Disinfo: The West destroyed the USSR and is currently targeting the Union State between Belarus and Russia

Summary

The US destroyed the USSR through systematic indirect measures including blackmail, threats, mass protest actions and covert diplomacy. After the break-up of the USSR, the West’s key concern became to preserve the post-Soviet space in a disintegrated form. The Western capitals are very unhappy with the Union State between Belarus and Russia, which is the core of the reintegration process of the post-Soviet space. The West, especially Washington and London, is extremely concerned about the creation of Great Russia (that is, the Russian Federation) and Belarus in the form of the Union State. It could become an example for the Little Russian (Ukrainian) people, tired of Russophobia and ‘banderovshchina’ [fascism,] and would put an end to the West’s collective intentions to rule Northern Eurasia. The main goal of the anti-Russian Western strategists of hybrid war in Ukraine and Belarus is to distort the national identity of Belarusians and Ukrainians, to take away their Russian basis and replace it with Russophobia. Struck by the pathology of Russophobia, the Russian (Eastern) Slavs in Ukraine and Belarus slide into national betrayal and become Janissaries of the collective West. The West’s goal is very clear: to destroy the Union state, to tear Belarus away from Russia and to turn Belarus into an anti-Russian buffer consisting of pro-Western semi-colonial states. They already include the Baltic countries, Ukraine, and Georgia.

Disproof

This is a conspiracy which is consistent with a number of recurring pro-Kremlin propaganda narratives about the aggressive West, its attempts to encircle Russia and organise colour revolutions in the post-Soviet space, about the West's activities to disrupt Belarus-Russia ties, about Russophobia and Nazis/Fascists in Ukraine. The term 'Little Russia' is derogatory and derives from imperial Russian and Russian irredentist ideology that is a favoured pro-Kremlin narrative aimed at weakening the national identity of Ukrainians and undermining Ukraine's sovereignty. See earlier disinformation claims alleging that Belarusians and Russians are one people, that the West wants to turn Belarus into anti-Russian outpost, and that Ukraine will either be part of Russian civilisation, or a decaying anti-Russia emanating terrorist threats.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 165
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 16/09/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: USSR, UK, US, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Union State of Belarus and Russia, West, Imperialism/colonialism, Anti-Russian, Encircling Russia, Destabilising Russia, Colour revolutions, Ukrainian statehood, Russophobia, Nazi/Fascist
see more

Disinfo: Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe breaks ties with Constantinople

Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe breaks ties with Constantinople. The Ecumenical Patriarchate Constantinople [has] de facto turned into a tool of supporters of the New World Order. The destructive position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in such regions as Ukraine and the Balkans are a visible example of this.

Disproof

Conspiracy theory, presented without any evidence. The concept of the New World Order, Shadow Rulers, Deep State and a Global Elite, ruling from behind the curtains is a frequent narrative, used by pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets. This narrative is also consistent with a narrative about "The West" challenging traditional values through attacking believes. Similar cases, where traditional values in Europe are attacked through sowing religious conflict can be found here, here and here. The supporters of the idea of subordinating the Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe to Moscow failed to achieve the necessary 2/3 majority. The claim that the "Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe breaks ties with Constantinople" is, therefore, not true.

Disinfo: The US is campaigning against Russia, backing the so-called opposition

The US leadership is carrying out active diplomatic, economic (including sanction pressure) and propaganda campaigns against Russia. The US-NATO military build-up is ongoing along Russian borders in Eastern and Northern Europe. The US and its allies are openly backing the so-called ‘non-system opposition’ in Russia (the part of the opposition that openly aims to overthrow the government by non-constitutional means and destroy the Russian statehood). This ‘opposition’ includes various radicals and destructive forces that employ methods and tools that have been already demonstrated in Ukraine in 2013-14.

Disproof

A conspiracy theory, presented without any evidence. The article is in line with a narrative that protests, in this case in Russia, are always financed by outside forces. The protests in Moscow started in July after the election committee banned opposition candidates from running for the elections to the city council - the Moscow City Duma, disqualifying their ballots because of what officials claimed were irregularities in the 5,000 signatures each had to gather to run. The protesters also demanded the right to fair elections and the right to free assembly - all along the lines of the Russian constitution. See here for EUvsDisinfo analysis of disinformation surrounding protests in Moscow. Similar disinformation cases can be found here.

Disinfo: Liberals advocate cannibalism

Western liberal thought now includes advocacy of cannibalism. Speaking at a recent culinary conference in Sweden — the widely recognized beacon of liberalism — Stockholm-based academic Magnus Söderlund stated that “the conservative taboo against cannibalism may change over time, if people simply try feeding on human flesh.” The liberal professor said that cannibalism could be a means of fighting climate change, given that human flesh is much more environmentally friendly than beef.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative demonizing Western values and painting Europe as a continent of degrading values. The author makes a series of remarkable logical leaps by misquoting one person and presenting the doctored quote as proof of the imminent collapse of Western culture. Söderlund did not advocate cannibalism out of his supposed liberal or environmentalist convictions. In fact, he did not advocate it at all. Although the story of the pro-cannibalism Swedish professor has been reported in Swedish, UK, and US tabloids since at least 5 September, only one website provided enough context to show that Söderlund's remarks were a cautionary tale about the consequences of climate change rather than an invitation to man-eating: "While talking about the Gastro Summit focused on 'food on the future' on Swedish TV, the behavioral scientist and marketing strategist Magnus Söderlund from the Stockholm School of Economics proposed that in order to truly take on the effects of climate change, we must 'awake the idea' that eating human flesh should be discussed as an option in the future." See here for a detailed debunk.