Disinfo: Unlike West, Russia is the only state that has a vaccine against Covid-19

Summary

The West accuses Russia of spreading disinformation about the coronavirus vaccines being developed in the West in order to destroy the global trust towards the vaccines in general. Russia does not benefit from demolishing the trust towards the vaccine as, unlike the Western states, it is the only country that already has a vaccine against the coronavirus.

Disproof

The recently developed pro-Kremlin narrative about Russian coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V. There is credible evidence that the Russian government pressed Russian scientists and researchers to be the first to find a vaccine against Covid-19, and did everything at hand to shorten the process, raising concerns about the safety and efficiency of the Sputnik V vaccine. Reservations and criticism of the Sputnik V vaccine are caused by the fact that Russia hasn’t completed large trials to test the vaccine’s safety and efficacy, and the roll-out of an inadequately vetted vaccine could endanger the people who receive it.

The WHO expressed some reservations about the procedure followed by Russia, initiating talks with Russian authorities about undertaking a review of the vaccine but refusing to endorse it right away. In August 2020, the WHO published a landscape of Covid-19 candidate vaccines, which considered the Russian project developed by Gamaleya Research Institute as being in Phase 1 of clinical testing.

On a side note, the “Science Insider” explains that the Russian certification allows the vaccine to be given to “a small number of citizens from vulnerable groups,” and it stipulates that the vaccine cannot be used widely until larger clinical trials have been completed, which is an essential step in the protocols of the World Health Organization.

In general, there are widespread concerns that the approval of the Russian vaccine against coronavirus is premature. At the time of approval, the vaccine had not even started phase 3 trials, reminds the Lancet.

See more narratives that Russia combats coronavirus more effectively than the democracies, such as Trying to catch up with Russia, the West lost another round in the fight against pandemic; There is no approved COVID-19 vaccine except the Russian one, says Reuters.

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sputnik-georgia.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 218
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22/10/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Georgian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: EU, US, Russia
  • Keywords: coronavirus, vaccination
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Disinfo: Washington is preparing a colour revolution in Moldova

Russia fears that the protests that have recently engulfed Belarus and Kyrgyzstan could erupt in Moldova. In the near future, the republic will host presidential elections, which threaten to end with a “colour revolution” prepared by Washington. At the same time, Moldova is a strategic goal for the United States within the framework of the policy of containing Russia. According to experts, the White House is seriously afraid of pro-Russian sentiments within the republic.

Oct 21, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative alleging the West has an anti-Russian policy and claiming that popular unrests in post-Soviet space are colour revolutions directed against Russia. There is no evidence of US interference in upcoming elections in Moldova. The US supports a free and fair electoral process in Moldova. "Regardless of what choice the Moldovan people make on Election Day, the United States will remain a faithful partner to the Moldovan people and this country’s sovereign right to choose its own path. We support and join in your struggle to build a bright, prosperous, and democratic future for yourselves and your children", said Dereck J. Hogan, US Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova. See similar disinformation cases claiming that Ukraine is stirring up revolutions in Belarus and Russia, that Belarus is under attack by the unilateral globalist world to indirectly destabilise Vladimir Putin, that Berlin sets a course of containment towards Russia, or that Nagorno-Karabakh conflict favours US interests diverting Russia from Belarus and Syria.

Disinfo: The Pope supports same-sex couples because Catholicism is about business

The Pope supports same-sex couples because Catholicism is “corporation and a business”, not a spiritual community. This is the main difference between Russia and the West, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. The Pope wants to make money. It is important for him that there is a full house on St. Peter’s Square so that mugs and T-shirts with the Pope are sold profitably.

Oct 21, 2020
Disproof

This disinformation message is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Western moral decay. In this case, the article represents an attempt to defamation of Catholic Church and Pope Francis. This message comes as the reaction to Pope Francis's recent call for civil union laws for same-sex couples. In a documentary directed by Evgeny Afineevsky, Pope Francis made the comments, which observers say are his clearest remarks yet on gay relationships. As reported by the New York Times, "The remarks in the documentary were in keeping with Francis’ general support for gay people, but were perhaps his most specific and prominent on the issue of civil unions, which even traditionally Catholic nations like Italy, Ireland and Argentina have permitted in recent years." See more analysis here!

Disinfo: Biden's son has photos of underage girls on his laptop

The lawyer of US President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, said that sexual materials related to minors were allegedly found in the laptop of the son of presidential candidate Joe Biden. According to the messages that Trump’s lawyer showed, Hunter Biden allegedly wrote to his father that Hallie Biden accused him of inappropriate behaviour with minors – she did not like that naked Hunter was talking on FaceTime with a 14-year-old girl whose name was deliberately hidden in the correspondence.

Oct 21, 2020
Disproof

Conspiracy theory against the son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, accusing him of paedophilia. This is a recurring message, consistent with the pro-Kremlin's constant attacks against the US Democratic Party. There is no evidence that a laptop previously belonging to Hunter Biden contains child pornography. The allegation originated on the anonymous internet forum 4Chan, a known source of online disinformation. See more on PolitiFact.com. Joe Biden, at the same time, called this information a "desperate smear campaign against him and his family". See other examples in our database, such as claims that Joe Biden is preparing a coup, and his militants are setting the US on fire; that he is actually the president of Ukraine, where he has been personally profiteering; that he was behind 2019 protests in Georgia; that he admitted his personal involvement in preventing Putin from participating in the presidential race; or that his son pushed for war in eastern Ukraine to clear the territory for fracking.