Disinfo: White Helmets have close links to Al-Qaeda and falsify chemical attacks evidence

Summary

The White Helmets have helped to justify in the media Western interference in the Syrian crisis, but they have also repeatedly contributed to ridicule those media. These media rescuers with close ties to al-Qaeda, have indeed received a financial boost of 4.5 million dollars (4 million euros) from US. The White Helmets were repeatedly caught spreading misinformation. In April 2018, images of an alleged chemical attack on a hospital flood social networks. Washington, London, followed by Paris, lead strikes against three sites of “the clandestine chemical arsenal of the Syrian regime” […]. Three sites that were, in fact, under regular surveillance by the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons), which found nothing to complain about. While jihadists are globally defeated in Syria, why are the United States continuing their financial support to the White Helmets?

Disproof

Recurrent disinformation narrative. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said it found reasonable grounds to believe that chlorine was used as a weapon in the Douma district of Eastern Ghouta, Syria in April 2018. The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission also confirmed use of chemical weapons in Khan Shaykhun on 4 April 2017. The "White Helmets" movement originated in Syria in 2012. Volunteers save people from the rubble after bombings, despite the danger of dying themselves as a result of repeated air strikes. Activists have documented the use of chemical weapons in Syria, later confirmed by OPCW. Because of this, they have become the target of an extensive Russian disinformation campaign. Disinformation media routinely accuse White Helmets of “working for terrorists” and giving a biased information to Western media. No evidence is given to support those claims. See more disinformation cases on the White Helmets here.

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fr.sputniknews.com (Archived)
  • Reported in: Issue 170
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 25/10/2019
  • Outlet language(s) French
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: Syria, US
  • Keywords: White Helmets, Chemical weapons/attack
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Disinfo: Ukrainians do not want to join NATO

Ukrainians do not want to join NATO, do not want this [to happen].

Oct 24, 2019
Disproof

This pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative suggests that Ukrainian pro-European and pro-NATO aspirations are weakening. This is a manipulative claim since all available recent polls show the highest ever support for NATO membership in Ukraine. A June 2019 joint poll by the Sociological Group Rating and International Republican Institute shows that the number of NATO supporters in Ukraine reached a historical maximum. Today, 53% of Ukraine support accession to NATO; 29% are against. Somewhat smaller, but still high support for NATO shows a poll conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv “Democratic Initiatives” Foundation. The August 2019 poll revealed that 41% of Ukrainians would like to see Ukraine as a NATO member. In comparison, only 13-16% of Ukrainians, on average, supported accession to NATO before 2014. The report concludes that the attitude towards NATO has changed dramatically after 2014: the number of NATO supporters has tripled. Polls conducted earlier this year by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology also confirm that support for NATO remains high. In February 2019, 40% of Ukrainian citizens supported Ukraine accession to NATO. Moreover, if on a referendum there were two possible answers - yes and no - 56% would vote "yes". See more disinformation cases on Ukraine and NATO.

Disinfo: NATO is looking for a reason to start military action against Belarus and Russia

The talks about the so called Russian threat are an excuse. Everyone is allegedly worried about Belarus’ domestic policy and its sovereignty as if they really care about Belarus’ problems. In fact, the stationing of U.S. troops in Lithuania means that the U.S. and NATO are looking for a reason to begin military action, and any excuse can be used at the right moment.

Oct 24, 2019
Disproof

This is a conspiracy theory which is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Western aggressiveness towards Belarus and Russia. Claims that NATO is preparing an attack on Russia have no basis and have been repeatedly debunked.

See earlier disinformation cases alleging that the West is targeting the Union State between Belarus and Russia, that the Belarusian opposition, that NATO is planning to invade Belarus, civic activists and independent journalists make kill lists for Western security bodies, and that NATO/US military exercises in Europe are directed against Russia and Belarus.

Disinfo: JIT MH17 investigation is doubtful, based only on social media and Internet

In June 2019, the JIT issued a new report, detailing the names of four people suspected of shooting down the Boeing MH17. They are Russians Igor Girkin, Sergei Doubinsky, Oleg Poulatov and Ukrainian Leonid Khartchenko. However, the group refers to questionable sources, including photos and information found in social networks and on the Internet. The JIT, which does not include Russian experts, refuses to take into consideration documents proving that the missile that shot down the Malaysian Boeing belonged to Ukraine. It also ignores the results of the experiments conducted by the Buk designer, the Almaz-Antei group, which show that the Boeing was shot down from an area that was then controlled by the Ukrainian army.

Oct 24, 2019
Disproof

Recurring disinformation narrative on MH 17 downing which includes mutually exclusive statements on Russian radar which has not detected any missiles in the area or on the made-in-Ukraine missile. The narrative that Russia was unjustly put apart of the investigation was repeated hundreds of times. The crash did not take place over Russian territory and claimed no Russian lives, which precludes any basis for Moscow to be represented in the JIT. Dutch Chief Prosecutor Fred Westerbeke told a Russian newspaper that "if MH17 were shot down over Russia, I would have suggested that Russia be made a member of the JIT group." Claims by Buk manufacturer Almaz-Antey were debunked back in 2015 by Bellingcat. Joint Investigation Team collected forensic evidence from debris, soil samples, stated taped phone conversations and other evidence. Full description on how the investigation was conducted is available here in JIT's report. JIT has concluded that flight MH17 was shot down on 17 July 2014 by a missile of the 9M38 series, launched by a BUK-TELAR, from farmland in the vicinity of Pervomaiskiy. At that time, the area was controlled by pro-Russian fighters. The BUK-TELAR was brought in from the territory of the Russian Federation and subsequently, after having shot down flight MH17, was taken back to the Russian Federation. For our overview and analysis of disinformation narratives around the downing of MH17, click here. More disinformation cases on MH17 see here.