DISINFO: Transit ban on Belarusian fertilisers is a Lithuanian act of hybrid aggression against Minsk
DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
  • Outlet: sputniknews.lt (archived)*
  • Date of publication: February 03, 2022
  • Article language(s): Lithuanian
  • Reported in: Issue 272
  • Countries / regions discussed: Belarus, Lithuania
Tags:
Sanctions Hybrid war economy

DISINFO: Transit ban on Belarusian fertilisers is a Lithuanian act of hybrid aggression against Minsk

SUMMARY

The decision of the Lithuanian authorities to ban the transit of Belarusian fertilisers is illegal. It is an act of hybrid aggression against Minsk.

RESPONSE

Disinformation around sanctions and the West waging a so-called hybrid war.

Lithuania began the process of banning the transit of Belarusian fertilisers at the end of 2021. It was made in support of US sanctions against Belarus and was a legal decision of the Lithuanian Government. Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė explained the purpose of the ban. “The decisions, which are being now implemented and, first of all, of course, apply to business entities, have the same goal Lithuania, as a state, has always agreed to, which is to ensure that authoritarian regimes have as little financial comfort as possible than they sometimes manage to achieve”, she said.

This decision is not an act of hybrid aggression but Lithuania's policy on the regime in Minsk. After the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus, Vilnius does not recognise Alexander Lukashenko as president. The European Union has also stated that the elections were neither free nor fair.

The EU, the US and some other countries are imposing sanctions on the Belarus regime due to oppression against civil society in Belarus, the Ryanair Flight 4978 incident, escalation of the migration crisis on the EU border with Belarus, etc (see more about the EU sanctions on Belarus here and about the US sanctions on the Belarus regime here).

See similar examples of disinformation about Lithuania's so-called aggressive behaviour toward Belarus: Lithuania constantly interferes in the affairs of Belarus; Lithuania hopes to transform the Belarusian opposition into Russophobes and Sinophobes; Lithuania pays Tsikhanouskaya salary to destabilise the situation in Belarus.

Embed

Related disinfo cases

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

    Your opinion matters!

    Data Protection Information *

      Subscribe to the Disinfo Review

      Your weekly update on pro-Kremlin disinformation

      Data Protection Information *

      The Disinformation Review is sent through Mailchimp.com. See Mailchimp’s privacy policy and find out more on how EEAS protects your personal data.