DISINFO: UK is coordinating the global escalation of tensions
SUMMARY
The Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation has received documentary materials confirming London's coordination of the escalation of the international military-political situation. The documents show that the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate has become the main unit to coordinate the implementation of subversive policies in Russia and the post-Soviet countries. The directorate was transformed after the start of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine into a special service, the main task of which is to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.
RESPONSE
No evidence is provided to back the claim. Allegations made by Russia’s intelligence services cannot be considered as such, given their proven history of making unsubstantiated claims based on faked or nonexistent documents, for example about US biolaboratories in Ukraine or the presence of French combat troops on the Ukrainian frontlines.
The mentioned documentary materials have not been publicly released, and even if some documents eventually emerge they may be forgeries, as the core allegation of this disinformation story appears implausible and seems tailored to fit a key pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western powers attempting to destabilize Russia and other countries through subversive ‘colour revolutions’. This disinformation story also appeared the same day that Russia expelled six British diplomats based in Moscow after accusing them of espionage and sabotage, “subversive work” and contacts with “foreign agents”, so it could be an attempt to legitimize this expulsion.
See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the UK is actively engaged in covert Ukrainian military operations, that UK wants to open a new anti-Russia front in Central Asia, that Anglo-American spies try to destabilise Central Asia using Al Qaeda and ISIS, or that Anglo-Saxons organiсed the Crocus attacks to ruin Russia’s relations with Central Asian countries.