Russian media regularly publish stories claiming that the West has resigned itself to the annexation of Crimea and is ready to compromise with the Kremlin regarding sanctions. Pro-Russian delegations of marginal European politicians regularly feted in the annexed peninsula are presented as official delegations, proving that the West is softening its position on Crimea. Website screenshot RIA Last week former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen became the newest victim of Russian media manipulation when RIA Novosti quoted him out of context, claiming that Rasmussen did not rule out that Crimea will not be part of Ukraine in the future and might strike out on an independent course. RIA managed to run three separate stories based on Rasmussen’s answer to a question on whether the West should exchange Crimea for Kaliningrad, that was jokingly posed at a Hudson Institute conference U.S.Sanctions on Russia: evaluating impacts and costs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0livrQ3wBM
Kilde: Fake: Rasmussen for Recognition of Independent Course for Crimea