The Kremlin disinformation machinery continues to fabricate make-believe stories about biolabs in Ukraine and bioweapons testing, while tossing its tentacles near and far.
This week it appears that Kremlin propagandists were yet again tasked by their masters’ voices to celebrate a biolabs and bioweapons theme week. We also witnessed the pro-Kremlin disinformation ecosystem targeting Ukrainian refugees in EU countries. Finally, at the more outlandish end of their activities, Kremlin manipulators continued their attacks against Western military support for Ukraine, this time by trying to invoke a radiation scare.
Biolabs, bioweapons, and other Kremlin-created boogeymen
For quite some time now, the Kremlin has been working hard to spread disinformation about biological laboratories and biological weapons. On several occasions EUvsDisinfo has addressed different strains of this disinformation virus in its articles, database and other products. It has also provided very detailed denials.
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However, variations on this topic continue to appear in the Kremlin’s disinformation stream, and EUvsDisinfo continues to set the record straight. The Kremlin uses this and other disinformation topics related to chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear (CBRN) threats because they succeed in provoking very strong psychological reactions in people, mainly fear.
It should come as no surprise, then, that Kremlin disinformation claims, for example, that the United States tests biological agents on Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, or that the Russian armed forces have succeeded in stopping U.S. military biological programs in Ukraine.
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Kremlin disinformers take a multipronged approach to scaremongering. Firstly, they talk to their home audiences and try to come up with justifications for their war in Ukraine. Secondly, they attempt to reach audiences abroad, confuse them, and create a gap between Ukraine and its supporters while portraying the US as the real menace. Lastly, CBRN-related disinformation tries to instil fear and push, in particular, Western audiences to question their support for Ukraine’s war effort out of fear of mostly imaginary Russian retaliation.
The sticky end of the Kremlin’s disinformation tentacles
We have lately witnessed pro-Kremlin disinformation machinery targeting Ukraine and particularly Ukrainian refugees in European countries by producing fabricated or manipulated materials to mislead intended audiences.
One recent Kremlin disinformation campaign, for example, posted on Telegram in the Italian language while claiming to relay stories from the Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino. These Russian Telegram channels posted articles with fabricated videos attempting to discredit female Ukrainian refugees for inciting violence. Needless to say, the Italian media outlet in question never published anything to that effect.
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In similar fashion, Kremlin manipulators have aimed to sow unfounded fears of forced conscription into the Ukrainian army with the help of fabricated stories planted across the pro-Kremlin disinformation ecosystem. Moreover, disinformation depicts authorities in European countries collecting information about Ukrainian refugees for forced conscription, thus attempting to sow friction-creating distrust between local authorities and refugees.
Such actions are part of a broader pro-Kremlin disinformation and manipulation effort to denigrate the Ukrainian Armed Forces as well as the Ukrainian government by pushing disinformation narratives about Ukraine’s inevitable defeat and Russia’s military superiority on the battlefield. It also seeks to create panic in the Ukrainian diaspora in Europe, possibly to compel them to exert pressure on the Ukrainian government.
More information: EUvsDisINFO
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