Embassy reply to BBC Radio 4 regarding its podcast series “Intrigue. Mayday” on the White Helmets and James Le Mesurier
There are several points that we would like to stress in relation to the issues you are considering to include in your series. First of all, we are appalled by the whole method the BBC uses in this particular work, defining the Russian position or statements as “false”, apparently by default, without providing any evidence. Moreover, judging by your letter, it is Russia which has to do the job of persuading the BBC in credibility of its actions and statements, rather than vice versa. We do not think this peculiar form of journalism should be considered a professional one by any standards.
Referring to the subject of the BBC Series – White Helmets and James Le Mesurier – the Russian position is well-founded. Vast amounts of evidence on the ground as well as intelligence information which Russia has at its disposal unequivocally point to direct links between the White Helmets and terrorist organisations operating in Syria. Various reports, presentations, films, video footage and photos have been shown to the international community both by the Russian authorities and civil society actors in Russia and in the West to highlight the provocative and illegitimate nature of the work carried out by the White Helmets. They have performed a number of cynical actions aimed at discrediting the Syrian authorities and promoting the Western narrative centered around a regime change in Damascus. This includes fake and false-flag chemical attacks, spreading disinformation, etc.
On James Le Mesurier, it is credibly known that he was an officer of the British Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. Russia has solid information on his links with terrorist organizations in Syria as well as in Kosovo. James Le Mesurier was found dead soon after these links were exposed. Speculations on Russian involvement in his death, convenient as they are, are part of a deliberate disinformation campaign against Russia, in which the BBC is sadly participating.
Turning to Vanessa Beeley as well as other researchers and investigative journalists, it is important to understand and admit that the views that do not follow UK official statements cannot be automatically referred to as “discredited” – you have to discredit them first, provide facts that contradict them or are inconsistent with them. Ms Beeley is just one of many open minded and independent experts, including those from the OPCW, who express serious and well-founded concerns over the suspicious nature of the “chemical attacks” in Syria.
It is quite odd to use the expression “misleading and unevidenced claims” with regards to the false flag chemical attacks and the surrounding circumstances when even one of your colleagues, Riam Dalati, BBC’s Syria producer, tweeted on 13 February 2019: “After 6 months of investigations, I can prove without a doubt that the Douma Hospital scene was staged”.
During their visit to the site of that alleged attack, a group of Russian experts gathered evidence, including testimonies of local residents, who had been paid to take part in the “performance” by the White Helmets. The report by Maxim Grigoryev, Director of The Foundation for Democracy Studies, proving the staged nature of those incidents, can be found here: http://democracyfund.ru/userfiles/THE%20%20WHITE%20HELMETS%20.pdf. Some witnesses have also spoken publicly to the media and given statements in person at the OPCW Headquarters. Unfortunately, neither the report, which was presented in London and several other capitals, nor the statements of witnesses have received good coverage in the UK media, including the BBC. This is a further manifestation of your biased approach to the issue.
It is upsetting that the UK Government continues to defend and support those who use Syrian civilians in their games. We urge the UK Government to reconsider its position towards the White Helmets and, more broadly, to the Syrian conflict in order to bring peace and stability back to Syria.
Question: Speaking at the National Cyber Security Centre’s CYBERUK conference on 12 May 2021, the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that ‘states like Russia’ have a responsibility to prosecute criminals operating from their territory, ‘not shelter them’. How would you comment on this? Answer: The Embassy has on multiple occasions commented unfounded accusations of numerous ‘sins’ in cyberspace made against our country. It is disappointing that the British authorities keep using Russia as a negative example, while having no actual grounds for this. Over the past few years we have repeatedly suggested to the UK, as well as to the USA and other countries, to develop professional cooperation to tackle the issues arising in this field... The UK prefers resounding speeches and vague ‘sheltering criminals’ insinuations.
The Embassy has no comment to make on the substance of the allegations against HRH Prince Michael of Kent made in the recent media publications. Prince Michael is well known in Russia as a champion of Russian-British friendship and cooperation. He has immensely contributed to developing human, cultural and economic ties between the two countries, including by serving as the Patron of the Russo-British Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, His Royal Highness has maintained a wide range of contacts with Russian counterparts at various levels.
The Embassy expresses sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the tragic events in School №175 in Kazan on 11 May 2021, and wishes of a speedy recovery to everyone who was injured. A Book of Condolence is open at the Embassy's Consular Section. You can also send your message to: condolences@rusemb.org.uk.
Question: What impact have the sanctions had on the state of relations between Russia and the West?
Maria Zakharova: Unfortunately, the growing use of politically motivated, unilateral restrictive measures by a number of Western countries, primarily the United States, has become a reality of our time. We increasingly view the sanctions against Russia as a “gesture of despair” and a manifestation of the local elites’ inability to accept the new reality, abandon the stereotypes of their bloc-based thinking, and recognise Russia's right to independently determine its path of development and build relationships with its partners.
In terms of discussion of the issue of current implementation of the Treaty on Open (OST) Skies, the Russian Delegation would like to announce the official position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia on the situation with regard to the Treaty on Open Skies.
On April 21, Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy Bart Gorman was summoned to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was handed a note saying that 10 US Embassy employees in Moscow had been declared persona non grata. These people have been ordered to leave the Russian Federation before the end of the day on May 21.
We consider the FCDO statement of 15 April on “malign activity by Russian intelligence services in cyberspace” as nothing but an attempt to play along with the US, which as usually try to put a blame on Russia while obviously failing to ensure their own cyber security.
Question: Newly appointed to lead the inquest into the death of Dawn Sturgess, Baroness Hallet has announced her plans to examine the Russian state’s involvement in poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury as part of the inquest. Any comments?
Answer: We see it as a confirmation of our earlier conclusion that the situation with regard to these tragic events would evolve according to the Litvinenko Case scenario. Regular investigation and regular use of existing international legal instruments (since there have been Russian nationals affected) is being substituted with a quasi-judicial procedure. It does not formally pertain to the incident in Salisbury as such, yet would undoubtedly be used to support again and again the groundless accusations against Russia made by the British authorities.
On 10 March 2021, the Embassy undertook a demarche to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office regarding the leaked FCDO-related documents that reveal a large-scale campaign being performed by the UK Government aimed at exercising systematic influence on the Russian-language media space.
Three years have now passed since the highly publicized incident in Salisbury. So far we have learnt little on what really happened. The British authorities laid the blame on Russia for an alleged use of chemical weapons on the British soil. Such a serious accusation however was not backed by any facts, proof or other sort of relevant information. Being ungrounded, it cannot be considered credible.
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