Disinfo: The United States is stopping Balkan Stream because of the political instability in Bulgaria

Summary

The current political instability in Bulgaria is the reason for the sanctions imposed by the US towards all companies involved in the construction of “Balkan Stream”.

Disproof

The sanctions that were declared on 15 July that the US will impose will be directed towards not only Turk Stream (referred by Michael Pompeo as “Balkan Stream”), but also Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. The primary reason for the sanctions by the US is not related to the current political situation in Bulgaria. Rather, the US government views the current energy projects as beneficial only to Russia and the gas pipelines as one of Kremlin's main tools for exploiting and expanding Europe's dependence on Russian energy. Furthermore, as of the release of the article, there are no officially declared Bulgarian companies that are expected to be sanctioned due to the construction of the gas pipeline.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 206
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 15/07/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Bulgarian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Bulgaria, US, Russia
  • Keywords: TurkStream, gas, Nord Stream 2, Energy, Sanctions
see more

Disinfo: Ukraine openly sabotages the implementation of the Minsk agreements

The Ukrainian authorities openly sabotage the implementation of the Minsk agreements and the Steinmeier Formula. Kyiv was not originally going to follow these agreements. The fact that Ukraine will not consider the option of amending the Constitution to consolidate the legal status of certain regions of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a direct violation of the Minsk agreements. The Ukrainian side is not going to implement the Minsk agreements and this will continue as long as the West turns a blind eye to what is happening. Until Zelenskyy receives an order from above, he will maintain a state of “neither peace nor war.”

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Ukraine refuses to implement the Minsk agreements. In the interview mentioned in the article, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said, "point number one: Ukraine remains committed to the 'Normandy Format' and the Minsk process. Point number two: of course, we must constantly brainstorm and reflect. If this does not work, and if Russia destroys this format, then what next? We have to keep various options on the table. But, I emphasise that these are backup options. Now we are working to ensure that the 'Normandy Format' and the Minsk process are successful and lead to an end to the war and the de-occupation of Ukrainian territories." Ukraine has never claimed that it does not want to implement the Minsk agreements. The implementation of the agreements remains one of the key priorities of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. After the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Ukrainian side proposed to hold the negotiations conducted by the Trilateral Contact Group in a video format. Over the last 12 months, Ukraine has made serious steps to resolve the conflict in Donbas peacefully. Ukraine initiated a Normandy Four meeting that was held on December 9, 2019. Ukraine agreed that a full and comprehensive ceasefire is necessary. The parties of the Normandy Summit also agreed to release captives on the principle "all for all" by December 2019. Three prisoner exchanges have been conducted, with the last one taking place during the COVID-19 lockdown. The law on special order of local self-government in certain areas of Donbas was extended for another year. A disengagement of troops was achieved in Zolote, Petrovske, and Stanytsia Luhanska. Ukraine also rebuilt a bridge in Stanytsia Luhanska that was destroyed by the pro-Russian militants in March 2015.

Disinfo: Ukrainians were never unequal while in the Russian Empire

There was not a single moment in Ukrainian history during the Russian Empire, when Ukrainians were unequal, circumvented or oppressed. Ukraine has no understanding of sacred power, the sacredness of the country. Ukrainians do not understand anything about the country, nor about the state, nor about the people.

Disproof

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative designed to denigrate the history of Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood and its independence. When Ukrainian lands became part of the Russian Empire, they formally lost all traces of their national distinctiveness. The territories were reorganised into regular Russian provinces administered by governors appointed from St. Petersburg. In religious policy, the Tsarist regime promoted the elimination of Ukrainian peculiarities. Although the largely Polish Roman Catholic Church was allowed to continue, Catherine launched a program of administrative conversion of Ukrainians from the Uniate Church. The anti-Uniate campaign was partially reversed by her immediate successors but was renewed with vigour by Nicholas I. In 1863 the minister of the interior, Petr Valuev, banned virtually all publications in Ukrainian, with the exception of belles lettres. The ban was reinforced by a secret imperial decree, the Ems Ukaz, of Aleksandr II in 1876 and extended to the publication of belles lettres in Ukrainian, the importation of Ukrainian-language books, and public readings and stage performances in the language. The prohibition even extended to education. The other claims about the statehood of Ukraine are also groundless. Ukraine is recognised in international law as a sovereign nation-state, with its own flag, nationality, language and with a democratically-elected president and parliament. The history of Ukraine dates back to the era of the Kyivan Rus’ in the 9th-13th centuries. A national movement developed during the ages while Ukraine was ruled by Russia; Ukrainian nationalists took part in the revolutionary movements that led to the demise of the Russian empire.

Disinfo: Kyiv broke bilingualism that was promised

Over the years of independence, the Ukrainian authorities have consistently violated the promises made to the people, which were indicated in the Declaration on State Sovereignty, upon secession from the USSR. According to it, the decision to withdraw Ukraine from the USSR was made because it was supposed to introduce bilingualism and the country’s neutral status.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the status of the Russian language in Ukraine.

One of the main reasons stated by the then Ukrainian Soviet Republic for declaring independence was the "mortal danger surrounding Ukraine in connection with the state coup in the USSR on 19 August 1991."