The European Union (EU) is accusing the Russian government (Kremlin) of starting a misinformation campaign regarding the effects of the coronavirus throughout Europe; The Kremlin denies the allegations.
A multi-page document has surfaced in which the EU claims that the Kremlin has been spreading a host of false information regarding the widespread effects of the coronavirus throughout the west. They believe Russia’s motive in doing something like this is to further the effects economically, politically, and diplomatically. The Kremlin has denied the allegations.
The document put together by the EU is claiming that the Kremlin is responsible for creating and encouraging ‘fake news’ and other propaganda in several languages in an attempt to create confusion throughout Europe and make it more difficult for the EU to communicate. The document claims that “A significant disinformation campaign by Russian state media and pro-Kremlin outlets regarding COVID-19 is ongoing.”
The document produced by the European External Action Service (EEAS) additionally states that “The overarching aim of Kremlin disinformation is to aggravate the public health crisis in Western countries…in line with the Kremlin’s broader strategy of attempting to subvert European societies.” The EEAS emphasized that:
“The pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets are not attempting to ‘sell an idea’, but rather to confuse the audience. All this aims to diminish the trust in the efforts of the health care system, the authorities, national and international institutions.”
Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, denied the allegations stating, “We’re talking again about some unfounded allegations which in the current situation are probably the result of an anti-Russian obsession.”
The EEAS is not commenting on the report.
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