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Disinfo: Ukraine is ruled by external forces

Summary

Ukraine is governed by the interests of other forces: Russian, American and European.

Disproof

No evidence given. Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the EU and US relations with Ukraine. Ukraine is an independent, sovereign state. No country is controlling Ukraine. The EU-Ukraine and US-Ukraine relations are built on the basis of equality, freedom, and independence. Ukraine builds its relations with other countries in accordance with the requirements of international law. In June 2014, EU and Ukraine signed An Association Agreement, including a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), which promotes deeper political ties, stronger economic links and the respect for common values. The current government in Ukraine was elected following elections held in 2014, which were recognised as legal and democratic by the observers. The Presidential elections were "largely in line with international commitments and fundamental freedoms," ODIHR's report states.

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video.112.ua (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 137
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 02/02/2019
  • Outlet language(s) Ukrainian
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Keywords: Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Petro Poroshenko
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Ukraine banned Vkontakte as a result of Facebook lobbying

In 2017 Ukraine blocked access to Russian social media Vkontakte as a result lobbying by Facebook.

Feb 01, 2019
Disproof

No evidence given to support this allegation. Ukraine blocked access to Vkontakte and other Russian social media for security reasons, as part of a broader set of measures by the National Security Council (NSDC) to expand “personal economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)” against personalities linked to the Crimean annexation, terrorist activities, illegal border crossing, and 468 Russia-based or Russia-affiliated companies. According to the Secretary of the National Security Council (NSDC) Olexandr Turchynov, such measures were taken as Russian Internet resources “threaten information and cyber security of Ukraine” and “are used for propaganda and the recruitment of agents by Russian security services.”

Sputnik delivers high quality journalism, unlike other media

Our goal is neither to divide France nor to create a climate of hatred. It is to reveal what others do not cover.This is what can explain the increase in the number of our readers, and by no means a biased line seeking to harm the French government. If some media feel aggrieved, this is only due to their partisan editorial line, distant from our own, which is factual.

Feb 01, 2019
Disproof

The most notorious report Sputnik published was in 2017, about "gay lobby" behind Emmanuel Macron, then candidate to the French presidency, without providing any evidence. According to the same Sputnik report, "ex-French Economy Minister Macron could be "US Agent' lobbying Banks' Interest". No evidence was given. For background see our reporting on the Sputnik coverage in 2017.

Sputnik also reported that the Russian name found in metadata of the hacked e-mails of Emmanuel Macron "does not prove the source". The investigations by The Insider and Mediapart.Fr discovered that behind those attacks was the same GRU unit later incriminated in the US for the similar actions against Democratic party.

Ban on Russia RTR in Latvia is a slap in the face for freedom of speech

Another ban on the Russian TV channel Russia RTR in Latvia is not only a manifestation of unfair competition in the media, but also a big slap in the face for the freedom of speech in Latvia.

Feb 01, 2019
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about alleged limits to freedom of speech in the West. Disinformation narratives often try to reach Russian speakers in order to claim that the alleged attacks on freedom of speech are most often directed at the Russian language. Between 31 May 2017 and 22 May 2018, the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEMMC) found several occurrences of hate speech and incitement to ethnic hatred in the programmes of the “Rossiya RTR” channel, namely “60 minutes” and “Sunday Night with Vladimir Solovyev”. For example, in the latter programme broadcast on May 22, 2018, NEMCC found "explicitly and repeatedly voiced hate speech against parts of the Ukrainian state", including incitement to "hang and kill" certain Ukrainians. According to the NEMMC, the programmes mentioned above were in violation of article 6 of the EU's Audiovisual Media Services Directive ("Member States shall ensure by appropriate means that audiovisual media services provided by media service providers under their jurisdiction do not contain any incitement to hatred based on race, sex, religion or nationality"); This was the reason given for suspending the broadcasting in Latvia for three months. For more information, see here and here.