Disinfo: US wants to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 by presenting Russia as an aggressor

Summary

One of the reasons for the aggravation of the situation [in Donbas], is the struggle for the markets for the sale of liquefied gas.

By presenting Russia as an aggressor, they [the US] want to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 to stop the project. And then the Americans will sell their liquefied gas to Europe at high prices and cash in on gas.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine and Nord Stream 2.

This disinformation is used to distract attention from a renewed build-up of Russian armed forces along the Ukrainian borders since March-April 2021. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized many times that Ukraine is not interested in resuming the conflict in Donbas. Ukraine, according to Zelenskyy, is committed to the implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Contrary to the claim, the US is not pushing Ukraine to escalation in Donbas. The United States sees the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a Russian geopolitical project intended to divide Europe and weaken European energy security. However, there is no basis for the claims that it seeks to ignite war in Ukraine to stop it. See recent statement from US Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin here.

See similar disinformation claim that the US needs a war in Ukraine to stop Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

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sputnik-ossetia.ru (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 240
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17/04/2021
  • Article language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Russia, US, Ukraine
  • Keywords: War in Ukraine, Donbas, Nord Stream 2, Sanctions
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Disinfo: Oxford study: Pfizer and Moderna vaccines cause 30 times more cases of blood clots than AstraZeneca’s

Amid fears of blood clots as a possible secondary effect of vaccination against the coronavirus, scientists of the Oxford University tried to calculate which are the real risks of developing a thrombosis due to the Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca vaccines from available data. Scientists concluded that the chances of suffering a cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) are 8 times higher after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine and 10 times higher for those vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna. Besides, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines cause 30 times more cases of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) than AstraZeneca’s.

The developers of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V asked health regulators all over the world to thoroughly examine the Oxford study on the correlation of rare cases of blood coagulation and the different types of vaccines against Covid-19, which shows that the risk of PVT seems to be 30 times higher with the mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna vaccines) than with AstraZeneca’s, and that the risk of CVT, one of the reasons why many regulators recommended to suspend the use of vaccines produced by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, seem to be very similar for the AstraZeneca vaccine and for the mRNA Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Apr 16, 2021
Disproof

By framing the Pfizer (BioNTech/Pfizer) and Moderna vaccines as riskier than AstraZeneca’s, this disinformation message wants to capitalise on the alarm created about the latter after some countries temporarily suspended its use. These disinformation articles appeared amid a wave of false affirmations made by the developers of the Sputnik V vaccine aiming to discredit competitors (see here for a detailed analysis and debunk of those false claims), part of a long-term pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign about global vaccination.

The claims are a deliberate distortion of the original study of the Oxford University quoted as the source. The study specifically focused on estimating “the absolute risk of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) and portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in the two weeks following a diagnosis of COVID-19, and to assess the relative risks (RR) compared to influenza or the administration of an mRNA vaccine against COVID-19”, given that “one key component of the risk-benefit calculation is currently unknown: the absolute risk of CVT following a diagnosis of COVID-19”. It also warned that its authors “could not make a direct comparison with rates after the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (“Oxford-AstraZeneca”) vaccine because this has not been used in the USA”.

Disinfo: Russia needs to eliminate Russophobic junta in Ukraine and contribute to the creation of Kharkiv Popular Republic

Ukraine is a part of Rus, Russian people live there. Russia needs to intensify its efforts to eliminate the Russophobic pro-western regime in Ukraine. Avakov and Zelenskyy are junta members, and it is chaired by unknown officers of the American special services. In response to [western] sanctions, Russia needs to adopt harsh measures aimed at bringing Ukrainian territories under political models amicable to Russia. As a response to sanctions, Russia could launch an Orthodox TV channel broadcasting over Ukraine, to accelerate issuance of Russian passports, and to create Kharkiv-related structures in order to have Kharkiv Popular Republic established which will later reunite with Russia.

Apr 16, 2021
Disproof

This audio comment contains recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about Ukraine is under external control, the Russian world/civilisation and Ukrainian disintegration. Kharkiv is a major cultural, educational, and industrial centre of Ukraine, the second-largest Ukrainian city. It was the first capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, from December 1919 to January 1934, after which the capital relocated to Kyiv.

Presenting Ukraine as US-controlled junta is conspiracy aimed to discredit Ukrainian statehood. Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine is not controlled by the US or any other foreign government or organisation.

Disinfo: The anti-Russian agenda for Defender Europe 2021 is clear

According to a press release posted on the official website of the US Ground Forces in Europe, the exercise "aims to enhance strategic and operational readiness and interaction between the US, allies and NATO partners." It is emphasized that the maneuvers do not pose a threat to third countries.

However, the anti-Russian agenda for Defender Europe 2021 is clear.

Thus, the speaker of Ukraine in the trilateral contact group, Oleksiy Arestovich, said bluntly: the point is to work out the war with Russia on the territory between the Baltic and the Black Sea.

Apr 16, 2021
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO and encircled Russia.

NATO does not prepare for the war against Russia (or against any other country). The military exercises “Defender Europe 2021” are “defensive in nature and focused on responding to crisis if necessary”. Neither Defender Europe 2021 nor its other military exercises are directed against Russia.