DISINFO: It is absurd to suggest that Russia may inspire Coronavirus-related conspiracy theories
SUMMARY
It is absurd to suggest that conspiracy theories claiming that there is no pandemic could be inspired by Russia. Why exactly from Russia, if the whole world is fighting with the Coronavirus? After all, Russia has also suffered from this situation…
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative denying that state-controlled Russian media have been involved in spreading disinformation about the Coronavirus. The EUvsDisinfo Database on disinformation as of 14 December 2020 contained close to 675 cases of disinformation related to COVID-19.
Russia’s disinformation campaign on the Coronavirus has been well documented by both media and governments, and some of their elements were widely reported by Russian and international publications.
Despite their potentially grave impact on public health, official and state-backed sources from various governments, including Russia, have continued to widely target conspiracy narratives and disinformation both at public audiences in the EU and the wider neighbourhood. These messages are characteristic of the Kremlin’s well-established strategy of using disinformation to amplify divisions, sow distrust and chaos, and exacerbate crisis situations and issues of public concern.
Some cases, for example, claim that Bill Gates and George Soros are sponsoring the Wuhan coronavirus, that it is a UK, US or NATO creation and Americans have its cure, that it is an artificial disease which specifically targets Chinese DNA, that it was created with economic goals while big pharma companies are spreading panic for their own profits, that it is a biological weapon against Russia and China, that it will wipe out Ukraine’s population in a few days or that it was predicted by Nostradamus and others.
Read previous cases claiming that mainstream media ignores the fake news campaign against Russia and that the EU is not publishing the coronavirus disinformation case it accuses Russia of spreading.