Russian Tensions
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“At the same time, the Kremlin’s growing cooperation with the far-right parties across Europe”
Fake news debunked years ago. You must do better with your NATOstani propaganda Lobotomy.
https://www.insider.com/russia-infiltration-of-europe-far-right-is-a-myth-2015-2
_______________________________________I tried your link, TS, but that particular page was not available. I did search for other articles on the same site on a similar theme and came across this. So, just in case you shout “fake news” which is your usual response to any argument put to you, it is from the same site that you yourself endorsed
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-russia-stokes-right-wing-extremism-in-the-west-2021-1
It confirms everything I have said. There is a natural affinity between the Putin capitalist regime and the far right. I am not surprised that someone like yourself with your own quasi-fascist ultra-nationalist and vehemently pro-capitalist views should look up to and admire an authoritarian “strongman” figurehead like Putin. The irony is that the Zelensky regime is in precisely the same camp, ideologically speaking – a corrupt, authoritarian far-right regime. It wouldn’t take much for you to suddenly switch sides and start calling the Russians, “Nazis”
Merkel reveals West’s duplicity regarding Minsk.
Kremlin’s links to European far-right a bogus myth.
https://www.insider.com/russia-infiltration-of-europe-far-right-is-a-myth-2015-2
“I tried your link, TS, but that particular page was not available.”
I have no trouble accessing the story here in Japan. Maybe the censors in the UK don’t like the truth getting out?
The bogus think tank behind Russia’s ‘infiltration’ of Europe myth
Tomas Hirst Feb 18, 2015,
Greece Golden Dawn Neo Nazi
Supporters of the far-right Golden Dawn party wave Greek national and party flags during a rally in Athens January 31, 2015.
REUTERS/Kostas Tsironis
Over the past few years a sinister story has been doing the rounds throughout the world’s press — that Russia has been infiltrating Europe through deepening ties with far-right parties.It’s a great headline that vividly recalls the Cold War days of Soviet moles in prominent positions across Europe and the puppet masters in the Kremlin pulling the strings.
It’s also (mostly) nonsense.
The first thing to point out is that the story is not new. It’s been written about repeatedly since at least 2009 (and very likely before that as well). But with the Ukraine crisis raising people’s concerns over the possible threat posed by Russia the subject has suddenly leapt in importance.
Last year, Mitchell Orensteinhe from the august title Foreign Affairs told us that “[Putin’s] regime is growing closer by the month to extreme right-wing parties across Europe”, while Time magazine claimed the Kremlin was “embracing the European right”. And in Europe itself German newspaper Spiegel Online warned that “cooperation between the European far right and Russia has been developing for some time” while the Guardian accused the Kremlin of having “actively cultivated links with the far right in eastern Europe”.
Those are just a tiny sample of the wealth of coverage that this story has generated over the past 12 months. Mostly they repeat the same claims — that pro-Russian statements by these parties are proof of Russia’s involvement in a plot to undermine Europe’s political establishment that has been weakened by years of economic crisis and social unrest.
None of these articles offer much evidence beyond a few choice quotes from Russian politicians and public relations officers expressing their broad support for nationalist movements attached to a few anecdotes.
So what are the facts behind these claims?
This is what we know: In 2014, French far-right party National Front party was granted approval for a €9.2 million loan from First Czech Russian Bank, based in Moscow. The funds arrived following a period of intense lobbying by leaders of the party in Russia as it sought to build up a war chest to spend on its electoral campaigns. The FCR Bank is owned by Roman Popov, a government-friendly oligarch, but it’s not a specifically government-controlled bank.
A visit by Gábor Vona, leader of Hungary’s radical nationalist Jobbik party, to Moscow at the invitation of Moscow State University and members of Russia’s parliament has been interpreted as Kremlin efforts to secure its support. The party has indeed spoken out against European sanctions against Russia and called the independence referendum in Crimea, following its annexation by Russia, “exemplary”.
There are also unsubstantiated rumours that Russia has also funded Greek neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn and right-wing Italian party Northern League, while Bulgaria’s far-right Ataka party was alleged to have close ties with the Russian embassy in a diplomatic cable made public by Wikileaks.
Even Syriza, Greece’s radical left coalition that took power in last month’s election, has been accused of having close ties to Moscow in recent weeks.
These may be indicative of Russia fanning the flames of dissent in Europe, but they do not prove the case that Russia has actual control or genuine political influence. Here is an extract from a 2009 article by think tank Political Capital, the source often cited as the origin for the story:
Recent press reports claim that extreme right-wing parties in Europe are being financed – at least in part – by Russia. While such allegations are wanting for proof, it is a fact that far-right parties in several eastern European countries have become prominent supporters of Russian interests and admirers of the Russian political-economic model.
In recent months some of the evidence used to support these claims has become downright bizarre. A website for a supposed new think tank called the “Center for Eurasian Strategic Intelligence” (CESI) mysteriously appeared last year. The website claimed to “provide analysis and surveys of political, economic and security processes in Eurasia region”.
