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Updated March 8th, 2021 at 15:13 IST

Russian intelligence behind 'disinformation campaign' against US vaccines: State Dept

Dissemination of the false claims and unverified information against the jabs such as Pfizer’s BNT162 was aimed at popularizing the use of Russia’s Sputnik V.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
Russia
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Russian intelligence launched a massive disinformation campaign against the US manufactured COVID-19 vaccines by creating several ‘fake news’ websites that spread the propaganda, a spokesperson for US State Department told CNN and other leading broadcasters on Sunday, citing leads that established links of such sites with Kremlin. The dissemination of the false claims and unverified information against the jabs such as Pfizer’s BNT162 was aimed at popularizing the use of Russia’s Sputnik V, all the while undermining the public confidence in other vaccines. The case was first reported by New York-based daily newspaper Wall Street Journal, and it prompted the US Global Engagement Center to launch a probe into these controversial sites propelling scare and disinformation against coronavirus vaccines. 

“Anytime it appears the West has taken the lead in something they’re going to try to do damage. As they’re close to coming to market with their own vaccine, or start running trials, you create doubt about what everyone else is doing in the hopes that your own citizens look to you for the answers," AP quoted Bret Schafer, a disinformation expert at the Alliance for Securing Democracy as saying. 

Read: Maduro Receives First Dose Of Russian Vaccine

Read: North Macedonia Gets First Batch Of Russia Vaccine Sputnik V

It first came to notice of the US intelligence when one such Russian media outlet’s unsubstantiated claim trickled to the US-based Facebook group, and screenshots and links to the article were extensively shared. The questionable report, as cited by the sources of the Associated Press, wrongly claimed that as many as five Ukrainians succumbed after administering an American-manufactured coronavirus vaccine within just a few days. Several such pro-Russian websites were identified in an online crackdown that had infiltrated into American cyberspace. US State Department, later found that the fake sites and network of proxy misinformation were linking themselves with the Russian government’s server. US’ Global Engagement Center, meanwhile traced primarily 4 fake Russian websites namely, New Eastern Outlook, Oriental Review, News Front, and Rebel Inside that were evolved in a vaccine disinformation campaign. 

Russia calls report 'nonsense'

An official from US State Department’s GEC told the television network that the fake news media outlets directly traced back to Russian intelligence and were not only involved in hurling propaganda against vaccines but also ‘international organizations, military conflicts, protests; and any divisive issue that they can exploit.’ A joint interagency conclusion has officially confirmed that the Russian Intelligence service was handling accounts and sites that spread lies about western manufactured vaccines’ efficacy and Pharma companies, who, it accused, had rushed through the approval process. ‘Russian intelligence services bear direct responsibility for using these four platforms to spread propaganda and lies,’ State Department spokesman alleged in a statement that he recorded with the WSJ in its initial report. Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson dismissed the WSJ’s report as baseless. "It’s nonsense," Dmitry Peskov told WSJ when reached out, adding that the Russian special services had "nothing to do" with any propaganda against US vaccines

Read: Japan Reports First Case Of Anaphylactic Reaction From COVID-19 Vaccine

Read: Russia Scores Points With Vaccine Diplomacy, But Snags Arise

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Published March 8th, 2021 at 15:13 IST

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