Disinfo: There is no evidence of Russian attempts to influence the 2019 EU elections

Summary

There is no evidence of Russian attempts to influence the EU parliamentary elections in May 2019. The European establishment needs fake news about “external interference” in order to draw voters’ attention to the upcoming elections and mobilise them. With such advance declarations, the mainstream media tries to justify a possible defeat and the victory of the Eurosceptics. The latter could actually claim the formation of a strong group in the future European Parliament. If that happens, the elites will need someone to blame. Russia is already identified as the culprit.

Disproof

Disinformation produced and/or spread by Russian sources has been reported in the context of several elections and referenda in the EU, as noted in the EU's action plan against disinformation.Ahead of the European elections, Microsoft registered cyberattacks targeting think tanks and non-profit organizations working on topics related to democracy, electoral integrity, and public policy and that are often in contact with government officials. Microsoft continues to investigate the sources of these attacks, but is confident that many of them originated from a group called Strontium, also known as APT 28 or Fancy Bear – which is believed to be associated with Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. Read more here.

According to the latest annual threat assessment by the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, NBC News reports, "Russian intelligence services will continue the extensive cyber-espionage campaign against the West that they have pursued for years, with the military intelligence service, called the GRU, and Russia's spy agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB) directing most operations". The Director General of the Estonian Foreign Intelligence Service, Mikk Marran, says that Russia will target the European parliamentary elections in May with a likely focus on the larger member states — Germany, France and Italy. A report by the European Council for International Relations assesses it is highly likely that Moscow will attempt to manipulate the European elections, given Russia's interference in recent national elections in Europe. Also, the Financial Times points out that Russia-linked hackers have sharply stepped up a campaign to disrupt EU elections in May, leaving EU officials and tech companies scrambling to muster a response.

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Sputnik Germany (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 141
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12/03/2019
  • Outlet language(s) German
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia
  • Keywords: EU elections 2019, Anti-Russian, European Union, Russophobia
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Disinfo: Non-transparent report of OPCW on Douma attack is biased

The OPCW report on the alleged use of toxic chemicals as a weapon in Douma is full of gaps, discrepancies, and inconsistencies. The OPCW, which announced the use of chlorine in Douma in April 2018, did not take into account elements presented by Russia, Syria and even by British journalists, in particular the recent statement by the British journalist Riam Dalati. After 6 months of investigation, according to this journalist, he could prove, without any doubt that the scene in the hospital of Douma was staged and no death occurred in the hospital. The investigation conducted by OPCW was not transparent enough.

Mar 11, 2019
Disproof

Recurring disinformation narrative on the chemical attack in Douma and the OPCW report covering it. OPCW's investigations of the use of chemical weapons are technical in nature and are designed to establish whether or not chemical weapons have been used, not to identify who used them. The methodological considerations, activities and timeline are an integral part OPCW's final report on Douma. It does not leave any doubts on the detection of chlorine on Douma: "based on the levels of chlorinated organic derivatives, detected in several environmental samples gathered at the sites of alleged use of toxic chemicals, which are not naturally present in the environment, the FFM concludes that the objects from which the samples were taken at both locations had been in contact with one or more substances containing reactive chlorine" (page 3 of the report). The tweet of BBC's producer Riam Dalati, mentioned in the claim, doesn't deny the chemical attack; "The producer was expressing his personal opinions about some of the video footage that emerged after the attack but has not claimed that the attack did not happen", the BBC spokesperson told Sputnik.

Disinfo: A Swedish film about an attack from Russia prepares the Swedes for joining NATO

In Sweden, a film about a Russian military attack on the country has premiered. A film like that has only one objective: to scare the Swedes and convince them that Russia is a monster, prepared to use chemical and biological weapons. Swedes are supposed to feel the threat from Russia. All this is to prepare the Swedes for a NATO membership.

Mar 11, 2019
Disproof

Sweden is maintaining a policy of non-alignment and has no plans to join the NATO. The film, Den blomstertid nu kommer, is a thriller about an attack from an unknown enemy force. The film never mentions any country as an aggressor. See here for another disinformation case on Sweden and NATO.

Disinfo: No proof of Russian interference in elections in the US and Europe

The European Parliament analysed the influence of Russia on elections in foreign countries. The authors of the study wrongly accuse Moscow of interfering in the affairs of the United States, Great Britain, France and other states. By doing so, Brussels is preparing for the possibility for anti-systemic parties to get more votes. If it happens, it will blame Russia for interference again. Accusing Russia of everything has become a kind of fashion trend in the West.

Mar 11, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about the West blaming Russia for everything, and trying to divert attention from the real problems by doing so. There are numerous reports investigating meddling in elections across Europe in the US, which have already proven Kremlin's participation in meddling. See here for the list of the reports and here for the US Senate report outlining various meddling attempts in different countries.