Anonymous British sources have accused the Russian government, via an article in The Telegraph, of plotting to assassinate the prime minister of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, in October of last year to prevent the tiny Balkan nation from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance.
The newspaper writes today, “An election-day coup plot to attack Montenegro’s parliament and kill the pro-Western leader was directed by Russian intelligence officers with the support and blessing of Moscow, to sabotage the country’s plan to join Nato.”
The sources allege that a group of Serbian nationalists, backed by Russia, planned to kill the country’s leader in a bloody, commando style raid prior to the election. It is claimed that British and American intelligence operatives have confirmed this Russian involvement.
Predrag Bosković, Montenegrin defence minister, told The Telegraph there is “not any doubt” that the plot was financed and organised by Russian intelligence officers alongside local radicals.
Another take to the story is that the PM planned the ‘fake’ raid in order to draw sympathy from the public and take votes prior to the election. Some allege the PM used a similar story about fake “Albanian terrorists” in a prior election contest.
What is definitely true it that we now live in an age of information warfare, or hybrid war, that looks to shape events by public opinion and disinformation. One side is lying. It is interesting that the Telegraph story only quotes unnamed British sources. One side wants Montenegro to be in NATO and one side doesn’t. With all of this fake news flying around it is very hard for the average citizen to figure out the truth.
