DISINFO: The phenomenon of the "Russian threat", "Russian trace", and "Kremlin hands" is becoming weird and unhealthy

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

AI translations:

DISINFO: The phenomenon of the "Russian threat", "Russian trace", and "Kremlin hands" is becoming weird and unhealthy

SUMMARY

U.S. Secretary of Defense, James Forrestal committed suicide jumping from the 16th floor of a psychiatric hospital shouting that the Russians were coming. In addition, the Muller investigation on Trump’s links to the Kremlin gave no results and now they intend to find the compromising evidence proving this claim. Also, Norwegian media claims that Russian agents operated on Spitsbergen as well as on the mainland. Thus, the patriotic collection of amazing fantasies code-named “Russians are coming!” was complemented with another exhibit of “Special forces in civilian clothes.” This means that the phenomenon of the “Russian threat”, “Russian trace”, and “Kremlin hands” is becoming weirder and unhealthy in world politics.

RESPONSE

A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on Russophobia. The article is a response to Aldimer's recent publication claimed that Russian tactical action groups have been operating on Norwegian soil. The article contains two disinformation narratives:

  1. "The Russians are coming. They’re right around. I’ve seen Russian soldiers” – these words were attributed to James Forrestal by Soviet propaganda. Shortly after the suicide in 1949, Soviet broadsheet newspaper Pravda published a cartoon depicting the "Russophobe” U.S. Secretary of Defence. The investigation report on Forrestal's death notes that "the late James V. Forrestal died as a result of injuries, multiple, extreme, received incident to a fall from a high point in the tower, building one, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.” Not a single witness has noted that during his stay at the Naval Hospital James Forrestal was mentioning "Russians.” Not a single witness has noted that they witnessed the moment when Forrestal jumped down shouting "the Russians are coming”. More debunking by Myth Detector here.

  2. Recurring disinformation narrative about Mueller's investigation and alleged lack of its results. In fact, the Mueller's report explicitly identifies "numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign" (p. 9). A number of these individuals later "made false statements about those contacts and took other steps to obstruct" the probe (p. 180). The report's conclusions therefore do nothing to absolve the Russian government. For further information on Meuller's report, please see here. For other cases about Russian interference in the US elections 2016, please see here.

Disclaimer

Cases in the EUvsDisinfo database focus on messages in the international information space that are identified as providing a partial, distorted, or false depiction of reality and spread key pro-Kremlin messages. This does not necessarily imply, however, that a given outlet is linked to the Kremlin or editorially pro-Kremlin, or that it has intentionally sought to disinform. EUvsDisinfo publications do not represent an official EU position, as the information and opinions expressed are based on media reporting and analysis of the East Stratcom Task Force.

    Why do you not like our audio?

    it will help us to improve it

      Your opinion matters!

      Data Protection Information *

        Subscribe to the Disinfo Review

        Your weekly update on pro-Kremlin disinformation

        Data Protection Information *

        The Disinformation Review is sent through Mailchimp.com. See Mailchimp’s privacy policy and find out more on how EEAS protects your personal data.

        🎵 Playlist