And so it did. In December it produced a research report showing all of the political parties in Europe that it claimed were under the thumb of Moscow. Unfortunately, a large chunk of its research appeared to have been plagiarised from other sources and its analysis appeared suspiciously superficial.
Anton Shekhovtsov, a blogger and researcher of the European extreme right, looked into the story. What he found was even more interesting than the think tank’s incendiary claims.
‘William Fowler’ Facebook page used a stock photo as a profile image. Facebook/Masterfile
The think tank listed “William Fowler” as its chairman and chief executive. A Facebook page purportedly belonging to Fowler boasted a picture of a besuited, grey-haired businessman but there was very little information on him otherwise. It turns out that the picture is actually a stock photo with the title “suited old businessman” and “grey hair man glasses”, Shekhovtsov says.The only member of the think tank that appeared to exist at all was Alex Kraus, its supposed chief analyst, who appeared in videos on the site speaking with what is described as a Slavic (but not Russian) accent.
Facebook
Since Shekhovtsov’s investigation the CESI website has been taken down, as has Fowler’s Facebook page. Indeed the only evidence of the think tank’s existence online appears to be a LinkedIn page here which claims that the company has 11-50 employees but lists none, and a Facebook page that was last updated in December blaming an “attack” for the website going down.It is undoubtedly true that Russia is happy to accept useful idiots who are willing to argue against what it sees as an anti-Russia consensus within the European Union. The fact that Moscow felt compelled to pressure Kiev into walking away from an integration pact with the EU — a decision that spurred the protests that ultimately led to the government’s collapse — demonstrated that it now views Europe’s expansion eastwards with the same level of suspicion as it previously held NATO’s.
However, that they are willing to indulge nationalist movements is not the same as controlling them or using them as a Trojan horse in European politics. There are nationalist factions in Moscow pleased to see how disruptive these groups are proving, many of them members of the current administration such as deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin, but it was ever thus. Their alliance is much more likely to be a tactical move rather than a strategic alignment of long term interests (e.g. their support is likely to quickly evaporate once a resolution is finally found to the Ukraine crisis).
Beyond that one loan to the French National Front, there is no evidence that Moscow is funnelling huge sums of cash to fuel nationalist movements all over Europe.
Much though we might like to blame the rise of the xenophobic, authoritarian right as a product of Moscow’s devious plotting, the support for these parties appears to be largely organic and springs predominantly from the general disillusionment with mainstream politics that can be seen across Europe.
In other words, they’re our fault, not Putin’s.
“So, just in case you shout “fake news” which is your usual response to any argument put to you”
Rubbish. You have a better description for false reporting?
“it is from the same site that you yourself endorsed”
The site is of no import, the content is. Some right, some wrong. You judge it on its merits.
“It confirms everything I have said. There is a natural affinity between the Putin capitalist regime and the far right.”
No, there isn’t.
“I am not surprised that someone like yourself with your own quasi-fascist ultra-nationalist and vehemently pro-capitalist views should look up to and admire an authoritarian “strongman” figurehead like Putin.”
Lol. I support Russia’s struggle against Nazism and NATOstani aggression. Nothing more nothing less.
“The irony is that the Zelensky regime is in precisely the same camp, ideologically speaking – a corrupt, authoritarian far-right regime.”
Erm, no. Kiev is fascist, Moscow is not. To suggest otherwise reveals your true self: a cross-eyed, foaming at the mouth, tin foil
hat wearing MSM zombie.“It wouldn’t take much for you to suddenly switch sides and start calling the Russians, “Nazis””
That was kind of out of left field. I have no idea what you’re talking about. Happens quite a lot actually.
And only trust reliable sources, so:
“As for the results of the special military operation, some of them may manifest themselves only after a long while. New territories have appeared. This is a significant result for Russia. These are serious questions. Take the Sea of Azov, which has become Russia’s inland sea. That’s very serious,” he said.
So, Russia has gained territory and citizens, and that is a good result: I don’t recall that being in the publicised war aims when the SMO started, couldn’t such material gain be seen as a little grubby to, I dunno, anyone with a moral compass?
The citizens joining Russia is “This is the most important result.” according to our reliable sources.
But, the reliable sources, again, tell us more: here Russia demands talks with the US, as equals: but still no mention of Nazis or anti-fascism, just security concerns and a desire for recognition.
Erm, no. Kiev is fascist, Moscow is not. To suggest otherwise reveals your true self: a cross-eyed, foaming at the mouth, tin foil
hat wearing MSM zombie.____________________________
This is the same dumb dreary argument you come out with time and time again. If Kyiv is fascist then so is Moscow! There is precious little to use to choose between these regimes – they are both far-right, repressive, authoritarian, capitalist oligarchies that outlaw dissent and muzzle political opponents.
It’s a case of pot calling the kettle black. Kyiv does not claim to be a fascist regime, of course – it asserts that it is part of the so-called democratic West defying a tyrant in the guise of Putin – so on what basis do you claim it is?? The fact that there are some self-identifying fascists in Ukraine (a distinct minority)? But there are also some self-identifying fascists in Russia as well, aren’t there?
It seems you are too stupid to be able to look beyond the labels – what people call themselves or what others chose to call them -and look at how regimes actually behave in practice. In practice, there is very little to differentiate these two capitalist regimes, one of which you avidly support as a far-right apologist for capitalism yourself
Why do we have to accept NATO and Ukrainian propaganda about what is supposed to have happened at Bucha? “Mass grave” conjures up the idea of civilians being rounded up, shot and dumped in a pre-dug hole in the ground. But there are other possibilities of what happened. The mass grave could be filled with people who died in the crossfire, even some who died from natural causes, and who had to be buried quickly for health reasons. It could also include some armed civilians and scouts for the Ukrainian armed forces who were discovered and captured by the Russian armed forces and summarily shot. That would be a “war crime” but remember that at the time the Zelensky regime was irresponsibly urging civilians to confront Russian tanks with Molotov cocktails. And we know that the Ukrainian propaganda machine and Zelensky and his wife are constantly exaggerating and making things up.
I am afraid that engaging the Voice of Moscow here on this sort of thing is allowing him to land a few punches (besides distracting from the main aim of this forum).
ALB, carries the caveat that the investigation did differentiate between casualties of war and those deliberately killed.
“Available forensic and circumstantial information allowed OHCHR to determine that hundreds of civilians whose bodies were recovered in the three regions were
killed in the course of hostilities (mostly those with injuries caused by explosives or recovered from debris)
, or died non-violent deaths as indirect casualties26 or from natural causes. At the same time, a considerable number of civilian bodies bore signs, notably bruises and cuts, bullet wounds, bound hands and burns, indicating that the victims may have been deliberately killed”The WSWS website carries a story that 18,000 have been arrested or charged with collaboration by the Ukrainian government. But it seems they are still following the pretence of law but it says also
“…Under conditions of martial law, the destruction of infrastructure, and the exodus of more than seven million people—including, no doubt, many attorneys—it is impossible that anyone caught in this maelstrom is receiving a fair trial. Guilty verdicts and sentences follow quickly on the heels of charges. Online images show that among the accused are the elderly and women, many of whom appear to be visibly poor…”“”Yes, of course, Bucha was a staged false flag op””
You clearly don’t think so because you are a Guardian Bro. It’s already told you it was a Russian atrocity so you dutifully accept the narrative as fact. The evidence proves otherwise. I’ve already provided links.
“And we all know that Wikipedia is a CIA outlet so we won’t believe any claims that are contrary to what Russia says.”
Yawn.
Phillip Cross: The Mystery Wikipedia Editor Targeting Anti-War Sites
Wikipedia formally censors The Grayzone as regime-change advocates monopolize editing
“The Kremlin never lies.”
I’ve never made any such claim. Your frustration is showing All-in with the CIA. You are reduced to telling lies in a pathetic attempt to discredit me.
Amnesty International, hummff… well-known CIA mouthpiece
Yawn.
Amnesty International: Navalny a Prisoner of Conscience. But not Manning, Assange or Mandela
https://www.blackagendareport.com/us-path-war-china-what-be-done#_edn1
Propagandist for Syria terror proxies compromised Amnesty International, leaked docs show
“Russian soldiers are humanitarians, isn’t that so?”
Killing Nazis is a service to humanity. Or do you disagree All-in with the NAZIs?
“I am afraid that engaging the Voice of Moscow here on this sort of thing is allowing him to land a few punches (besides distracting from the main aim of this forum).”
I’m nobodies voice but my own. I tell the truth as I see it always based on evidence. I’ve been called the voice of Sadaam, Gadaafi, Maduro, Assad and now Putin. So, I either have a multiple personality disorder or I’m an anti-imperialist undermining imperialist war narratives. You think I’m the former and in doing so you reveal what you really are, a reactionary who uses MSM shaming tactics to attempt to shut down critical voices. Well, fcuk you and every one like you. I don’t give a crap if you call me a Putinist, Putin apologist, voice of Moscow whatever the fcuk I’m gonna keep undermining the MSM imperialist narrative. At least you got one thing right ALB, your fellow “party” members are making fools of themselves regurgitating imperialist MSM talking points.
Although the OHCHR can’t be regarded as an entirely neutral body, that extract confirms what I surmised — not all, not even a majority, of those in the “mass graves” were civilians fighting or helping the Ukrainian army to fight the Russian army (though some were), as the term suggests and is meant to suggest in NATO and Ukranian propaganda.
Their neutrality will be tested if ever NATO and its proxies conquer the Donbass and Crimea which would be bound to involve more mass graves and another mass exodus of refugees. But that’s the “war aim” that the politicians and the tame media are asking us to support.
The whole war is an example of the barbarity of capitalism. It’s an atrocity in itself.
Israel shares your own view of Amnesty International
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