DISINFO: Brussels tries to avoid a "palace coup" by increasing Russophobia ahead of the EU elections
SUMMARY
The Kerch Strait incident is a provocation used by Brussels to increase Russophobic sentiment ahead of the EU elections. There is a danger that Brussels will try to retain its position by force, refusing to recognize the election results in European countries, arguing that there was a “Russian intervention”. Brussels is a US puppet that tries to increase tensions between the Europe and Russia,
RESPONSE
This is an ongoing pro-Kremlin conspiracy theory about US influence in Europe. Check our database for more cases on Russophobia, elections meddling, and the Kerch Strait incident. For background:
On November 25th 2018, border patrol boats from Russia’s FSB security service seized two small Ukrainian armoured artillery vessels and their crews after shooting at them and wounding several Ukrainian servicemen. Russia argued that the Ukrainian boats were in Russian waters. However, a bilateral treaty between Russia and Ukraine (signed in 2003 and ratified by Russia in 2004) governs the use of the Kerch Strait and the Sea of Azov, stipulating that they are the “internal waters” of both Russia and Ukraine.
The construction of the Kerch Bridge took place without Ukraine's consent and constitutes a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It has led, in parallel with the militarisation of the Azov Sea, to tougher controls on naval traffic in the Kerch Strait. The EU has stated that it expects Russia to stop these unwarranted inspections.
For further reporting, see the Bellingcat, DFRLab, and Polygraph.