Disinfo: The West applies double standards on the Ryanair landing in Minsk

Summary

The coordinated reaction from representatives of several Western countries and international organisations as EU, NATO and OSCE is surprising. They demand the release of the detained R. Pratasevich and severe sanctions against Belarus and the airline Belavia. They reacted entirely different to similar events in other countries. There is a plethora of such examples.

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We call upon our Western partners to refrain from using double standards [...].

Disproof

Disinformation about the forced diversion and landing of Ryanair flight 4978.

On Sunday, May 23, 2021, the Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was forced to turn back before crossing the Lithuanian border and land in the Belarusian capital. The pretext for landing in Minsk was a false report about a bomb on board. At the moment when the plane changed course, it was closer to Vilnius airport than to Minsk. The plane was forced to land in the Belarusian capital by a Belarusian military aircraft. Belarusian dissident journalist Roman Protasevich was detained in the airport on unfounded charges of extremism.

The EU condemned Belarusian action against civil plane and the detention of Pratasevich. In a declaration on behalf of the EU on the forced diversion of Ryanair flight FR4978 to Minsk on 23 May 2021, the High Representative called for the immediate release of Mr Pratasevich. This was followed by a European Council statement, in which the EU leaders called for targeted individual and economic sanctions as well as to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by these.

The case with the Ryanair flight 4978 is unique. No other instances of forced landing of an aircraft cited by the pro-Kremlin media involved a fake bomb threats or cracdown on political opposition.

See related disinformation claims alleging that the Ryanair incident was handled according to international regulations and that Belarus defended Europe against a terror attack, allowing the Ryanair plan to land at Minsk and Belarus acted strict in accordance with international law in the Ryanair incident.

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 245
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 25/05/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian
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Disinfo: After a coup in 2000, the US, UK and the EU took control of Serbia's security, defence services

After the coup d'ètat in Serbia in 2000 the US, the UK and their EU slaves have taken control over Serbia's security services and defence sector, colonising the country. Serbia has become a Western colony because of traitors in the state apparatus and NGOs who have been brainwashed and paid by the West.

May 24, 2021
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the EU and US presence in Europe.

There was no coup d'ètat in Serbia in 2000. On October 5, 2000, ten days after the presidential elections won by Vojislav Kostunica, the regime of President Slobodan Milošević, who had just passed a law specifically designed to guarantee him a further term in office, fell. Despite being defeated by the multi-party democratic coalition, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) largely supported by public opinion, the government-controlled Federal Electoral Committee claimed that no candidate won over 50% of the votes and that a second round between Koštunica and Milošević would take place.

Disinfo: The West employs double standards in its treatment of the Ryanair flight incident in Belarus

It is appalling that the West describes the incident in the airspace of Belarus as shocking. The life of civilised democracies, which in reality takes place according to the principle of quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi (what is permissible for Jupiter may not be permissible for a bull), has not been unique for a long time because these democracies have lost the true leadership qualities they once possessed, and caused the blood and suffering of millions around the world.

Either you express your shock at everything: from forcing the plane of the President of Bolivia to make an emergency landing in Austria at the request of the United States, and forcing a Belarusian plane to land in Ukraine 11 minutes after taking off with a Ukrainian opposition activist, or you do not.

May 24, 2021
Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the interception of the Ryanair flight FR4987 claiming that it is standard practice. None of the examples cited in the claim involved tailing by fighter jets, the communication of false information or crackdowns on the political opposition.

On 23 May 2021, a Belarusian MiG-29 fighter jet belonging to the Belarusian Airforce armed with air-to-air missiles intercepted Ryanair flight FR4987 en route from Athens to Vilnius. The Minsk Air Control reported a bomb on board the aircraft and demanded the flight redirected to Minsk. As the plane landed, a dissident journalist wanted by the Belarusian authorities for “extremism” was detained.

Disinfo: Minsk forced Ryanair flight to land in full accordance with international law

In forcing the Ryanair Athens-Vilnius flight to land in Minsk, the Belarusian flight authorities followed all international norms.

May 24, 2021
Disproof

Roman Pratasevich was detained in Minsk airport when flying from Athens to Vilnius.

On Sunday, May 23, 2021, the Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was forced to turn back before crossing the Lithuanian border and land in the Belarusian capital. The pretext for landing in Minsk was a false report about the bomb on board. At the moment when the plane changed course, it was closer to Vilnius airport than to Minsk. The plane was forced to land in the Belarusian capital by a Belarusian military aircraft.