Disinfo: The West has turned Ukraine into a puppet, Belarus may follow the same fate

Summary

Under Volodymyr Zelenskyy's rule Ukraine's sovereignty decreased even more. The country is neither sovereign nor independent. Negotiating with the authorities of Ukraine means speaking with Ukraine's foreign curators from the US or EU. In case Belarus becomes pro-Western, it will also be subjugated to the West and will turn into a sad, half-empty country.

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Ukraine being under "external control" mixed with a false dilemma about bleak Belarus's prospects without a close integration with Russia.

Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. The country is not controlled by the US nor any other foreign government or organisation. Both the EU and the US respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

See earlier disinformation cases claiming that Belarus faces either normal development under Russia or a forced Polonization and economic devastation, that Ukraine is under "complete subordination to US interests" and that it is a Western puppet that creates problems for Russia.

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sputnik.by (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 255
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17/08/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Belarus, Ukraine, US, EU
  • Keywords: Volodymyr Zelensky, Puppets, Sovereignty
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Disinfo: Poland is becoming a pariah state, which cannot count on the EU and the USA

It is likely that the situation with the “Nord Stream - 2” pushed the Polish MPs to adopt the law on foreign investments in domestic media – the main victim of this regulation will be the TVN channel owned by the American company Discovery. Poland is rapidly becoming a pariah state that cannot count on both the European Union and the United States.

Aug 16, 2021
Disproof

A recurring disinformation narrative about Polish foreign policy – Poland is presented as a country that faces dramatic problems in relations with the European Union and the USA.

The claim that Poland is becoming a “pariah state” is a clear manipulation. Despite particular political disagreements with the EU and the USA, Poland does not face any international isolation. Poland continues to be one of the closest allies of the USA and an active member of the European Union.

Disinfo: Nicaragua's government prevented a coup backed by the EU and the US

The EU and the US imposed sanctions on eight top Nicaraguan officials. This reaction happens because the Nicaraguan government prevented a Bolivian-style coup planned for the general elections of 7 November and led by leaders who receive funding from the US and the EU. Sanctions are imposed on Nicaraguan authorities only for defending the rights of Nicaraguan citizens.

Aug 16, 2021
Disproof

The unsubstantiated claim that the EU and the US were preparing a coup in Nicaragua is not backed by any evidence, and its only purpose is to deflect international criticism about the ongoing repressive campaign of the Nicaraguan government against the opposition. US and EU sanctions were imposed as a reaction to this massive crackdown, not for “defending the rights of Nicaraguans”.

Nicaraguan authorities keep arresting every new opposition candidate that announced his/her intention to contend the 7 November 2021 election and blocked the main opposition party from taking part, which by no means can still be considered free and fair, as the EU’s High Representative Josep Borrell made clear on 9 August 2021. The goal of this crackdown is to ensure President Daniel Ortega’s uncontested rule over the country, not to “prevent a coup”. The actions of the Nicaraguan government have been widely considered by international observers, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch or the Committee to Protect Journalists as an authoritarian ploy to neutralise dissidence and consolidate president Ortega’s grip over the country, part of a years-long repression strategy against the opposition.

Disinfo: Western media suppresses all facts and opinions that differ from official narratives

Western media are controlled by a Ministry of Propaganda and suppress all facts and opinions that differ from official narratives. There are no honest media in the Western world. Western journalists are prostitutes (“presstitutes”) who tell stories that serve the interests of the establishment. Western peoples are trapped inside The Matrix.

Aug 16, 2021
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about censorship and control of the media in the West. By claiming that there is no freedom of the press and no freedom of expression in the West, this narrative seeks to discredit Western mainstream media and more importantly: Western liberal democracies.

It is not true, as the article’s claims, that in the West a kind of “Ministry of Propaganda” censors news and opinion that is unwelcome to the establishment or differs from “official narratives”. This claim does not reflect the reality of Western media, where a wide range of political opinion is represented. Media in pluralist democracies are not controlled and censored by the state, as happens in authoritarian regimes.