Disinfo: The West wants to rob Russians

Summary

The West is offering Russia what it was offering it in the 1990s. The West wants to rob the Russian people.

Disproof

This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin media outlets. In reality, Western aid and assistance in the 1990s helped Russia a lot in its transition from Communist rule towards a free-market economy. What Western nations strive for -- both back in the 1990s and now -- is a democratic, stable and corruption-free Russia at peace with herself and her neighbors.

Moscow profited very much from foreign technical and financial assistance right after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Western money and advice made it easier for Russia to bring its economy closer to Western standards and made it less vulnerable to economic fluctuations. Civil society also developed in Russia to a great degree also inspired by Western efforts and the new possibilities of interaction and contact.

The European Union expresses support for the development of pluralistic democracy in Russian and makes no secret of it. However, all of these does not mean that the West wants to subjugate, rob or enslave the Russian people.

Since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea and the military campaign in Eastern Ukraine, the EU's relations towards Russia are guided by five principles; the five guiding principles, reflect the current situation and do not imply any aggressive measures against Moscow. They are aimed at protecting the European Union from possible further deterioration and allow for the liberalisation of the West’s attitude towards Russia if the latter starts softening its aggressive policies.

Russia had been almost fully integrated into the world economic and financial system before 2014. However, the West imposed sanctions on Moscow right after it illegally annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and unleashed war in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas. The sanctions have been intensifying with time. These restrictive measures were not caused by what Russian propagandist media call the West’s obsession with anti-Russian policies. Western countries will be glad to lift these sanctions as soon as Russia stops its aggressive policy towards its neighbours and resumes respecting international law.

Read more disinformation cases alleging that the West follows a deliberately pre-planned anti-Russian political course.

publication/media

  • Reported in: Issue 245
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17/05/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia
  • Keywords: Diplomacy with Russia, Russophobia, Destabilising Russia, Anti-Russian
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Disinfo: Czech Republic's accusations about Kremlin involvement in Vrbětice explosions are part of Russophobic campaign

The Czech Republic's unfounded accusations about Kremlin involvement in the Vrbětice explosions are part of a vast Russophobic campaign promoted by the West.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative that labels any Western accusations against the Kremlin’s unacceptable international behaviour as factually unfounded and driven by Russophobia, even if such accusations are supported by clear evidence.

In October and December 2014, two explosions occurred in ammunition depots at a former army complex of warehouses and factories in the small town of Vrbětice, near the border with Slovakia.

Disinfo: Ukraine persecutes Medvedchuk to please Joe Biden

Ukrainian authorities have been persecuting Viktor Medvedchuk and his fellow parliamentarians to please US President Joe Biden and his foreign policy course.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative alleging that Ukraine is not an independent state and decisions regarding its fate are made by actors in the West.

Contrary to the disinformation narrative, ongoing legal disputes surrounding Medvedchuk are of domestic in nature. On 11 May 2021, Medvedchuk was charged with high treason and, on 13 May, he was placed under house arrest after the Pechersky district court rejected a request from prosecutors to place him under pre-trial detention.

Disinfo: Claiming to fight the already defeated Daesh, US military in Syria aims to plunder the country's natural resources

The Biden administration is continuing previous US policy towards Syria aimed at plundering Syria’s natural resources and grain supplies. The alleged threat of a rebirth of DAESH, which was defeated in 2017, is used to justify US military presence in Syria. The US military, together with allied Syrian and Kurdish militias, have smuggled oil in hundreds of trucks and tankers. The US military and these militias have smuggled 38 convoys of grain and oil through the Al-Walid border crossing. 

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Syrian war aimed at discrediting US military operations in Syria to counter DAESH (ISIS or ISIL). This narrative is consistent with a recurring pro-Kremlin message claiming that US uses the fight against terrorism as an excuse to conduct military operations aimed at looting other countries’ natural resources.

Counterterrorism operations against DAESH have been the top priority of US policy in Syria since 2014.