained by South Ossetian security actors. The EU Monitoring Mission released a statement noting that the incident "happened in an area understood to be on Tbilisi-Administered Territory in accordance with the traditional interpretation of the Administrative Boundary Line in that area." See previous disinformation case accusing EU observers of border violation and provocation. In 2010 Georgia signed a unilateral declaration on the non-use of force and demanded the same from Russia as Georgia considers Russia as a conflict party. Russia refuses to sign a bilateral agreement and demands Georgia to sign the declaration on the non-use of force with South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The US and the EU remain firmly committed to their policy of supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders as well as engagement with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in support of longer-term conflict resolution.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 174
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 15/11/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Georgia, US
  • Keywords: South Ossetia, European Union
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Disproof

Conspiracy theory. No evidence is provided to support the claim. This is part of a recurrent disinformation narrative about US-led regime change operations against left wing governments in Latin America. Here are such as the alleged presence of a US marine in the Venezuelan barricades and the promotion of a Ukraine-style 'colour revolution', the training of Venezuelan exiles in Guyana for military operations inside the country, preparations for a military intervention after forcing Brazil to join NATO, deliberate blackouts in South America caused by the US, or the existence of plans for the secession of oil-rich regions in both Venezuela and Mexico. This narrative also falls within the broader pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative attempting to deny the existence of genuine grass-root protests, portraying them as foreign-led efforts and fake colour revolutions. Read the statement by the EU High Representative/Vice President Federica Mogherini on the situation in Bolivia here.

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Because of the Russophobic attitude of the UK, Russian-British relations represent the most significant conflict in Europe. It is an example of how deep-rooted prejudices can spoil relations between the two countries for good.

British Russophobia has gone so far as to accuse Russia of interfering with the referendum where the UK citizens decided to leave the EU.

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative linking the UK and Russophobia with no evidence provided. Russophobia is often used in pro-Kremlin disinformation as an explanation for anyone blaming Russia for anything.

By accusing Western societies of “Russophobia”, pro-Kremlin propaganda outlets downgrade criticism of Kremlin policies and actions to being somehow irrational and not worthy of a serious reply. Read previous disinformation message stating that Russophobia is an integral part of British foreign policy.

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In several European countries, a glorification of fascism is going on. But the worst is what is happening in the Baltic countries. The nationalists seized power in the Baltic States after the collapse of the USSR. As a result, they do everything to forget the best things that connected the people of Russia and the Baltic countries. The friendship, cooperation, prosperity, the centuries-old defence against attacks from aggressors. Instead, they revive those, who together with the Germans, killed their own citizens in the camps.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative attempting to link the Baltic countries with Nazism. This message is part of the Kremlin’s policy of historical revisionism. It tries to promote the idea that there was no Soviet occupation of the Baltic states, portraying Russia and the Soviet Union as the only guarantor of security in the Baltic States and that the Baltic States benefited from the Molotov- Ribbentrop pact. The USSR occupied the Baltic States two times, firstly in 1940, under the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, then in 1944. Contrary to the claims of the pro-Kremlin media, the re-capturing of the Baltic States did not bring freedom and prosperity, but Soviet repressions and occupation, which lasted for 50 years. The estimated war and occupation deaths are at 90,000 in Estonia, 180,000 in Latvia and 250,000 in Lithuania. Furthermore, it has been estimated that between 1946 and 1953, deportations and guerrilla deaths reached 95,000 in Estonia,125,000 in Latvia and 310,000 in Lithuania. The threat of Nazism is a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative; see here for disinformation cases about Europe becoming Nazi again, Baltic states openly glorifying Nazism, Poles stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Kviv and that the EU continues the aggressive policies of Nazi Germany. The accusation of Nazism is one of the favourite techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets as explained in our past analysis Nazi east, Nazi west, Nazi over the cuckoo's nest.