William Echols

Moscow Claims 'Sham' Donbas Election Stems Chaos it Sowed

Backing the false narrative that the recent elections in the Russian-occupied, self-proclaimed “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” were fair, Maria Zakharova claimed that the roundly criticized vote can help avoid the very instability Russia’s military intervention has fomented.

Fiery Russian Nationalist Politico Denies Ukraine History

A Russian nationalist firebrand who once called Ukraine an “artificial state” has taken to Russian state TV to once again question the authenticity of Russia's neighbor, repeating a narrative meant to deny the existence of an independent Ukrainian people or language.

McFaul Post Election Tweet Triggers RT Attack in 'US News' Feed

A tweet following the U.S. Midterm Election, from a former U.S. ambassador to Russia, incited a response from RT, which played loose with the facts in its misguided point.

Russian Defense Ministry Evades Accusations of 'Unsafe' Flyby 

Russia’s Defense Ministry claims its intercept of U.S. aircraft was by the books, but the video footage shows a far riskier encounter, and the U.S. Navy claims its aircraft shook from the close encounter.

Russian Military Budget Cuts Are No Olive Branch

Russia’s military spending has taken a dip as NATO undertakes its largest military exercise in three decades. But it is misleading to interpret the spending cutback as a reduction in the Russian threat.

OSCE Interview Fuels Kremlin Disinformation

Russian media have seized on comments made by the deputy head of the OSCE’s monitoring mission in Ukraine to back claims there are no Russian troops in Donbas, but both the monitor and the facts say otherwise.

Russian Troll Farm’s Comically Fake U.S. Military Video Incites Ridicule Online

In a bid to counter U.S. efforts to stop Russians from interfering in the mid-term elections, Russia’s infamous troll farm has released yet another patently forged video that is comically bad in its execution.

Putin spokesman beats around nuclear 'no first use' bush

While President Vladimir Putin claims Russia does not allow for a preemptive atomic attack, scratch beneath the nuclear doctrine surface and a first strike capacity is writ large.

Putin Repeats Old False Claim that Crimea ‘is Ours’

Putin once against tries to rewrite the history of Crimea’s annexation. Russian soldiers invaded in 2014, and a referendum was staged under the force of Russian occupation.

Trump Comments Provide No Grist for Russian Disinformation Mill

Despite Putin’s press secretary’s claim to the contrary, a “direct” accusation from the U.S. president has no bearing on the facts.  In any case, President Trump earlier joined Britain, France and Germany in concluding Russia was responsible for the Novichok poisonings in Salisbury.

While RT Bemoans Ukrainian Propaganda, it is Russians who Feel the Disinfo Fallout

Attitudes: Russians actually hold a more negative view of Ukrainians than the reverse. Pollsters from both countries know why. The "negative tint of propaganda" directed at Ukraine, they say.

Alleged Western Fingerprints in Separatist Assassination Smudged

Russian media reports alleging a Western hand in the assassination of Aleksandr Zakharchenko, former head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, fail to offer conclusive evidence.

Gaming the system in Russia; Gaming all systems

No Evidence for Putin claim that ‘scumbag’ Skripal sanctified in West

From little fish to Russian spy, the Western media has never attempted to beatify Sergei Skripal, despite Putin’s claim to the contrary.

Lavrov Sounds False Alarm Over ‘Staged’ Syria Strikes

Despite the Russian foreign minister’s “fears” of staged pretexts to justify Western military action in Syria, the Assad’s regime’s sordid history of employing chemical weapons is far from “fake news.

RT Chief: The World Loves Vladimir Putin. Polls Disagree

Despite the RT head’s claim that opposition to Russia and its leader is strictly the purview of Western powers-that-be, international polling shows that Putin is by no means supported by a global majority.