Russia's support for separatist groups in Western countries and its purpose

@ElentirENG ES 6·23·2024 · 18:59 0

In relation to the Russian plot of the 2017 separatist coup in Catalonia, some people refer to an idea about Russia's interests.

The Russian plot of the 2017 separatist coup explodes against Sánchez and some others
Russia's support for separatism in Spain and the support of Spanish separatists for Russia

Basically, this idea maintains that Russia is not interested in supporting separatist nationalisms because it also suffers from them on its territory. To begin with, it should be noted that the Russian plot of the separatist coup in Catalonia is not based on assumptions about what Russian is interested in: it is about verified facts about what the Kremlin tried to do in Catalonia. Denying these facts by appealing to Russia's intentions is an attempt to kill the fact with the story.

Moscow has supported separatist movements to weaken its neighboring countries

On the other hand, those who deny the facts by affirming the Kremlin's supposed intentions not to promote separatism also overlook the fact that Putin's regime has always tried to do everything that weakens the West. That is why for many years the Kremlin's propaganda media has been supporting the extreme left in the West, specifically political parties that defend ideas that Putin does not accept in Russia. The purpose of this support is to weaken and destabilize NATO countries.

Regarding separatism, it must be remembered that Russia has been actively supporting pro-Russian separatist movements in Georgia (thanks to them Moscow controls the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia), Moldova strong> (where Russian support for these separatists materializes with a military presence in the region of Transnistria) and Ukraine.

In the latter case, today there is ample evidence that Putin actively armed and supported separatists who carried out an armed rebellion in 2014 in the easternmost part of Ukraine. In that area, Moscow even instigated acts of terrorism. Let us remember, in case anyone has already forgotten about it, that that pro-Russian separatist movement that served as an excuse for the Kremlin to justify the current invasion of Ukraine, stating that Russia's intention was to protect the pro-Russians from those regions.

Russia's support for separatist groups in Western countries

Let us also remember that the Kremlin has been supporting congresses held in Russia which were attended by separatist movements from other countries, including Spain, with the excuse of the alti-globalization movement launched by the extreme left. Among the participants in these congresses there have been separatist groups from Catalonia, Scotland, Venice, Texas and Hawaii, for example, all of them coming from NATO member countries, coincidentally.

Three months ago, the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies noted in a report: "Since 2014, Western separatist movements have increasingly become targets of Russia’s efforts. This includes regions such as Texas and California in the USA, Catalonia in Spain, and Scotland in the United Kingdom." The same report adds:

"According to a 2020 British intelligence report, Russia exerted influence over the outcome of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and collaborated with the separatist Scottish National Party. Additionally, the former Prime Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, launched his talk show on the Russian propaganda platform Russia Today, where he advanced narratives advocating for the region’s separation from Great Britain.

In the spring of 2019, Jose Luis Alai, an advisor to the President of Catalonia, Carlos Puigdemont, made a secret visit to Moscow. The purpose of the visit was to seek the Kremlin’s support for Catalonia’s independence. While in Moscow, Alai met with Russian officials and businessmen, resulting in the significant footprint of Moscow in Catalonia."

A Russian destabilization strategy

Likewise, the aforementioned foundation adds:

"Supporting separatist forces and inciting destabilization is an old method that has been oft tried and tested by the Kremlin, particularly in the post-Soviet space. Since 2014, it has been trying to “import chaos” to Western countries. This does not mean that there are no more separatist centers left in the post-Soviet space; indeed, in recent years, the issue of the secession of northern Kazakhstan, populated by ethnic Russians, has become more and more relevant. The main thing for Moscow, however, is to increase the number of separatist centers in unfriendly states."

It is especially surprising that some Spaniards who call themselves "patriots" try to deny this Russian destabilization strategy, which already tried to seriously damage the national unity of Spain in 2017 in order to harm a NATO country.

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Photo: Mikhail Svetlov.