Disinfo: The West relied on the Malthusian theory during coronavirus

Summary

They (the United States, Britain, European and Scandinavian countries) relied on the Malthusian theory to solve economic crises (during the coronavirus pandemic), that is, by killing more unproductive citizens, the elderly, or sick people, believing that they mitigate later losses in spending on their health and social care.

Disproof

A baseless claim that Europe is plotting a Malthusian conspiracy to reduce the global population by exploiting the coronavirus to sacrifice its elderly for economic reasons. This is a recurring disinformation narrative about the US and EU being purely interested in profit rather than protecting people from diseases. See here a similar case claiming that both EU and US put the profit before health. In fact, since the start of the crisis, new protective measures have been implemented in both the EU and US, as well as other countries worldwide, that are designed to curb the spread of the coronavirus in order to protect people at especially high risk and assure the provision of medical care and therapeutic products to the public. The European Commission is coordinating a common European response to the COVID-19 crisis and is supporting the Member States in tackling the pandemic and in mitigating its economic consequences. EU countries are showing solidarity with the countries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic by helping to treat the patients and protect health workers. Critically ill patients from Italy and France are treated in Germany, Austria, Luxembourg; millions of medical masks and other protective equipment have been sent to Italy. Read more about European solidarity in action and see the timeline and the EU’s response to COVID-19 See similar cases claiming that Sweden is sacrificing its elderly, that the US thinks it is stupid to treat the elderly, and that Western market economies leave the old and uninsured, or that Bill Gates and Co aspire to a reduction in population, or Covid-19 will allow total control of the population through forced vaccination and chips.

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Ukraina.ru (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 200
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 30/05/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: EU, UK, US
  • Keywords: coronavirus, West, Conspiracy theory
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Disinfo: US sees Ukraine as air corridor for nuclear strike in Crimea

The US military views Ukraine as an air corridor for a nuclear strike on Crimea. In the event of a conflict between Washington and Moscow, Ukraine will automatically become one of the priority goals.

May 29, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative undermining the statehood of Ukraine and US presence in Europe. The story came after US and Ukrainian jets "teamed up" for flights in Ukrainian airspace. According to Air Force Command of Ukrainian Armed Forces, Ukrainian pilots have picked up the baton from Polish pilots. This event itself is planned to achieve interoperability between NATO countries and key Allied partners. See more examples of disinformation messages alleging that Ukraine is a colony of IMF and George Soros, Ukraine is run by pro-EU oligarchic Nazis, supported by the US, US embassy controls decisions taken in Ukraine.

Disinfo: COVID-19 came from a laboratory

[…] the Corona-virus came from a laboratory. But at this point, you have to drive on sight. It’s only a conspiracy theory if it’s spread by conspiracy theorists and their media. But if mainstream media reported about the fact that the virus was made in a lab, then it would be no longer conspiracy.

May 29, 2020
Disproof

A recurring conspiracy theory that echoes pro-Kremlin disinformation about the artificial creation of COVID-19. There is no evidence that the coronavirus (COVID-19) was created in laboratories. COVID-19 comes from a family of viruses that include the common cold and viruses such as SARS and MERS. Coronaviruses are known to circulate in mammals and birds, and scientists have already suggested that COVID-19 originally came from bats. One of the previous coronaviruses that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, spread from bats to civet cats to humans. A group of 27 prominent public health scientists have condemned rumours and conspiracy theories about the origin of the coronavirus outbreak: "We stand together to strongly condemn conspiracy theories suggesting that COVID-19 does not have a natural origin." The authors of The Lancet statement note that scientists from several countries who have studied SARS-CoV-2, “overwhelmingly conclude that this coronavirus originated in wildlife," just like many other viruses that have recently emerged in humans. "Conspiracy theories do nothing but create fear, rumours and prejudice that jeopardise our global collaboration in the fight against this virus," the statement says.

Disinfo: US military biological laboratories encircle Russia

US military biological laboratories encircle Russia. US military biological activities can be observed all over the world, and also on Russian borders. Moscow has long been concerned about the biological security in neighbouring countries. In Kazakhstan, Armenia and Tajikistan, the Americans created a network of biological laboratories. The Russian authorities have many questions particularly about the Lugar Centre in Georgia. (…) Journalists and bloggers wrote seriously that the Americans had deliberately allowed the virus to spread. This was allegedly to test the efficiency of biological weapons under development in the lab (in Kazakhstan). (…) Experts agree that the post-Soviet states, with their willingness to accept foreign assistance, may lose control of the epidemiological situation. This could have serious consequences. In times of pandemics such as at present, laboratories of this kind are increasingly coming into focus because they provide worrying suspicions.

May 29, 2020
Disproof

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the development of biological weapons by the United States. The conspiracy about US biolabs in countries bordering Russia aiming to encircle Moscow and spread infectious diseases is a part of a years-long disinformation campaign led by the Kremlin. There is no evidence to claim that the US is developing biological weapons. There is also no evidence to support the claim that partnering biolabs under the agreement have become epicentres for the spread of infectious diseases or have been used to attack populations. Contrary to the claims of the pro-Kremlin media, the Richard Lugar Centre for Public Health Research in Tbilisi, Georgia, is a facility of the National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC). The Lugar centre is a top-tiered institution in NCDC’s laboratory network and serves as a reference laboratory for Georgia’s public health system. In no case has this laboratory designed, redesigned or built biological weapons. Read more about the Lugar lab on Myth Detector. See related disinformation cases alleging that China and Russia are worried about in-transparent US biological laboratories on Russia’s borders and that the Pentagon creates biological laboratories around the world to develop “combat” viruses.