The Center for Countering Disinformation (CDC) stated that the Russian authorities are trying to organize artificial protests in Cyprus. They say that they are aimed at opposing EU policy, the decision to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euro loan, and at discrediting President Volodymyr Zelensky.
This was reported by the press service of the Central Police Department.
They claim that the organizers of these demonstrations are the Russian Embassy in Cyprus and the structures of “Rossotrudnichestvo”. The Russian government's Federal Agency for CIS Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation, and pro-Russian public associations, etc. These actions are coordinated by the “Russian Cultural Center”, which is run by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“Such organizations, under the guise of cultural projects, purposefully promote the influence and propaganda of the Russian Federation outside the country. It is known that the “protests” are planned to be held until April 25 under formal anti-war slogans. However, this is a typical Russian manipulation of shifting responsibility for the war to Ukraine, the EU, and NATO,” the CPD said.
The center also noted that the main demand of the protesters should be “the immediate cessation of EU funding of the war in Ukraine,” and that with such provocative actions, the Kremlin seeks to damage support for Kyiv and split the European bloc.
“However, artificial Kremlin-inspired “protests” are doomed to failure. Cyprus systematically supports Ukraine and its territorial integrity, because the principle of territorial integrity is also extremely important for it. EU structures have been informed about the artificial nature of the actions, as well as about the people behind their organization,” the CPD added.
On April 23, Zelenskyy flew to Cyprus to participate in the EU leaders' summit. He has already met there with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa.