RUSSIA’S NOT SO SECRET WEAPON . . . FAKE NEWS
THE Russian Embassy in London last night disputed the success of Western air strikes, claiming that ‘of the 103 cruise missiles launched by the US and its allies, 71 were intercepted by Syria’s air defences, using mostly Soviet-made systems’.
Here, are other examples of ‘fake news’ pumped out by the Kremlin:
BRITAIN HELPED FAKE THE DOUMA ATTACK
The Kremlin claimed that Britain ordered the volunteer aid organisation, the White Helmets, to ‘stage’ the chemical weapons attack in Douma. The UK ambassador to the UN, Karen Pierce, branded the claims ‘grotesque’.
THE UK POISONED SERGEI SKRIPAL
Russia suggested Britain poisoned former spy Sergei Skripal to deflect attention from Brexit. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said: ‘It could be beneficial to the British government, which has found itself in an uncomfortable situation, unable to fulfil promises they made about Brexit.’
BRITAIN ABDUCTED THE SKRIPALS
The Kremlin also accused Britain of the ‘abduction’ of Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia after she was quietly released from hospital last week. In fact, Yulia, 33, said she had refused help from the Russian embassy.
TOURISTS WARNED ABOUT BRITISH SPIES
Russia has issued warnings to tourists travelling to the UK that British agents may plant ‘foreign objects’ in their luggage. Its embassy told visitors: ‘Given the Russophobia in British society artificially imposed by the authorities, it is necessary to avoid conflict situations with the local population.’ A British government source said: ‘We’re frankly astonished – it is pure fake news.’
THE QUEEN IS A DRINKER
Aleksey Pushkov, a Russian senator and ally of Vladimir Putin, suggested Queen Elizabeth is a heavy drinker. British conservative MP Bernard Jenkin said the comments were designed to distract from Russia’s responsibility for the poisoning of the Skripals.