DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS
- Outlet: sputniknews.com ( archive, original ) , RIA ( archive, original ) , regnum.ru ( archive, original ) , Fontaka.ru ( archive, original ) , riafan.ru ( archive, original ) , Interfax ( archive, original ) , rg.ru ( archive, original ) , fr.sputniknews.com ( archive, original ) , actualidad.rt.com ( archive, original ) , fort-russ.com ( archive, original )
- Date of publication: January 27, 2020
- Countries / regions discussed: Syria, Russia
AI translations:
DISINFO: White Helmets preparing new provocations to implicate Assad in chemical attacks
SUMMARY
Militants and the remnants of the notorious White Helmets group are planning new provocations in Syria with the goal of accusing Damascus of using chemical weapons against the civilian population. In the past, the White Helmets have been spotted both working with terrorist organisations and staging false flag chemical attacks.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin conspiracy theory painting the White Helmets as terrorists and shifting blame for chemical attacks in Syria away from Damascus. The claim is made without evidence and follows the pattern of unsubstantiated accusations regarding the White Helmets' complicity in chemical attacks in Syria. Available evidence on such attacks has yet to link a single incident to any other party than the Assad regime. The White Helmets are a staple topic of pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives on the Syrian civil war, having already been accused of numerous other provocations and war crimes including organ trafficking; aiding terrorist organizations; staging and/or perpetrating chemical attacks, sometimes with the help of Western intelligence agencies. A majority of these claims are unburdened by evidence and often rely on meaningless formulations such as "according to information provided by X," "there are reasons to assume," and so forth. For more information about the importance of the White Helmets in pro-Kremlin disinformation regarding the Syrian war, see here, here, and here.