Disinfo: The OSCE hushed up the crimes of the Kyiv regime, encouraging it to new atrocities

Summary

The leadership of the OSCE, systematically hushing up the crimes of the Kyiv regime, is pushing it to commit new atrocities. We are forced to point this out publicly: ignoring the victims of Ukrainian shelling among civilians is no longer an unfortunate omission on the part of the OSCE leadership - it has acquired the character of a systemic hushing up of crimes.

Disproof

This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin media accusing the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) of being biased towards Ukraine.

Pro-Kremlin media often use the method of denigrating and defaming international organisations such as the OSCE, Council of Europe, WHO, WADA, OPCW or the United Nations, portraying those as anti-Russian, Russophobic and practicing double standards.

There is no basis to claim that the OSCE ignored alleged atrocities committed by Ukrainian authorities.

Earlier, Russian propaganda accused OSCE observers of working in the interests of the Ukrainian special services.

A Russian proxy court in eastern Ukraine sentenced two former OSCE staff to 13 years in prison on treason charges. OSCE condemned the sentencing of OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) mission members Maxim Petrov and Dmytro Shabanov as a result of so-called “legal proceedings” and called for the immediate release of all three OSCE mission members in detention.

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) was deployed on 21 March 2014, following a request to the OSCE by Ukraine’s government and a consensus decision by all 57 OSCE participating States. The SMM was an unarmed, civilian mission, present on the ground 24/7 in all regions of Ukraine.

Since its deployment in March 2014, the Mission issued 2432 daily reports and 242 spot reports. SMM officials issued reports on a daily basis about the current situation in the war zone. One of the SMM’s main tasks was to observe and report in an impartial and objective way on the situation in Ukraine, and to facilitate dialogue among all parties to the crisis.

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission mandate expired on 31 March 2022. No consensus was reached on the extension of the mandate. Russia blocks mandate extension of OSCE monitoring mission to Ukraine.

See other examples of disinformation narratives about the supposed anti-Russian bias of international institutions- such as the OPCW, the World Anti-Doping Agency or the United Nations, which always falsely accuse Russia-, about the alleged Russophobia of the EU, and about the West which has turned a blind eye to the genocide in Ukraine.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 310
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22/09/2022
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine
  • Keywords: OSCE, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, war crimes
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Disinfo: Ukrainian referendums are Moscow’s strong surprise move against Kyiv and the West

The West succeeded in turning Ukraine into a zombie kamikaze without intelligence and full of hatred. The special military operation is supposed to deal with this monster by its side. Lately the West was happy that Russia slowed down in Ukraine. The westerners forgot that Moscow’s key weapon is the ability to undertake asymmetric and unexpected steps. In the coming weeks they will have to find out how referendums in Ukraine and following political developments will change Moscow’s strategy and tactics in the special military operation. Once the Zaporizhzhia region announces accession to Russia and becomes part of it, Ukrainian troops on its territory will find themselves in a very grave situation.

Disproof

This article is part of the pro-Kremlin disinformation ecosystem's attempt to justify Russia’s occupation of Ukraine via illegitimate referenda and to distract from the war crimes committed by Russian invaders in the now-liberated territories of Ukraine. It contains recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about the war in Ukraine and Ukraine as a puppet country.

Ukraine is a sovereign country, currently an object of wide-scale unprovoked Russian military aggression. Western countries are supporting Ukraine with military, political and humanitarian aid but they do not rule over it or direct its actions.

Disinfo: The West aims at disintegrating Russia

The goal of the West is to weaken, divide and ultimately destroy Russia. They already say directly that in 1991 they managed to disintegrate the Soviet Union, and now it is time for Russia itself to disintegrate.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about an aggressive West encircling and destabilising Russia, aiming to portray the country as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions. In fact, Western actions adopted against Russia, such as sanctions or diplomatic measures, are a reaction to these actions including the illegal annexation of the Crimean peninsula, the long-term destabilisation of Ukraine and the unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of this peaceful country.

The West does not aim at destroying or disintegrating Russia and is not in war with Russia. Since Russia launched its aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the West has been calling for Russian withdrawal from Ukraine and a peaceful settlement.

Disinfo: Germany has no democracy, direct elections, or even a constitution

Germany is not a democracy by a long shot. Its people do not elect its leaders directly, and the country does not even have a constitution. It's an occupied country with US military bases.

Disproof

The claim advances a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative regarding the state of democracy and human rights in the Western world.

Germany very much has a constitution - officially the Basic Law - which has been in force since 1949. Incidentally, Article 38 of said constitution unambiguously proclaims that members of the German legislature: