Russia is organizing staged protests in Cyprus to divide the EU — CPD
Through its diplomatic and cultural institutions, the Kremlin is attempting to destabilize the situation in Cyprus by organizing pro-Russian rallies. The main goal of these events is to discredit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and demand that the European Union halt the disbursement of a €90 billion loan to Ukraine.
The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council reports on this latest manipulation by the Russian Federation.
The protests are being coordinated by the “Russian Cultural Center” with the support of the Russian Embassy and Rossotrudnichestvo agencies. The rallies, which will continue until April 25, are held under anti-war slogans, but are in fact aimed at shifting responsibility for the war from the aggressor to Ukraine, the EU, and NATO. The organizers are attempting to create the illusion of widespread European dissatisfaction with aid to Kyiv.
The CPD emphasizes that such attempts at influence are doomed to fail, as Cyprus remains a steadfast ally of Ukraine due to its own history of fighting for territorial integrity. EU institutions have already been informed about the artificial nature of the rallies and the individuals involved in their organization. Russian propaganda continues to use cultural projects as a cover for interfering in the internal affairs of foreign states.
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