DISINFO: IMF activity is a form of the global hybrid war

DISINFORMATION CASE DETAILS

  • Outlet: sputnik.by ( archive, original )
  • Date of publication: July 05, 2021
  • Article language(s): Russian
  • Countries / regions discussed: Belarus, US, Russia

DISINFO: IMF activity is a form of the global hybrid war

SUMMARY

Western sanctions against Belarus is an attempt to provoke a managed crisis and to take the country under control. Under Western sanctions, Belarus's current position is similar to the Brest fortress.

Cooperation with the IMF creates high political risks; this organisation aims to promote the US dollar by all means. IMF policies are a form of hybrid war, where the leading country tries to maintain its weakening positions by force.

RESPONSE

This article promotes a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to stage a colour revolution in Belarus. It also builds an absurd comparison of Western sanctions with Hitler's actions against the USSR by mentioning the Brest fortress. The accusation of Nazism/ Fascism and building a link to Nazi Germany is one of recurring techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets, which you can read about in our analysis Nazi East, Nazi West, Nazi over the Cuckoo's Nest.

On 21 June 2021, the Council of the EU decided to impose restrictive measures against 78 Belarusian individuals and 8 entities. This decision was made in view of the escalation of serious human rights violations in Belarus and the violent repression of civil society, democratic opposition and journalists. "The EU stands ready to support a peaceful, democratic transition with a variety of instruments, including a comprehensive plan of economic support for a democratic Belarus," the EU's statement reads. On 24 June 2021, the EU imposed new targeted economic sanctions against the Belarusian regime. A total of 166 persons and 15 entities are subject to EU restrictive measures as of mid-July 2021, which comprise an asset freeze applicable to both individuals and entities, and travel ban on individuals.

The IMF activities belong to economic sphere; they are not the form of a hybrid war, as alleged. For instance, the IMF's Concluding Statement at the end of an official IMF staff visit to Belarus on 5-15 November 2018 advised Belarus to undertake structural reforms, to establish exchange rate flexibility, and to conduct a tighter monetary policy.

See earlier disinformation cases alleging that the IMF conditions loans to Belarus with gender equality and rights of sexual minorities, that the IMF destroys Ukrainian economy and brings Ukraine under external control, and that the IMF is looking for cheap slaves in Ukraine.

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.

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