The Noble Foundation has cancelled the decision to invite #Russia, #Belarus and #Iran
"The basis for the decision is that we believe it is important and right to reach out as widely as possible with the values and messages that the Nobel Prize stands for, for example last year's clear political message in the peace prize to human rights fighters from Russia and Belarus as well as to Ukrainians who work with documenting Russian war crimes. "
A new wave of disinformation hit #Poland social media, as a 33-years old driver hit a group of pedestrians in Szczecin and was detained by police. Anti-Ukrainian accounts immediately started sharing claims he was an Ukrainian. After police stated he’s Polish, they started claiming he’s “holder of Polish citizenship but of Ukrainian origin”. Another account claimed that his car registration number indicated that the car was registered to a “person with Polish PESEL but without citizenship” which was so absurd, that even another popular anti-Ukrainian profile stepped in and said this is nonsense.
Notably, a few days ago another popular right-wing publicist Tomasz Sommer shared an information about a woman raped in Warszawa, unambiguously implying that the rapist was an unspecified immigrant (his followers correctly decoded it as an allusion to Ukrainians in the comments). Soon after police informed that the rapist was a Polish man with past history of sexual violence, and the victim was a #Belarus woman, who later died in hospital.
#Belarus KGB followed the example of its “older brothers” from #Russia and posted a video of a young man with bandaged ear apologizing for posting a comment “rejoicing the Crocus tragedy”. This is a clear reference to the Tadjik suspect who had his ear amputated and appeared in the Russian court with similar bandage.
#Russia and #Belarus channels distributing the same narrative:
Estonia, ignoring Vladimir Putin’s statement, continues construction of defence lines on the border with Russia.
Putin’s declaration of “lack of territorial claims towards Poland, Latvia and other countries on the continent” is being presented as an axiom. Its absurdity is quite clear to European audience who only two years ago listened to identical statements regarding #Ukraine but Russian audience is groomed to only remember things that it should remember at any given point. This narrative therefore serves the purpose of presenting Europe as not only “disgraceful”, “distrustful” but also provocatively constructing defensive lines.
It very much reminds me of Soviet propaganda from 1970’s which presented Western nuclear weapons in Europe as “offensive and imperialist”, while the same nuclear weapons placed by USSR e.g. in Poland were presented as “peaceful” (Russian: миролюбивые).
#Russia usually debunks itself first (as it was the case with #MH17) but in this case it was #Belarus allies who did that for them^1
Belarusian special services helped Russia to prevent terrorists from escaping across the border against the background of the terrorist attack in “Crocus City Hall,” said Ambassador of Belarus to Russia Dmitri Krutoy. About it writes “Belta”. “And in fact, the main task of last night was to prevent the terrorists from escaping through our common border,” he said, noting that the task was fulfilled.
Note, this comes right after today’s Putin’s statement in which he declared the terrorists were fleeing “towards Ukraine where a special window was opened for them”.
What Belarus did is notable: they just publicly refuted Putin’s words, in a diplomatic way.
Background: the first message about detaining the Tadjiks in Bryansk oblast was posted by “Baza” channel^2 which quoted Teplyyi village (Тёплый) as the place where they were stopped (first picture). It’s 16 km from Belarus border, but it’s over ~200 km from #Ukraine and in the opposite direction.
Then another message followed, mentioning a completely different place of detention - Khatsun(Хацунь) near Bryansk, ~100 km from Belarus but still ~200 km from Ukraine. The main difference is that while Teplyyi is a complete nonsense in the “Ukrainian version”, Khatsun is less of a nonsense - it’s still a stretch, but at least plausible as it has a main road going towards Ukraine.
Putin’s reaction seems quite understandable now: last night he prepared a public statement which was likely to blame ISIS, the real perpetrators. Then however he and his advisors decided to capitalize on this attack differently, by blaming ISIS and Ukraine at the same time. Any actual evidence doesn’t matter really for Kremlin and Russian audience, it’s just question of amount of propaganda.
#Latvia says it's reinforcing security on its #border with #Belarus after 96 'illegal crossings' were attempted in 24 hours. Staff are being recalled from leave. The State Border Guard said it had information about a possible increase in hybrid risk. Tension between Belarus and its western neighbours has been further heightened after members of the #Russian mercenary group, #Wagner , moved to Belarus.
✊ Become a personal supporter for Aliaksandr Kazlianka. Aliaksandr was detained on 2 March 2021 in Brest and accused of participation in protests and the international criminal organization Revolutionary Action.
The grounds for the charge were anarchists' actions against a battery factory (blocking the Brest-Minsk motorway), anarchists' participation in the 2017 march against the tax on unemployment and some graffiti.
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Sept. 13 officially recognizing Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko as an accomplice to the crimes of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
#Russia opposition website “Dossier” analysed the timeline of alleged terrorists escape and concluded that it’s impossible to say they were driving to #Ukraine or #Belarus because the chase started before a key turn on Bryansk ring road. Russian road police chased them at distance of 20 km until they eventually decided to stop them by shooting their wheels with a rifle.
“Dossier” writes the suspects likely continued driving on M3 (towards Ukraine) because they were chased and didn’t want to get stuck on the ring road. “Dossier” also quotes Lukashenka who claimed suspect’s “likely destination” was Belarus.
“Dossier” also investigated Russian road police database of speeding tickets, finding out that the car was indeed driving very fast, getting 6 tickets on the way - one of them on M3 was issued for driving at 141 km/h/
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said that the suspects who carried out the terrorist attack in Moscow on March 22 initially tried to flee to Belarus, state-run news outlet Belta reported on March 26. s
The Biden administration is urging U.S. citizens in Belarus to depart the country immediately and warned against travel there in a statement published Monday.
The updated travel warning comes after bordering countries Lithuania, Latvia and Poland have stepped up security along the border over concerns about Russian Wagner mercenary forces exiled in the country. #AureFreePress#Ukraine️ #Russia#Putin#Belarus#Lukashenko
The Kremlin has accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of “racism and neo-Nazism” over its decision to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics this summer.
There are still some members of the Russian Armed Forces remaining in Belarus, but these are predominantly military personnel who service Russian equipment left in the country, said Andriy Demchenko, the spokesperson of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service.
The Nobel Foundation announced on Sept. 2 that it would not invite Russian, Belarusian, or Iranian ambassadors to Sweden to the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm.
European Parliament recognizes Lukashenko as 'accomplice' to Putin's crimes (kyivindependent.com)
The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Sept. 13 officially recognizing Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko as an accomplice to the crimes of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.
Lukashenko claims Moscow attackers tried to flee to Belarus, undermines Putin's narrative (kyivindependent.com)
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said that the suspects who carried out the terrorist attack in Moscow on March 22 initially tried to flee to Belarus, state-run news outlet Belta reported on March 26. s
Russia accuses Olympic Committee of ‘racism and neo-Nazism’ over opening ceremony decision (kyivindependent.com)
The Kremlin has accused the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of “racism and neo-Nazism” over its decision to bar athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics this summer.
Border Guards: Russia appears to have withdrawn troops from Belarus (kyivindependent.com)
There are still some members of the Russian Armed Forces remaining in Belarus, but these are predominantly military personnel who service Russian equipment left in the country, said Andriy Demchenko, the spokesperson of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service.
Lukashenko to fly to Putin on Friday (www.pravda.com.ua)
Self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko will visit Russia on Friday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Nobel Foundation bars Russia, Belarus, Iran envoys from award ceremony in Sweden (kyivindependent.com)
The Nobel Foundation announced on Sept. 2 that it would not invite Russian, Belarusian, or Iranian ambassadors to Sweden to the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm.