Disinfo: The expansion of NATO to the East is military aggression

Summary

The essence of the ongoing expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance to the east is a kind of military aggression. Sea Breeze 2020 NATO exercise in the Black Sea is powder keg games. NATO activities in the Black Sea and the Sea Breeze exercises are creating an explosive political-military situation, contributing to the militarisation of the Black Sea states and weakening regional security.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about aggressive NATO and encircled Russia. NATO enlargement means that NATO's door remains open to any European country in a position to undertake the commitments and obligations of membership and contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic area. Central and Eastern European countries began seeking NATO membership in the early 1990s. NATO actively sought to create a cooperative environment that was conducive to enlargement while simultaneously building special relations with Russia. Furthermore, NATO does not "expand" in the aggressive sense as described by pro-Kremlin media. Rather, it considers the applications of candidate countries who want to join the alliance based on their own national will. As such, NATO enlargement is not directed against Russia. NATO's "Open Door Policy" is based on Article 10 of the Alliance's founding document, the North Atlantic Treaty (1949). Every sovereign nation has the right to choose its own security arrangements. This is a fundamental principle of European security and one to which Russia has also subscribed. Sea Breeze is constantly becoming the topic of disinformation narratives. Sea Breeze is an annually recurring multinational exercise, it does not aim, nor threaten, to invade any territory or to exert any pressure. Sea Breeze seeks to build combined capability and capacity to ensure maritime regional security and foster cooperative relationships among partnering nations. Read similar cases claiming that Sea Breeze exercises intend to create military-political pressure on Moscow, that "NATO's "Sea Breeze 2019" was a total failure thanks to Russia", and that "The United States is preparing Ukraine for a new provocation against Russia".

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  • Reported in: Issue 206
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21/07/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: EU, Russia
  • Keywords: Black Sea, Military exercise, EU/NATO enlargement, NATO
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Disinfo: Armenia has blocked broadcasting from Russia

Armenia blocked broadcasting from Russia. Armenian parliament nevertheless adopted a scandalous law on broadcasting in a foreign language. Parliament voted to ban the free broadcasting of Russian TV channels in Armenia. The rationale for the adoption of such a law is almost classical for post-Soviet limitrophes – the National Commission on Television and Radio Broadcasting believes that these channels are no less a threat to Armenia’s national security. Of course, this is an act of cleansing the country’s information space from Russian influence. Or even the act of clearing out for something new? This we will see in the nearest future.

Jul 20, 2020
Disproof

A manipulative statement, accusing Armenian authorities of being Russophobic and Anti-Russian. Misinterpretation of the "Audiovisual Media Law" of the Republic of Armenia. Armenia did not block Russian channels, the Law is regulating the broadcasting in foreign languages, including Russian in public multiplex only. It does not mean a ban on the broadcasting of Russian TV companies in Armenia and leaves both states the opportunity to conclude intergovernmental agreements to ensure broadcasting of Russian channels through the public multiplex of Armenia. The new law regulates the public multiplex, where foreign broadcasters can broadcast only under the interstate or intergovernmental or international agreements. For example, Russian MIR TV is broadcasting under the intergovernmental agreement. There is no talk about shutting down hundreds of foreign broadcasters that are available on cable networks, satellites, it is only about a public multiplex. The purpose of the law is to broadcast programmes in the state language, to promote a state agenda, preserve the national identity, language and culture in the free public multiplex.

There is no country in the world, including Russia itself, where there are foreign channels in the public multiplex.

Disinfo: Russia does not interfere in other countries sovereign affairs

Russia has never been a colonial country. Also, Russia has never known what is called looting of foreign countries. Our foreign policy is based on respect for international law and does not accept attempts to dominate, dictate the will of others over independent countries, nor interfere in the affairs of their sovereignty.

Jul 20, 2020
Disproof

Recurrent narrative praising peaceful Russia and its superiority over other countries.

Russia has a long track-record in interfering with other countries' sovereign affairs.

Disinfo: Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada admitted that Kyiv will not implement the Minsk agreements

The chairman of the Verkhovna Rada admitted that Kyiv is not going to implement the Minsk agreements. The Verkhovna Rada will not make any changes to the Constitution of Ukraine on the proposal of other countries, even if it is foreseen by the Minsk agreements and is necessary to end the war in Donbas. This was stated by Chairman of the Ukrainian parliament Dmitro Razumkov during a press conference. The head of the Rada replied that adding amendments, which are envisaged by the Minsk agreements, to the fundamental law of Ukraine is not even a subject to discussion.

Jul 20, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine and the Minsk Agreements. The Chairman of the Ukrainian parliament Dmitro Razumkov did not say that Kyiv is not going to implement the Minsk agreements. Speaking at a press conference in the Verkhovna Rada, Razumkov stated that Russia cannot dictate to Ukraine how to change Ukrainian laws: “I think that only the Ukrainian people, society, the Verkhovna Rada, MPs, the president, and other institutions that work for the benefit of our country can require amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine." Razumkov also added that a lot of work regarding Ukrainian legislation still has to be done in order to return the temporarily occupied territories. The implementation of the agreements remains one of the key priorities of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Since 2014, negotiations with Russia to resolve the conflict in the Donbas have been held within the framework of the Normandy Format and the Minsk process. A special Trilateral contact group is working on a peaceful settlement of the Donbas situation. Three parties are involved in this process: representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE. Unofficially, representatives of the "LDNR" factions are also present.