Disinfo: The West is using Navalny’s case to obstruct Nord Stream 2

Summary

The main objective of the “Navalny case” for some western countries is to obstruct the construction of the “Nord Stream 2” line. This is in the interest of the United States to increase its supplies of liquefied gas to Europe.

Disproof

The claim advances recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the poisoning of activist Alexei Navalny and the alleged harmful influence of Washington on European politics. There are no grounds for connecting Navalny's poisoning with Nord Stream 2, or to allege US involvement in the incident. The activist fell ill on a 20 August flight from Siberia to Moscow. Initially hospitalized in Omsk, he was transferred to the Charité hospital in Berlin at the request of his family. Clinical findings at the Charité hospital indicated that Navalny was poisoned with a substance from the group of cholinesterase inhibitors. Subsequent toxicological tests revealed the presence of a Novichok-type nerve agent in Navalny's blood. Polluting Western media environments with multiple contradictory narratives of a given event is an established strategy of pro-Kremlin media outlets. See here for an overview of, and similarities between, Russian disinformation campaigns surrounding the 2018 Skripal poisoning and the 2020 Navalny poisoning.

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Disinfo: France and Germany became participants to the conflict in Donbas

Germany and France do not just agree on everything, but are playing along with Ukraine, and share at least a part of Ukrainian positions. This is a key threat to the negotiation process, since such an interpretation of the behaviour by Berlin and Paris from the Russian side, discredits their mediating role and transfers them to the status of participants in the conflict.

Sep 21, 2020

Disproof

No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine and Ukraine's relations with its foreign partners. The Normandy Format talks involve the representatives of four countries, Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France, who aim to resolve the war in Donbas. Each country takes an independent part in the meetings. However, the war in Eastern Ukraine is a well-documented act of ongoing aggression by Russian armed forces, since February 2014. There is no evidence to suggest that France and Germany are participants in the conflict. Read similar cases alleging that Ukraine does not advance in the implementation of the Minsk agreements under Zelenskyy, that Kyiv does not want to implement the current Minsk agreements, that Ukraine does not want to implement the Minsk agreements because it is controlled by the West, or that Kyiv has not implemented the conditions of "Minsk-2" for five years.

Disinfo: Polish controlled "Belarus opposition" leaks data of Police officers in attempt to threaten them

Polish-controlled “Belarus opposition” leaks personal data of 1000 Police officers in attempt to threaten them.

Sep 21, 2020

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the protests in Belarus. The opposition movement is not "Polish-Controlled". The claim is in line with a recurrent narrative on "foreign involvement" behind any expressions of popular discontent. See similar examples here. Not one single manifestation or threat of violence have been documented from the protesters since the start of the protest movement in early August. On the other hand, police and security forces have been using severe violence on protesters and on private property. The European Union has repeatedly condemned disproportionate and unacceptable state violence against peaceful protesters in Belarus.

Disinfo: Europe wouldn't bother about Belarus if Poland wasn't an outpost of the US

If not for the efforts of Poland, which is an outpost of the United States in the EU, as well as Lithuania, the Belarusian issue would be in tenth place for the countries of old Europe. Poland, and through it the United States, will make Europe think about this seemingly unnecessary topic. Poland and Lithuania want to ensure an increase in the number of their supporters in Belarus.

Sep 21, 2020

Disproof

This is a pro-Kremlin narrative about the US presence in Europe as well as about thr Belarus protests and, in general, about protests in post-communist countries, presenting them as being organised and controlled from abroad. It accuses Poland of being a US puppet and of a plan to intervene in the domestic affairs of Belarus, which is a severe violation of the principles of diplomacy and international relations. There is no evidence that the US, Poland or other foreign forces are involved in any way in the protests in Belarus. The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election on the 9th of August, which are considered fraudulent by a large part of Belarusian society. The European Union has also stated that the elections were neither free nor fair. Poland and Lithuania support the independence and territorial integrity of Belarus. Poland and Lithuania, as well as the EU, have expressed support to people protesting in Belarus. Read our past analysis discussing various pro-Kremlin media allegations that Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Soros and other foreign actors are behind protests in Belarus. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki presented the so-called “Solidarity Plan”, which is aimed at supporting Belarusian society, which faces harsh repressions from the side of the Belarusian authorities. This Plan has five components – support for people facing political repressions; a scholarship programme; better access to the Polish labour market; support to independent media; support to Belarusian NGOs. These steps have no connection to the alleged “active interference in the domestic affairs of Belarus”. Poland respects the principles of international law and does not intervene in the domestic affairs of any country. See other examples of similar messages: The West supports a bloody post-election Maidan scenario in Belarus; The West wants to prepare Maidan in Belarus and Poland presented a plan of active interference in the domestic affairs of Belarus, and that The United States is behind the protests in Belarus.

Disinfo: The West is using Navalny’s case to obstruct Nord Stream 2

publication/media

Disinfo: France and Germany became participants to the conflict in Donbas

Disinfo: Polish controlled "Belarus opposition" leaks data of Police officers in attempt to threaten them

Disinfo: Europe wouldn't bother about Belarus if Poland wasn't an outpost of the US

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