Disinfo: White Helmets do nothing to help civilians

Summary

The White Helmets are cooperating with the terrorist group “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra).

What or who is hiding behind the White Helmets organization and why are they supported by the West? The White Helmets do nothing to help civilians, but instead, they cooperate with terrorists. Riam Dalati, a BBC producer in Syria, recently announced that the recording of the scene in the hospital after the chemical attack in the Syrian Douma region, which was claimed to have occurred in early April 2018, was fabricated.

Disproof

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the White Helmets. No evidence is given to substantiate the claim that they have connections to Al Qaeda and/ or other terrorist groups.

The claim that the White Helmets are the creation of “Western intelligence” is unsubstantiated and constitutes a groundless conspiracy theory.

The BBC didn't deny the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian city of Douma. The tweet of BBC's producer Riam Dalati, the source of these claims, doesn't deny the chemical attack.

"The producer was expressing his personal opinions about some of the video footage that emerged after the attack but has not claimed that the attack did not happen," the BBC spokesperson told Sputnik.

In the Interim Report of the OPCW fact-finding mission in Syria regarding the incident of alleged use of toxic chemicals as a weapon in Douma, it is stated: "Various chlorinated organic chemicals were found in samples from Locations 2 and 4, along with residues of explosive." (p. 2)

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Reported in: Issue 175
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 26/11/2019
Language/target audience: Arabic
Country: Syria
Keywords: Douma, White Helmets, BBC, Syrian War
Outlet: Sputnik web Arabic

Crimea reunited with Russia in compliance with international law

Moscow has repeatedly stated that the population of Crimea has voted to reunite with Russia through democratic means, in full compliance with international law and the UN Charter.

November 28, 2019

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative on the annexation of Crimea claiming that Crimean citizens chose to rejoin Russia through a legal referendum.

No international body recognises the so-called referendum, announced on the 27th of February 2014, and held on 16th of March 2014.

Russia has not, to any extent, exerted any form of aggression, it is the EU, which is aggressive

A simple chronological list of events in Europe would remind us that Russia has acted much less aggressively than the West, and has only responded step by step. Russia did not and does not, to any extent, exert any form of aggression. The EU and NATO are aggressive. This aggression is directed against Russia’s security interests.

November 28, 2019

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russophobia and about Western belligerence towards Russia.

While aware of pro-Kremlin disinformation campaigns, the West is trying to keep open channels of communications and cooperation with Russia. For instance, NATO as the Western organisation created cooperation bodies – the Permanent Joint Council and the NATO-Russia Council – to embody its relationship with Russia. It also invited Russia to cooperate on missile defence. The Warsaw Summit Communique 2016 describes NATO's official policy towards Russia: "The Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia. But we cannot, and will not, compromise on the principles on which our Alliance and security in Europe and North America rest." No other country outside the alliance has such a privileged relationship with NATO.

Militants with the help of White Helmets are planning new provocations in Syria

Terrorist groups are planning provocations in Syrian Idlib with White Helmets. Terrorists are going to stage airstrikes and chemical attacks on the territories of the de-escalation zone. Also, militants are already conducting a “casting” among local residents to participate in the filming.

November 28, 2019

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin conspiracy theory painting the White Helmets as terrorists and shifting blame for chemical attacks in Syria away from the Assad regime.

The White Helmets are a staple topic of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives on the Syrian civil war, having already been accused of numerous other provocations and war crimes including organ trafficking; aiding terrorist organizations; staging and/or perpetrating chemical attacks, sometimes with the help of Western intelligence agencies. These claims are not supported by evidence.