Human Rights
Thursday 29 November 2018
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Several of Putin’s claims are false, one is unclear, and one may be true, but not in the way the president of the Russian Federation puts it.
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“Unlike Ukraine, we don’t drag our military into adventures and do not shirk international law. And if Ukraine indicated its position, pushing it into international waters, then it shouldn’t make loud statements about ‘ramming, attacks, provocations.’ Moreover, our vessels have moved far ahead in their technological development, we do not use ramming as a tactic."
A video shows the Russian Coast Guard vessel deliberately ramming an unarmed Ukrainian tugboat. Claims that it had violated Russia’s borders don’t hold water. -
“Five years on, what has become of the protesters’ dreams to rid Ukraine of corruption and build an equal, transparent and functional democracy? The sad answer is that Ukraine’s revolution was a disaster which left the country teetering on the edge of becoming a failed state.”
Apart from the usual conspiracy theories and false claims about Maidan being a coup, the article omits important facts that explain why Ukraine has struggled to realize the goals of 2014’s Maidan revolution. -
“I insist: in this primate way [British Prime Minister Theresa] May’s government tries to play down the agenda of Brexit and the discussion of their own resignation. Too banal? It’s the best that they can do.”
As Britain releases more surveillance footage placing two alleged Russian agents at the scene of the attempted assassination of a former spy, Moscow now claims that the poisoning plot has been cooked up to distract from Brexit. -
“The media in Germany is largely dependent on their owners in the United States. Today, none of the chief editors of leading media organizations can be appointed to the position unless they have completed a half-year internship in the American media outlets.”
The senator makes his claim without evidence. The facts on media ownership in Germany and the experience of prominent journalists and media owners prove the claim is false -
"Forensic examination of biological samples taken from [Browder’s partners] Gasanov, Korobeinikov, Kurochkin and Magnitsky makes it possible to conclude that the mentioned persons had symptoms of chronic poisoning with toxic, soluble inorganic substances introduced into their bodies."
As more nations adopt sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, Russian officials push back by attempting to pin the murder of the martyred lawyer on his chief advocate. -
“Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov blasted the US senators’ appeal not to support Prokopchuk as ‘intervention in the voting process’ and 'an attempt to exert pressure on Interpol.'”
Members of the U.S. Congress belong to one of the three branches of the American government. Their opinions are a normal part of the democratic process, and do not constitute interference -- and certainly not intervention -- in INTERPOL’s selection of a new president. -
Like in the Crimea and the previous elections in occupied Donbas, Russia used a team of unqualified, some of them openly pro-Russian election observers. Some of them reside or have resided in the occupied territories in the Donbas and actively worked in pro-Russian disinformation efforts.
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The claim about informants is based on interviews with some politically important Russian expats in Britain. Neither the report that is cited, nor the newspaper shown in the tweet, are making the claim that half of Russians in Britain are informants.
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“In a strange twist of logic the author tells us Russia is against vaccination, which is actually a must in Russia.”
The article did not say that Russia is against vaccinations. It said that Russian trolls had spread anti-vaccine disinformation on Western social media. -
“We love and are proud of President Vladimir Putin, because he is a friend of Palestine and not only Palestine, but all the people who are seeking freedom. President Putin succeeded in restoring Russia’s authority in the international arena and forced all to respect Russia.”
Independent polls show trust and respect for Russia and its president has significantly decreased globally. Under Vladimir Putin’s leadership, Russia has suppressed insurgencies in Chechnya and in Syria. Moscow has lost its membership or voting privileges in multiple international organizations. -
“#Russia’s 82nd humanitarian convoy delivers 700+ tonnes of supplies to the people of #Donetsk & #Lugansk, including food packages for children, medical equipment and first aid kits. All cargo underwent thorough customs inspection. #HelpingDonbass”
These convoys cross from Russian territory into Ukrainian territory controlled by Russia. They may be inspected by the Russian Customs Service or "Russia-backed separatists," but they are not inspected by the Customs Service of Ukraine, the country they are actually crossing into.