Posted on 04/08/2022 10:15:02 AM PDT by Widget Jr
DESPERATE Russian claims that a US Lieutenant General has been captured in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol have been torn apart by a BBC expert.
Journalist Alistair Coleman took to Twitter to destroy the claims, which he branded "fake news". He reposted one tweet, which said: "Unconfirmed. The rumours going around that a US Major General Roger L. Cloutier has been captured by Russian army at Azovstal in Mariupol. It would be within the Russians' right to execute this officer as nothing more than a common criminal. Not kidding. Legally by all laws."
Mr Coleman retweeted another post, which claimed: "Unconfirmed sources from Russian military.
"The Russian army captured the US Major General Roger L. Cloutier Jr. Maj. Gen. Roger L. Cloutier, the US Arica Command HQ Chief of Staff in the besieged Ukrainian Azov camp in Mariupol.
"The Pentagon wanted to contact Putin."
But BBC journalist Mr Coleman tore apart those claims in a series of tweets, claiming he had been told by the man himself that he is "alive, safe and well".
Russia news: Claims US Lieutenant General Roger L. Cloutier was captured have been destroyed (Image: GETTY)
Russia news: US Lieutenant General Roger L. Cloutier (Image: GETTY)
He tweeted: "There are rumours doing the rounds that the chief of NATO’s Allied Land Command has been captured in Mariupol.
"This comes as news to Lt General Cloutier himself, who just told me he’s alive, safe and well.
"If you’re going to spread disinformation, at least get the details right. Roger Cloutier is a Lt General, not a Major General; and he’s no longer the Commander of US Army Africa - he’s been Commander Allied Land Command for two years."
"NATO tells me: 'Completely fake news. LTG Cloutier has NOT been captured and is currently with his command in Izmir'.
READ MORE: Putin threatens to STARVE Germany in horror retaliation to measures
| There are rumours doing the rounds that the chief of NATO’s Allied Land Command has been captured in Mariupol.
| This comes as news to Lt General Cloutier himself, who just told me he’s alive, safe and well. pic.twitter.com/nJWl1BGMjB
| — Alistair Coleman (@alistaircoleman) April 5, 2022
Mr Coleman added in further tweets: "Allied Land Command tell me that there are no NATO forces or leaders in Ukraine in any capacity.
"Claims of the Lt General’s arrest can be filed under fake news.
"And no, the Lt Gen is a busy man and he’s not going to send us a proof-of-life photo holding today’s edition of Hürriyet to show that he’s in Turkey."
The BBC journalist even tweeted a picture of Lieutenant General Cloutier, which he said had been taken at a NATO conference on Tuesday.
"If you’re going to spread disinformation, at least get the details right."
Checking details of a story before posting? I thought that violated the rules?
But 10 anonymous intelligence sources we spoke with confirmed it!!
WHY did they pick THIS General for the PROPAGANDA that they captured him??? hmmmmmmm
Torn apart by a “BBC expert”....
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Trump said that a lot of the News was “fake news”.
The media hated that.
Now there is a rumor which the media would like to see quashed.
It’s easy: Just tell people that it’s “fake news”.
Bottomline: No one should believe anything. Rachel Maddow testified in court that she is not a journalist, she is just an entertainer and can therefore say things that an untrue. This is also true for ABC, CNN, NYT and all the rest of them. Nothing is true; everything is permitted.
“Lt Gen is a busy man and he’s not going to send us a proof-of-life photo holding today’s edition of Hürriyet to show that he’s in Turkey.”
He is not that busy. Send us the photo so everyone can move on....
Meanwhile, the source for these claims is literally fookin Twitter and Instagram accounts run by Russian trolls.
I only see “Mad Cow” when that name pops up. I think I read it just once here on FR and that did it.
>He is not that busy. Send us the photo so everyone can move on....
Exactly. Show us a video clip from him saying “Hi! I’m safe at ___ location.” or else the rumors will continue.
She's not very 'entertaining' either.............
The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated...
Was a gun pointed at his head when he said this?
I loved that movie!..............
Who cares? It is just troll accounts making these claims.
Troll accounts make plenty of claims.
If Russkies want to run with this propaganda, they can post photos of the general in one of their typical hostage videos.
Wow so it’s gone from a captured colonel to a general now?-)
Never crossed his mind to wait for confirmation.
Unconfirmed— Biden has Covid.
If it were me, I’d be tempted to have fun with it for a day or two. 😈
Almost ... he should post “Hi, you can send the assassination squads to this address because I am here right now! Really, come on, the door is unlocked and the guards all have COVID ... trust me.”
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