Disinfo: The EU supports fascists in Ukraine and threatens war against Russia

Summary

The EU is fraternising with fascists in Ukraine, constantly tightening its sanctions and is threatening Russia with war.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about western support of Ukrainian authorities as part of anti-Russian policy, about the West preparing a war against Russia, about Nazi Ukraine, and the Russophobic and Nazi collective West.

The EU neither supports fascists in Ukraine, nor threatens to go to war against Russia.

There was in fact a clear record of strong cooperation between the EU and Russia, dating back to 1994, when the two sides negotiated a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. Russia was identified as a strategic partner for the EU, and was the only country with which the EU held summits not once, but twice a year.

A new EU-Russia agreement was being negotiated up until 2014, at which point talks were suspended due to Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Negotiations were also in train on visa facilitation. There was also cooperation between the EU and Russia on a number of foreign policy issues, some of which continue to this day. The EU and its Member States have maintained a clear policy of reaching out to Russian society and youth, mainly through the Erasmus+ student exchange programme and other people to people contacts.

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Reported in: Issue 152
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 23/05/2019
Language/target audience: German
Country: Russia, Ukraine
Keywords: EU, Encircling Russia, Anti-Russian, War preparation, Russophobia, The West, Nazi/Fascist
Outlet: Sputnik Deutschland

Prison population in the US is larger than in the USSR under Joseph Stalin

One of the most problematic issues in the US is the high criminal rates. More people are imprisoned in the US than the number of prisoners in the USSR during Stalin times. Despite this, most criminals roam freely in the streets.

June 03, 2019

Disproof

This message provides the facts out of context, thus, misrepresenting the US judicial system.

At the end of 2016, nearly 2.2 million adults were held in US prisons and jails, which is approximately 655 people for every 100,000 people residing in the US. In 2015, in Russia around 642,500 people were held behind bars, which is around 432 prisoners per 100,000 people, the highest rate in Europe.

Rat poison is added to the tap water in the US because of the high rat population in US cities

One of the most problematic daily issues in the US is sodium fluoride, which is rat poison, in US tap water. This is connected with the fact that many rats live in US cities, caused by dirty streets, a huge number of fast food restaurants with leftovers and other rubbish. High numbers of homeless people also add to the rat problem.

June 03, 2019

Disproof

This disinformation is based on an old myth saying that fluoride is used in rat poison, proving it’s dangerous. Most of the fluoride used to help teeth is called sodium fluoride (NaF), whereas rat poison often uses a different compound called sodium fluoroacetate (FCH2CONa).

Although the US (just as in most of the countries in the world) indeed has some problems with water treatment systems and reports show that chemicals and hazardous substances are found in tap water throughout different US communities, the claim connecting the use of fluoride in tap water and the rats living in the US cities is an absurd ungrounded conspiracy.

Poland is concerned over its second-class status in NATO

It will be hard for Georgia, with its military budget of 380 million USD, to get rid of the Soviet military heritage. Even NATO member Poland with its 9 billion USD military budget failed to get rid of Soviet-old armament. At the same time, Poland is concerned over its “second-class country” status in the alliance.

June 03, 2019

Disproof

“Second-class” NATO membership does not exist. NATO is an organisation of collective defence established under the Washington Treaty. NATO member states make decisions through a consensus. Consensus decision-making is a fundamental principle which has been accepted as the sole basis for decision-making in NATO since the creation of the Alliance.

Disposing of Soviet military equipment is a long-term process. Poland is undergoing a substantial military reform to strengthen its defense forces. For example, in 2015, it purchased 105 German tanks - Leopard 2A5 and also started to modernise the German Leopard 2A4. Poland also started to upgrade an important component of its airforce – the Mi-24 helicopters, equipping them with new sensors and guided missiles. On February 28th 2019, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak signed a military modernisation plan under which the country will spend 185 billion PLN (U.S. $49 billion) on new weapons and military equipment by 2026.