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Ukraine-Russia tensions: What is ‘false flag’?
- Tensions between Ukraine and Russia are at an all-time high amid concerns of a likely invasion of Ukraine by Moscow.
- The current tinderbox situation, building up over the months, has intensified with the Russian military consolidating its presence along Russia’s border with Ukraine.
- Russia has deployed around 1,00,000 troops along the border
- Ukraine has cautioned that Russia is attempting to destabilise the country ahead of its military invasion plans.
- Russia has been alerted repeatedly by Western powers to refrain from taking further aggressive actions against Ukraine.
- On the other hand, Russia has alleged that NATO’s support for Ukraine, which included increased weapon supplies and military training, poses an increasing threat to its western part.
- Amid tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the US accused Russia of creating a “false flag” scenario.
- “They have pre-positioned a group of operatives to conduct what we call a ‘false flag operation’,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
What is false flag?
- A “false flag” scenario occurs when a group deliberately misrepresents affiliation and hides its true identity. It is used widely during war and covert operations.
- It is a deceptive move undertaken by a country or an organisation to set up an attack.
- Pirate ships often used “false flags” of nations to deceive merchant ships while undertaking an attack under a “false flag“.
- There are numerous examples throughout history of armymen stealing uniforms from their enemy to take part in covert operations in order to carry out a clandestine military campaign. The “false flag” tactic is also used to sometimes start a war.
- In the latest “false flag” claim the US accused Russia of fabricating an attack on itself or on Russian-speaking Ukrainians by a group of operatives to make a false claim of an attack by Ukraine.
- False Flag operations CIA had reportedly carried a false flag operation in 1953 against Iran’s former PM Mohammad Mosaddeq in order to successfully launch operation TPAJAX as it conducted bombing campaigns which were blamed on communist sympathisers. A declassified report claimed Britain’s MI6 and the CIA jointly undertook the operations.
- “Operation Northwoods” is another example of a “false flag” operation proposed by US intelligence in 1962 to justify military action against Cuba.
- The US Department of Defence planned to stage “terrorist” acts against American military and civilian installations and blame it on Fidel Castro’s regime.
- The proposal was however rejected by former President Kennedy.
- The US has information that indicates Russia has prepositioned a group of operatives to conduct a false-flag operation in eastern Ukraine, a US official told CNN on Friday, in an attempt to create a pretext for an invasion.
- The official said the US has evidence that the operatives are trained in urban warfare and in using explosives to carry out acts of sabotage against Russia’s own proxy forces.
- The allegation echoed a statement released by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, which said that Russian special services are preparing provocations against Russian forces in an attempt to frame Ukraine