{"id":16204,"date":"2021-01-19T07:36:57","date_gmt":"2021-01-19T07:36:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/informnapalm.org\/en\/?p=16204"},"modified":"2021-01-19T07:36:57","modified_gmt":"2021-01-19T07:36:57","slug":"kremlin-accuses-the-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/informnapalm.org\/en\/kremlin-accuses-the-west\/","title":{"rendered":"Kremlin accuses the West for deliberately discrediting Russian vaccine"},"content":{"rendered":"

Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine, named “Sputnik V.”\u00a0 \/ <\/span>Image: Russian Health Ministry \/ Handout \/ Anadolu Agency via Getty Images<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

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Continuous introduction of strict anti-COVID measures have spurred yet another wave of disinformation. False\/misleading narratives are being used to portray the Baltic countries and Poland as incapable to counter the pandemic and to diminish the importance of pandemic restrictions. International vaccination efforts have also prompted accusations of attempts to compromise Russian-made vaccine Sputnik V, and allegations that mandatory vaccination programmes abuse human rights. Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland were targeted by disinformation as separate entities, as well as a part of international organizations, such as the EU and NATO.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Throughout December 2020, Debunk EU<\/strong><\/a> tracked hostile media and carried out a two-dimensional analysis, which aimed to evaluate the toxicity and the reach that the Kremlin propaganda and the infodemic<\/em> carry in the region. Within the period, analysts with Debunk EU reviewed 7,091 articles with potentially harmful content, identifying and analyzing 524 articles with false and misleading content in English, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish and Russian languages from 73 media outlets. The articles had a potential reach of 434.9 million contacts.<\/span><\/p>\n

The analysis has shown that two major news groups <\/strong>stood out in terms of both the number of hits and distribution by languages. First batch of articles concerned the news that the<\/strong> Russian Defence Ministry <\/strong>had warned against a fake news campaign bankrolled from abroad and targeting the Russian COVID-19 vaccine<\/strong>. A day later, it was the message that the toothpaste can kill 99.9% of coronavirus <\/strong>that triggered the second major flow of mis\/disinformation. The vast majority of articles within those two groups were published in Russian language.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Disinformation about COVID-19 dynamics, December 2020, @DebunkEU data<\/span><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

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While analysing false\/misleading articles in December, it became evident that the outbreak of a second wave of COVID-19 <\/strong>pandemic and the introduction of stricter measures to control it, such as nation-wide lockdowns<\/strong>, generated articles that were classified under the narrative Country fails to fight COVID-19<\/em><\/strong>. <\/span><\/p>\n

However, the EU-wide rollout of COVID-19 vaccines <\/strong>and the preparations for national vaccination programs prompted the spread of the leading narrative <\/strong>within the period, False measures to fight COVID-19<\/em><\/strong>, which included such sub-narratives as Vaccine has been developed without rigorous testing <\/em>and West seeks to discredit Russian and Chinese vaccines<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Top narratives by mentions, December 2020, @DebunkEU data<\/span><\/em><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Top narratives by reach, December 2020, @DebunkEU data<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

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West seeks to discredit Russian and Chinese vaccines <\/em><\/strong>was the leading sub-narrative <\/strong>within the false and misleading coverage on COVID-19 in December 2020 as measured byDebunkReach\u00ae <\/strong>(93.4 million potential contacts).<\/span><\/p>\n

This sub-narrative was prompted by the aforementioned statement of Russian Defence Ministry from December 11, 2020, which was quoted by the most prominent Russian news services.<\/span><\/p>\n

It said that \u201ca series of pseudo-analytical “investigations” and false testimonies of “eyewitnesses” about the alleged “danger” of the Russian vaccine or general “refusals” to vaccinate, including in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, are being prepared in social networks and Russian-language Internet resources funded by foreign grants\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

As debunked by EUvsDisinfo<\/em><\/strong>, the news came as a part of a disinformation campaign, aiming to promote the Russian vaccine and discredit the Western ones \u2013 those efforts were launched after the Sputnik V vaccine was met with criticism and caution. <\/span><\/p>\n

The story about the foreign-funded campaign waged to discredit the Russian coronavirus vaccine was, among others, presented alongside with an opinion of the popular pro-Kremlin pundit Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of Russia’s National Defence Journal. The interview to RIA NOVOSTI<\/em>, in which Korotchenko claimed that there is a link<\/strong> between the attempts by Western<\/strong> countries to discredit the Sputnik V<\/strong> vaccine and the military efforts of<\/strong> NATO countries to contain Russia<\/strong>, was republished and came out in different languages via the mouthpiece of Kremlin propaganda, Sputnik.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is an example of when an expert opinion is used to back otherwise unsubstantiated claims <\/strong>about the sabotage led by the Western countries, and NATO\u2019s involvement in the alleged campaign. Moreover, the Sputnik V may had been slow in entering markets internationally, but it was foremost affected by the fact that by the day the article was published, the Russian jab had not completed the final stages of the trial. The data on the latter were announced several days later (without publishing a scientific paper with the full details of the trial).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Top sub-narratives by mentions, December 2020, @DebunkEU data<\/em><\/div>\n
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Top sub-narratives by reach, December 2020, @DebunkEU data<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n

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Violation of liberties in the name of COVID-19<\/em><\/strong> ranked fourth in terms of mentions <\/strong>and yet it was second in terms of the reach<\/strong> (79.2 million potential contacts). According to Debunk EU data, it appears that this sub-narrative was often employed in English language articles on RT <\/strong>(hence the wide outreach targeting global audiences). It follows the model of Kremlin propaganda of undermining Western democracies and the values behind them<\/strong>, basically claiming that e.g., \u201cliberty\u201d and \u201cfreedom of speech\u201d are only written on paper and not actually being followed.<\/span><\/p>\n

A fortnight before the Russian Defence Ministry announcing it knew in detail about a disinformation campaign targeting Sputnik V vaccine, a set of documents was leaked which alleged the involvement of the UK Army\u2019s 77th Brigade in monitoring cyberspace for COVID-19 content and a planned probe into vaccine disinformation from hostile states, including Russia. <\/span><\/p>\n

The article in the RT uses simplified alternatives with a conclusion that there is only one choice: if the military unit joins the action, then it is dictatorship; if the cyberspace is monitored, it is the end of free speech. This way the article inflates and dramatizes the situation, trying to sow distrust in the authorities, painting a near-Orwellian picture:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith society\u2019s growing reliance on technology to guide our collective consciousness, controlling this battlefield could be a means to conquer our minds and effectively police our thoughts.\u201d (rt.com<\/em>, 02\/12\/2020)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Vaccine has been developed without rigorous testing <\/em><\/strong>was also amongst highly exploited sub-narratives. Those are some of the claims which were noticed throughout the analysed period: <\/span><\/p>\n