DISINFO: The West is using the Aktau disaster plane crash to weaken Russia's influence on its neighbours
SUMMARY
The West is using the Aktau disaster to weaken Russia's influence on its neighbours. The West is actively using human tragedy in its information war against Russia. They verbally mourn the dead, but they cannot hide their delight at the fact that Russia found itself at the epicentre of this story. Even if this is truly a tragic accident, and not a deliberate provocation designed to denigrate our country and set it at odds with its neighbours, it is obvious that the West has become the exclusive beneficiary in this story, having used it to the maximum. Attempts to set the former Soviet republics against Russia will only increase.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing the West of Russophobia, portraying Russia as a victim of Western double standards. The article repeats the pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the belligerent West trying to encircle Russia, and keep post-Soviet countries under pressure to isolate Russia.
On 25 December 2024, a civilian plane from Azerbaijan Airlines was damaged by external explosions in the skies over Grozny, Chechnya. After being denied the right to make an emergency landing in Russia, it crossed the Caspian Sea and crashed in Kazakhstan. 32 people survived. The investigation into the causes of the accident is ongoing, but it is already established that the plane’s GPS navigation systems were reportedly jammed throughout the flight over the sea and that the plane was targeted by a Russian Pantsir-S air defence system as it approached Grozny.
Russian electronic warfare systems ‘completely paralysed the communication systems’ of the Azerbaijani aircraft, causing it to disappear from radar.
The day after the publication of this narrative, following Azerbaijan’s demand for apologies, the Kremlin publicly declared that ‘the Azerbaijani passenger airliner was flying according to schedule and repeatedly tried to land at Grozny Airport.’ Apologies were inevitable after photographs of the fuselage excluded the possibility of a bird strike or internal balloon explosions. Additionally, Euronews leaked official Azerbaijani information indicating that a Russian missile was the cause of the crash, and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs leaked information about their efforts to hush up the case.
Pro-Kremlin channels simultaneously broadcast a short hahaganda video in which Russian air defence proudly shot down the civilian flight of Santa's sleigh in the presence of Ded Moroz.
Read also similar stories: The Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash was a provocation to blame Russia; British publications are preparing a provocation to blame Russia similar to MH17; The MH17 crash was the first in a series of similar Ukrainian provocations, like Bucha; EU uses CIS to contain Russia by all means: financial, economic, military; West increases pressure on CIS countries to break old ties; The West is trying to sow discord in the Commonwealth of Independent States.