DISINFO: Russia's superiority over NATO in Ukraine is evident
SUMMARY
The conflict in Ukraine shows Russia's superiority over NATO for several reasons. The economic sanctions against Russia actually have a heavier impact on the West. Russia's combat superiority is also evident given that it far away from using all its military might. If the military confrontation drags on, NATO is in danger of breaking up, especially because European countries cannot find an alternative to Russian energy resources.
RESPONSE
Recurring disinformation campaign surrounding the energy sector and sanctions on Russia, aiming to downplay the effects of sanctions and cause distress and panic over energy insecurity.
The article also utilizes a pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia not exploiting its full military potential yet, aiming to prove that its “special military operation” in Ukraine is actually going according to plan. All the aforementioned narratives fit well into the Kremlin’s claims that the West is collapsing.
The EU adopted in December 2022 the ninth package of economic and individual sanctions on Russia due to its illegal aggression and occupation of Ukrainian territories. Not all trade restrictions are yet enforced as the energy sector needs longer transition periods so it is too early to assess the full effect of the sanctions. Given the damaging consequences of the sanctions on the Russian economy, it is incorrect to claim that Russia is barely affected. Otherwise, the Russian leadership would not feel the need to constantly demand the sanctions be removed.
Furthermore, EU countries recently agreed to set a price cap on Russian oil at $60 per barrel. The price cap applies to oils which that originate in or are exported from Russia. The cap comes on top of the EU import ban on Russian seaborne crude oil and petroleum products, and the corresponding bans of other G7 partners. The price cap is a larger problem for Russia, not Europe. It is predicted that Russian oil output is set to fall by 1.4 million barrels per day next year. It is important to note that the sanctions do not target Russian society. Their purpose is to send a strong signal of resolve and unity to the Kremlin and degrade Russia’s ability to wage war. When judged on the basis of these criteria, sanctions are clearly working.
Despite Russia's energy blackmail, European members of the Alliance are prepared to face this winter. EU underground gas reserves have been filled by more than 95% of their capacity, much more than the 1 November deadline set to achieve 80% capacity. This means that with the predicted gas consumption reduction and filled gas reserves, Europe won’t be out of gas for the rest of the winter, even without Russian supplies.
Despite numerous setbacks in Ukraine for the Russian armed forces, many Russians continue to believe the narrative that Russia has yet to deploy its full military potential. Putin has personally fueled such wishful thinking by declaring that he has not even yet begun to wage a real war in Ukraine. However, this cannot disguise the significantly less imposing reality of a demoralized Russian army increasingly dependent on poorly trained mobilized troops, outdated armor, and Iranian drones.
Finally, it must be stressed that there is no basis to the claims that NATO will collapse or that it is involved in combat operations in Ukraine. There are no NATO forces on the frontline. Some NATO member states provide Ukraine with military assistance to repel the unprovoked Russian aggression. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.