Disinfo: Ukrainian army is preparring sabotage in chemical production facilities

Summary

There is reliable information that the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is preparing acts of sabotage on the territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics near the line of contact. The commander of the AFU Special Operations Forces issued instructions to prepare and carry out these acts of sabotage. The Kyiv army was also planning explosions at industrial plants with dangerous chemical production facilities.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about war in Ukraine combined with unfounded allegations about potential chemical weapons attacks in East Ukraine. It sounds more like a casus belli.

There is no evidence to support claims that the Ukrainian military is preparing acts of sabotage, let alone chemical weapons attacks in non-government controlled areas of Eastern Ukraine.

This claim appeared amid an ongoing disinformation campaign about Russia's military build-up on the Ukrainian border, in an attempt to deflect any Russian responsibility for the situation. These tensions are a result of Russia’s actions since late October 2021, including the deployment of more than 100,000 troops, as well as of certain specialised military units, electronic warfare systems and heavy-armoured vehicles. This has been substantiated by satellite images and intelligence from the US, Ukraine and NATO, among other countries and institutions.

See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that US private militaries are preparing a chemical attack in Donbas, or the West may resort to its old false flag method with a chemical attack in Donbas.

Read more about the common myths surrounding the current Russia-Ukraine conflict in our analysis here.

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de.rt.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 271
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21/01/2022
  • Article language(s) German
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine
  • Keywords: Chemical weapons/attack, Donbas, War in Ukraine
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Disinfo: Western mass media and social media are controlled by the government

Western media are controlled and serve as the propaganda ministry for the government and interest groups that control the government like in the USSR. Social media, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter systematically deny their platforms to those who express views unfavourable to the government order and its programmes.

Jan 20, 2022
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative claiming that the West imposes censorship through its state institutions and private social media companies (such as Facebook and Twitter).

These claims seeks to discredit Western mainstream media and Western liberal democracies.

Disinfo: The US plans a false flag chemical attack on Donbas to blame Russia for it

Currently, not far from Horlivka, American partners are bringing poisonous substances, and with them, they are transporting a whole landing force of their journalists. If - or rather, when - the US military poisons drinking water in the cities of Donbas, lured journalists will provide the correct picture in the media and blame Russia for everything.

Jan 20, 2022
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about false flag operations and chemical weapons attacks in Ukraine allegedly in preparation by the US. This claim appeared amid an ongoing disinformation campaign about Russia's military build-up on the Ukrainian border and on occupied Crimea, in an attempt to deflect any Russian responsibility for the situation. As such, it looks more like disinformation in search of a casus belli.

There is no evidence to back the claim that the US is preparing a “chemical provocation” in Donbas.

Disinfo: The American invasion of Ukraine publicly depicted as a Russian invasion

We are now assisting in the falsification of history in Ukraine. The US is essentially invading Ukraine, while publically shouting about a Russian invasion. The conflict caused by Washington, but the Americains try to attribute it to Russia.

Jan 20, 2022
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the war in Ukraine, alleging that the West, in this case the US, has invaded Ukraine.

These disinformation messages have recently intesified in the context of renewed Russian military build-up along the Ukrainian border towards the end of 2021. Their aim is to both justify and distract from Russia's increasingly aggressive foreign policy. See our recent article the Current Russia-Ukraine Conflict – Seven Myths Debunked.