Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the EU is waging a proxy war against Russia, and that Moldova is being instigated by the West to prepare for a war against Russia.
The claim refers to the Security and Defense Partnership signed on 21 May in Brussels by Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean and Joseph Borell, the European Commission Vice-President.
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation aiming to deter nations from seizing Russia's frozen assets to fund Ukraine's reconstruction. This is also a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that the international sanctions against Russia are inefficient.
In response to Russian aggression against Ukraine, the US, EU and several other countries froze about $300 billion in Russian assets deposited in Western banks. It was Russia's illegal actions against Ukraine, which violate the provisions of many international laws, including the UN Charter, that led to the introduction of a long list of sanctions against Russia.
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative targeting the upcoming European Parliament elections. This narrative also accuses the EU of Nazism. Both claims were made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The widespread Russian accusations of "Nazism" against European states is a tool of political pressure, since Russia itself is trying to justify its aggression against Ukraine with the mythical need to "denazify" Ukraine. The UN has repeatedly emphasised that Russia's actions seriously undermine the genuine attempts of the world community in the fight against neo-Nazism.
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about an undemocratic EU, part of a wider campaign to discredit European democracy ahead of the European Parliament elections.
The EU is not 'NATO's political arm'. Though EU-NATO cooperation constitutes an integral pillar of European defence and their security are inter-connected, both are independent of each other, as it is clear from the list of their nation members. NATO includes 9 states that are not members of the European Union, while 4 EU members are not part of the Atlantic Alliance. The European Union is a sovereign entity created by the voluntary initiative of European nations and it has its own, independent foreign policy.
Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation Poland, Romania and Hungary as states with imperial ambitions. Apart from smearing these EU members, the aim is also to deflect attention away from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
This is a modification of a recurring disinformation narrative about the alleged disintegration of the EU. As our past analysis explains, the 'imminent collapse' narrative is often used in pro-Kremlin outlets in relation to the EU, European countries, or capitalism.
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the EU violating freedom of speech and press.
On 15 May 2024, EU ambassadors agreed in principle to place an additional four Russian media outlets on the sanctions list, accusing them of propaganda. These are Voice of Europe, RIA Novosti, Izvestiya and Rossiyskaya Gazeta. The decision was based on the fact that these media outlets are used as a tool of Russian propaganda and disinformation. See here for the list of outlets sanctioned previously.
The EU countries are considered free and democratic by Freedom House. In contrast, Russia is considered one of the least free countries in the world. This is the reason why pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives strongly attack democracy and the EU as a viable model to Russia's autocratic system.
Intensively repeated disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets attempting to discredit the EU mission in Armenia, accusing it of espionage, anti-Russian, anti-Iranian and anti-Azerbaijani activities.
From the very beginning, this exclusively civilian mission has been fully transparent about its plans to operate from six hubs. It has no links to NATO or troops from its member countries. From the moment of its launch, EUMA was a target for disinformation, as discussed in our analysis The wrong the wicked and the wacky. Claims about the EU mission in Armenia.
The mission was launched in Armenia in response to a request by Armenia. EUMA conducts routine patrolling and reports on the situation, which strengthens the EU's understanding of the situation on the ground.
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine that attempts to deny Ukraine's sovereignty, falsely presents the on-going war against Ukraine as a civil war, and finally falsely claims that Ukraine is a tool of the US and the West to weaken Russia.
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative trying to whitewash Russia's war crimes during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
There is a significant amount of evidence that Russian troops committed war crimes and atrocities in Bucha. The evidence includes satellite images, photos, videos, and witness testimonies. Russia's claims that video footage showing dead bodies on the streets of Bucha is staged have been fact-checked and debunked by the BBC, Bellingcat, The Atlantic Council, Mediazona, the Insider, Sky News, the New York Times and others.
The media that spread the article regularly publishes Russian propaganda, and the material used fakes and manipulations of the Russian Federation