DISINFO: The West is using Navalny to destabilise Russia
SUMMARY
The West is using Alexei Navalny as an agent to destabilise Russia in the same way it used others to ignite demonstrations in Ukraine in 2013. The West is aiming to use the activist for “Maidan-type” insurrection.
RESPONSE
This is a recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russophobia and anti-Russian provocations led by the West in order to destabilise Russia and question the legitimacy of its regime. In this case, opposition leader Alexei Navalny is presented as a Western agent who not only threatens Russian sovereignty but also uses the same tactics as in the Maidan revolution in Ukraine in 2013.
Alexei Navalny is a founder and leader of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), an institution which has a goal to expose and eliminate corruption in Russia. The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation recognised FBK as a "foreign agent" due to the Russian "foreign agent" law since they receive donations from outside Russia. However, FBK has appealed against this decision in court.
Alexei Navalny was arrested following his return to Russia from Germany, where he was treated for poisoning with Novichok-type chemical nerve agent. The European Union has condemned the arrest of Alexei Navalny and has demanded his immediate release.
Finally, Ukraine is an independent country. Its sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost all countries. Ukraine is a priority partner for the EU and a strategic partner for the US. Western partners support the democratic development of Ukraine in accordance with the UN Charter’s principles of non-interference into internal affairs and respect towards territorial integrity and political independence.