A video that went viral on TikTok claims Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a warning to the Government of the Mexican Andrés Manuel López Obrador, for adhering to the policy of the United States against the invasion of Ukraine.
However, after a review of this newspaper with the support of a person who speaks Russian, it was confirmed that the video of the alleged message with the threats is false, since it combines facts from the 2018 with current as a supposed Russian television report.
The subtitles in Spanish in the video do not agree with the statements of the television host nor with Putin’s message about Mexico.
“Vladimir replied subtlyand invited the Mexican government not to interfere in the decisions of his mandate… [Putin] stressed that any threat, intimidation or interference that endangers the interests of our nation will have serious consequences”, say the subtitles of the video in Russian.
Then he translates a direct message from Putin that supposedly says: “I ask the Western nations and America not to intervene with baseless opinions… A few hours ago, the government of the A country neighboring the southern border of the United States… called for a ceasefire… No threat or conspiracy against our homeland will be tolerated… Do not interfere in our government’s affairs.”
An academic from the University of the City of New York (CUNY) – who speaks Russian, but preferred to omit her name – confirmed to this newspaper the discrepancy in the messages, because the presenter talks about how Putin congratulated the Mexican president after winning the elections, which occurred in 2018, and the president is referring to a demonstration on the anniversary of World War II.
FALSE videos are circulating of alleged reports on Russian TV warning #Putin to Mexico 🇲🇽 for rejecting the invasion of #Ukraine.
The report is combined by the congratulations of AMLO’s electoral victory with Ebrard’s message last week. #FakeNews pic.twitter.com/sHjAWEvPWO
— Jesús García (@JesusGar) February 11, 2022
The video includes images of Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who talks about the Mexico’s position before the United Nations Security Council last Thursday.
A message from Putin is also included, but the expert points out that “it is cut off”, although the Russians are heard to “go out and remember” the victims of World War II.
Although Putin threatened with actions “never seen in its history” to the countries that intervene directly in the armed conflict, he has not addressed a direct message to Mexico or its President López Obrador, who had been criticized for not being clear enough in his rejection of the invasion of Ukraine.
Conclusion: this is fake news.
Read here all the coverage on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict.