Verdicts
Wednesday 14 March 2018
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Give back Crimea? “What, have you lost your mind? There are no such circumstances and there never will be.”
Three days before the presidential elections in Russia Vladimir Putin appears at the major rally in Crimea, that his press secretary says, "is not connected with presidential elections" and repeats multiple statements justifying Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula, including the claims that he himself described in the past as "provocative." -
The U.S. used Russia to prevent Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovich from using his military against rioters in Kiev, and then ‘cheated’ Moscow by supporting an armed coup, President Vladimir Putin said.
The Maidan Revolution of 2014 was not a coup, nor was it armed, nor led by "far-right nationalists." -
“We have already made a statement that this is all nonsense, we have nothing to do with this”
British investigators have determined that the nerve agent used in the poisoning of ex-Russian military intelligence spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Britain was manufactured in Russia. That alone is enough to earn the Russian foreign minister's claim that Russia had "nothing to do" with the poisoning a false verdict. -
“In January-February, the most significant increase occurred in these categories, because they went up by 200% from 163-165%. There is nothing surprising here.”
The so-called May Decrees, which included raising salaries for teachers and other state workers, were signed by President Vladimir Putin in May 2012. Their sudden implementation in the months leading up to Russia’s upcoming presidential election is rather convenient for Putin, who is seeking another term in office. -
Russian Parliament Leaders Falsely Imply Powerful US Lawmakers Are Immune to Charges of Sexual Abuse
“If such accusations were put forward by the female journalists of Russia Today or Sputnik, for instance, against Senator McCain – then the outcome would be predetermined – in the U.S.A. the Russian female journalists would be blamed.”
When Russian female journalists said #MeToo and accused top lawmaker of sexual harassment, they have been subjected to a campaign of public shame, accused of slander and of “violating professional ethics.” And, the Speaker of Russian Parliament advised the victims to “change jobs.” -
While Russian Embassy's claim is not completely inaccurate, it is still misleading to label Sergei Skripal as British spy, since he was at least a double agent. Also, the details of his most recent years in Britain add mystery to the controversy about his true allegiances.
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“The U.S.A., through its state propaganda organs, is imposing the view that if turnout in the Russian presidential election is, according to the data of our CEC (Central Election Commission), higher than 45 percent, then these are falsified figures, a dirty trick and distortion of reality, that without [the participation of] certain players, a turnout above 45 percent is impossible. This is being put in the heads not only of Russian citizens, but of people abroad.”
There is no evidence that U.S. government-funded media is pushing the narrative Klimov talks about, and Klimov offered no examples of such stories in his report. -
“I see no basis for saying that some U.S. states were actually used there. No maps were used; those are some absolutely arbitrary geographical outlines.”
The image used as a target in President Vladimir Putin’s animated presentation of Russia’s new “invincible” nuclear ballistic missile is an exact replica of a satellite image of the State of Florida in the U.S. Moreover, the same image was used in 2007 Russian TV documentary presenting a similar ballistic missile system, called “Satan,” with the narrator naming three U.S. states as targets. -
In 2019–2024, we need to spend over 4 percent of the GDP each year to develop the healthcare system. At the same time, the goal we must bear in mind is 5 percent. In absolute terms, this means that healthcare spending must double. In addition, we must find new funding opportunities that would not limit economic growth.
It is hard to tell which healthcare expenditures Putin talks about. It’s likely that he talked about the expenditures by the government but they have been at around 3% for years. -
“There is not even a grain of truth in it. Attempts were made by certain forces, through bribery, promises of visas and residence permits in Europe, to persuade young people to make statements about being affiliated with gays and being persecuted for that. The topic of gays is only part of a large-scale information and psychological attack being carried out against Chechnya by organizations financed by the U.S. government and international organizations sponsored by Western intelligence agencies. In Chechnya, men have only one orientation, and its impact is evidenced by the highest birth rate in the country.”
Karimov’s statement does not align with numerous reports reflected in the Amnesty International’s annual report on the declining rights of the Chechen gays (p. 312, “Rights of Lesbian, Gay,….”) but copies earlier statements made to Vladimir Putin by Ramzan Kadyrov denying existence of any gays in Chechnya. -
“The source from the town of al-Hasakah (north-east part of Syria) has told Sputnik on the condition of anonymity that local people have witnessed U.S. helicopters landing multiple times on the territory of the local prison, controlled by Kurds, a(nd) then leaving. According to the source, they were taking away some of the Daesh (banned in Russia) terrorists, detained in that prison.”
There is no credible evidence to believe that the helicopter is evacuating IS fighters. The story also repeats already debunked claims. -
"These are unfounded accusations. It is unclear what they are based on: no concrete data is provided. We do not agree with this."
The U.S., the United Nations, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Kuwait, and other countries, along with scores of humanitarian organizations, say Moscow and Damascus are responsible for the bombing that killed hundreds of civilians in Ghouta, Syria.