Putin challenges Sánchez to prove Russia is behind the Ceuta crisis

BarcelonaThe Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands that the Spanish government provide proof of its alleged involvement in a disinformation campaign related to the migration crisis in Ceuta. "When there are accusations, there must be concrete facts that then require verification. And only after that can we talk about an accusation that, in some way, can be taken seriously," said Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference this Tuesday, according to the Interfax agency.

The Spanish reaction was not long in coming. The government spokesperson, Elma Saiz, assured that they have "evidence" that "digital forums" from both Israel and Russia amplified what happened in Ceuta, according to her, to polarize and fracture the EU. Saiz insisted, on the contrary, that "there is no evidence, no report, no indication that Morocco participated" in the massive arrival of immigrants on July 30 and 31.

Although the evidence is clear, according to Moncloa, Saiz has not made it public and has cited "internal reports" from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The spokesperson for the Spanish government also recalled that the European Commission already pointed to Russia on August 6 as a "focus of disinformation." The calls on social networks that distorted the latest Supreme Court ruling on Ceuta –which rejects pushbacks when immigrants arrive by sea–, as if the migratory policy had become more permissive, and its amplification through organized channels were the main cause of the massive entry of immigrants, according to the Spanish government.

However, a spokesperson for the European Union External Action Service has come out to qualify the Spanish government's words. "We have seen Russian attempts to exploit the crisis online. However, we do not have conclusive evidence to suggest that this particular crisis has been caused by foreign state actors," the source assures in a written message.