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Disinfo: US is attacking Eastern Orthodox Churches to create instability in Europe

Summary

The US continues its practice of creating zones and lines of chaos in key regions of the world. In the 2000s, it started a campaign to create an arc of instability stretching from Northern Africa to the east of the Central Asia. Now, more and more signals appear showing that there is a new project – to create a crescent of instability in Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. These campaigns actively exploited the religious factor in an attempt to undermine and discredit traditional religious systems. In the case of the Middle East, the target is Sunni Islam. It is being targeted by instigating various Islamic sects. In Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, various artificial schismatic groups are used to combat the canonical Orthodox Church. In both cases, foreign powers have also been exploiting and supporting exotic sects, new-age-style beliefs and other “neo-liberal” constructs.

Disproof

A conspiracy theory, presented without any support of evidence. See here for the most common pro-Kremlin narratives.

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publication/media

SouthFront - English
  • Reported in: Issue 152
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 30/05/2019
  • Outlet language(s) English
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Ukraine, Russia
  • Keywords: Eastern Europe, Orthodox Church, Conspiracy theory
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May 29, 2019
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Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on Ukraine and its relations with the European Union. In June 2014, the 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. See here for more details about EU-Ukraine relations. The total trade turnout increased to 50 bln USD in 2018. During 2015-2018, Ukraine also increased its export to the EU from 13 bln USD to 23 bln USD. Overall, in 2018 Ukrainian export to the EU increased by 13,1%. Now, the EU accounts for almost half of Ukrainian export. See here for further information about the DCFTA and the cooperation between the EU and Ukraine.

Rise in German anti-Semitism caused by mass immigration

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May 29, 2019
Disproof

Pro-Kremlin conspiracy theory about the creeping Islamisation of Europe, painting immigrants from Muslim-majority countries as inherently violent and immune to cultural assimilation. The report offers no data to support the link between immigration volumes and the number of anti-Semitic incidents, relying instead on statements of opinion and assurances that such a link has been made by "many observers," without further elaboration. Contrary to the report's central premise, an expansive 2018 study finds "no evidence that MENA [Middle Eastern and North African] migrants make any significant contribution to antisemitism at a societal level" in any of the five EU countries surveyed (p. 29), or any data which would suggest a "significant connection between recent MENA migrants and the extent and character of antisemitism in Western Europe" (ibid.). The individual quoted as saying that "nothing is being done" about the problem was a Dutch woman (see p. 39 of the report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights), not a German individual. RT previously misattributed the quote to "one French woman" in an article about anti-Semitism in France. The EU recognizes anti-Semitism as a serious social and security concern -- see here for a summary of EU-wide efforts to tackle it.