Disinfo: The referendum in Crimea took place as a result of a coup d’état in Ukraine in February 2014

Summary

The referendum in Crimea took place as a result of a coup d’état in Ukraine in February 2014.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative claiming that Euromaidan was a coup d’état. Maidan or Euromaidan, the demonstrations which began in November 2013 in Kyiv and finished in February 2014, was not provoked from outside but was a result of the Ukrainian people's frustration with former President Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. More cases on this topic here. In order to justify the illegal annexation of Crimea and the reunification with Russia, Moscow claimed that Euromaidan was a coup d’état. In 2014, a particular political context enabled the mobilisation of latent pro-Russia sentiment in Crimea after the occupation by the “green men” had already occurred, NOT vice versa. Euromaidan created a pretext for Putin to enact a pre-prepared contingency plan. The European Union does not recognise Crimea's illegal annexation and continues to condemn it as a violation of international law. EU sanctions continue to be in place against Russia as a consequence for the annexation. For the EU statement on the fifth anniversary of Crimea annexation see here. For other disinformation cases about Crimea see here.

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it.sputniknews.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 160
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 06/08/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Italian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Ukraine, Crimea, Referendum, Coup
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Disinfo: USA is the gravedigger of the INF Treaty

Russia calls on the USA to give up on mid- and short-range missile deployment plans. Washington is the “gravedigger of the INF Treaty” because they have started and finished the procedure of unilateral withdrawal from the Treaty.

Aug 05, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative claiming that the US is entirely responsible for the demise of the INF treaty. Since 2014, the US has been trying to resolve the issue and has pressed Russia to return to the compliance with its obligations under the INF Treaty. However, it faced continuous attempts to mislead and denials. Finally, in August 2019, the North Atlantic Council stated that the United States has withdrawn from the INF Treaty as a result of the continuous Russian violations. This decision is fully supported by NATO's allies. Similar cases claiming that there is no evidence that Russia violated the INF Treaty and that Washington is fully responsible for its termination can be found here and here respectively.

Disinfo: US destroyed INF treaty thus threatening global security

The US became the grave digger of the INF Treaty. The US’s decision leads to negative developments in the whole architecture of global security and strategic stability. // Russia made every effort to preserve the INF Treaty and to bring the Americans into a constructive conversation.

Aug 05, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the INF Treaty. Russia bears primary responsibility for the end of the INF Treaty, because it has produced, tested and deployed the 9M729 missile, which violates the agreement. In July 2014, the then-US President Obama officially accused Russia of testing a missile in violation of the INF Treaty, which prohibits the US or Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of between 500 and 5500 kilometres. In a joint statement released after the meeting held at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 December 2018, NATO Foreign Ministers stated that the United States has remained in full compliance with its obligations under the INF Treaty since it entered into force and that Russia has developed and fielded a missile system, the 9M729, which violates the INF Treaty and poses significant risks to Euro-Atlantic security." The US and NATO have repeatedly engaged with Russia to preserve the INF treaty. For background on pro-Kremlin myths on the INF Treaty see here.

Disinfo: US is going to use ISIS for guerrilla and subversive activities

After the defeat of ISIS, the Americans changed their tactics in order to use this terrorist group for guerrilla/subversive activities.

Aug 05, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives that the US and other Western countries are supporting and using jihadist groups to advance geopolitical goals. There is no evidence that the US has supported radical Islamist terrorist groups in Syria. The US-led military campaign in Syria has been fighting ISIS and Islamic terrorists along with the Global Coalition Against Daesh. Background and a similar case can be seen here and here.