The Russian news outfit Sputnik claims "very smart biologists and pharmacists" in Latvia invented the new COVID-19 coronavirus. Other sources close to the Kremlin say it was made in the British military's Porton Down facilities.

Russia observers from the European Commission have so far analyzed 80 different reports containing false or misleading information about coronavirus published by official Russian state media sites as well as platforms and authors with close ties to the Kremlin. But does that activity constitute a deliberate campaign, or is it just part of the ongoing propaganda war between Russia and the West?

Watch video 02:13 Share Coronavirus: fake news spreads Send Facebook google+ Whatsapp Tumblr linkedin stumble Digg reddit Newsvine Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3YUtP Coronavirus: WHO warns of fake news 'infodemic'

Read more: How not to protect yourself from the coronavirus

'Confusion' is the message

Excerpts of those reports, which can be seen on the website EU vs. Disinfo under the title, "The Kremlin and Disinformation About Coronavirus," are at times astonishing. The authors note that it is easy to get the impression that the reports are entirely contradictory. For instance, the Oriental Review, an e-journal with ties to the Kremlin, wrote: "When the panic is over, COVID-19 will have killed less people than a normal flu." The article argues that current fears about the new coronavirus are racially-fueled.

Alexander Dugin, a Russian nationalist and a very public supporter of the Orthodox Church, claimed exactly the opposite at Geopolitica, another Russian e-journal. Dugin said when the virus finishes its "victory march across the planet" it will have destroyed the existing world order. In his moral and religious castigation of Western lifestyles he often draws on symbols such as vengeful ancient gods or biblical plagues.

But is there some sort of plan behind all these contradictory claims? EU observers suspect the aim of the campaign is to confuse European citizens by, "sowing disunity and mistrust." Peter Stano, lead spokesman for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy for the EU, explains: "We have seen an increase in the amount of misinformation originating outside the EU. Some has been Russian, spread by Russian providers and pro-Kremlin sources." Stano says Russia isn't the only source of foreign misinformation, before adding that wherever such misinformation is coming from, "it threatens people's lives."

Read more: Russia denies EU allegations over coronavirus disinformation campaign

Denials and interpretations

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov strongly denied reports of a Russian coronavirus disinformation campaign that had been printed in the Financial Times newspaper: "We are talking about unsubstantiated claims that are, considering the situation, likely the result of an anti-Russian obsession." Peskov called the claims absurd, adding that no concrete evidence had been offered to substantiate them.

Peskov's denial won immediate support from Russia's foreign broadcaster Russia Today (RT). The RT website quickly published an article by Nebojsa Malic, whom RT says is a Serbian-American journalist, which read: "When all else fails, blame Russia. That seems to be the EU approach to deflecting blame from its response to the coronavirus pandemic."

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Does rinsing your nose with saline protect you? According to the World Health Organization, there is no evidence to support claims that a saline solution will "kill” the virus and protect you.

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Will gargling mouthwash prevent an infection? Certain brands of mouthwash may eliminate particular microbes from your saliva for a few minutes, but, according to the WHO, this does not protect you from the new coronavirus.

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Can eating garlic help? This dubious claim has been spreading like wildfire across social media. Though it is possible that garlic may have some antimicrobial properties, there is no evidence to suggest from the current coronavirus outbreak that eating this bulb will protect people from the virus.

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Can pets spread COVID-19? There is no evidence to suggest pets, such as cats and dogs, can be infected or transmit the coronavirus. Regularly washing your hands with soap and water after touching your beloved moggy or pooch will help stop the spread of bacteria that they commonly carry, such as E. coli and salmonella.

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Can the corona virus be transmitted via air mail? People receiving parcels from China are not at risk of contracting the new coronavirus, as the virus does not survive long on objects. Due to the poor survivability of the coronavirus on surfaces, there is a very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks.

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Is there a vaccine yet? The new coronavirus needs its own vaccine. Pneumonia vaccines such as the pneumococcal and the Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine will not protect you against the coronavirus.

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Do bleach products protect you? Bleach/chlorine-based disinfectants, solvents, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform can kill the 2019-nCoV on hard surfaces; however, they have little or no impact if you put them on your skin.

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Avoid direct contact! To avoid a coronavirus infection, always cook raw foods thoroughly. It is also advisable to avoid direct contact with people who are sick.

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? Keep your hands clean! Frequently washing your hands with soap and water can help prevent an infection. You can also use an alcohol-based sanitizing gel instead. If you have to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow. If you have contracted the disease without knowing it, coughing or sneezing in this manner might help to reduce the spread. Author: Jessie Wingard



Is the Kremlin really behind it all?

But is the Kremlin using coronavirus to attack European democracies? British fake news expert Ben Nimmo, who regularly monitors the Russian media landscape, doesn't think "Putin made the call personally." Nimmo says it isn't even that important that a campaign is going on at all. "The whole thing seems more like standard anti-Western posturing than a targeted campaign devised at the Kremlin."

Nimmo says the case was different after the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 or the annexation of Crimea. In both of those situations media outlets all used the same script, a clear indication of Kremlin orchestration. With the coronavirus, says Nimmo, things are different. Media outlets like Sputnik and RT knew they wanted to paint the West in a poor light no matter what.

When Russia expert and Green Party EU Parliamentarian Sergey Lagodinsky looks at Russian media coverage of COVID-19, he says, "It reflects the nature of our relationship." He says the current attitude is that Russia has had few cases of COVID-19 so far and the EU is being overrun with them, so Russian media groups are using the situation to keep stoking panic.

Watch video 04:05 Coronavirus: Hoaxes and fake news

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Russian foreign policy trolls

Agnieszka Legucka from the Polish Institute of International Affairs says Russian foreign broadcasters have plenty of resources and reach. "Since the beginning of 2020, they have also been spreading disinformation about the coronavirus with the aim of inducing distrust in public institutions and aggravating the public health crisis in the EU." She says one of the sources of such fake news is the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a Russian troll farm owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin.

"With its various methods and channels, Russian disinformation remains a strong tool for contesting the order in Europe. And knowing the strategic goals of Russia's foreign policy, it won't end anytime soon; the European Union must prepare for a long-term campaign of disinformation," she says.

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