Disinfo: Threats to Kaliningrad: the US stands no chance


Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation commented the statements of the commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, General Jeffrey Harrigian, about a possible attack on Kaliningrad. The ministry emphasised that this region is reliably protected from any aggressive ‘plans’ that are being developed in Europe by ‘random’ American generals. At the same time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs flagged the statement of Harrigian as a “threat” and “irresponsible opinion”.


Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on Western attempts to encircle Russia and Western belligerence.


As of 2014, following growing tensions between Russia and NATO countries, Russia has been increasing its military presence in the Kaliningrad region. Satellite imagery reported by the Federation of American Scientists in June 2018 showed renovations of what appears to be an active nuclear weapons storage site, about 50 kilometres from the Polish border.

Read full debunk by Polygraph here.


  • Reported in: Issue 166
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 20/09/2019
  • Language/target audience: Russian
  • Country: Russia
  • Keywords: West, Encircling Russia, NATO
  • Outlet: RIA Novosti
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Western propaganda masters control mass demonstrations

Under the guise of a concrete pressing issue (a factual problem, often a social one, concerning violations of rights of certain individuals or segments of a community), chosen by Western propaganda masters waging the information war, a targeted message containing half-truths is sent via messengers with the expectation that it will cause a strong reaction from individuals, which can then be transformed into mass demonstrations and “social unrest” (as is the case, for example, in Hong Kong on orders from Western elites).


Conspiracy theory presented without evidence.

Pro-Kremlin media have long used the narrative about anti-government protests being funded by the US. Examples include colour revolutions in post-Soviet states, the “Arab Spring” revolts, and Ukraine's Euromaidan in 2014. Western non-governmental organisations are often targeted by pro-Kremlin disinformation as agents of this subversive and state-driven influence.

Russia is not a part of the conflict in Ukraine

Russia repeatedly stressed that it is not a party of the conflict in Ukraine and not a subject of the Minsk agreements on the Ukrainian regime.


Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Ukraine and the war in Ukraine.


Sanctions against Russia are unproductive

The EU sanctions have not yet produced the desired results. The Russian Foreign Ministry repeatedly stated that it was counterproductive to speak the language of sanctions with Russia.


Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that Western sanctions against Russia are unproductive and unjust.

Claims that the sanctions are ineffective are not backed by evidence. In reality most research support the view that sanctions, imposed on Russia by the US and EU following the annexation of Crimea and Russian meddling in the US election, have worked as planned, noting the drag they have imposed on Russia’s general economic
development since 2014: "This adverse effect most likely operates by depressing both foreign trade
and foreign capital flows into Russia. Russia’s own counter-sanctions have also had a clear negative
effect on the welfare of the average Russian household."