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1,200 | 14.08.2022 | Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia plant show that the US does not accept defeat | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-attacks-on-the-zaporizhzhia-plant-show-that-the-us-does-not-accept-defeat | lantidiplomatico.it | Russia, Ukraine, US | Italian | The attacks carried out with kamikaze drones by the Ukrainian army just 500 metres from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant show that the United States does not accept defeat and that it can resort to any means not to lose its spheres of influence, especially in Europe. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about lost sovereignty / external control, specifically about the EU's dependence on the US and so-called "Anglo-Saxons" and disinformation aimed to deflect Russia’s responsibility for shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP). See also our article Key Narratives in Pro-Kremlin Disinformation Part 3: ‘Lost Sovereignty’.Western leaders have continuously called for talks and a peaceful solution to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, but Moscow has been ignoring these efforts. Sovereign decisions of the European nations and the EU regarding their domestic and foreign policies are often presented in pro-Kremlin media as an "Anglo-Saxon provocation". The term “Anglo-Saxons” in such cases normally stands for the US and UK and often means “evil”, “belligerent” and “morally corrupt” Westerners, as explained in our earlier analysis.No evidence is provided to back the claim that Ukraine is shelling the Zaporizhzhia power plant. Contrary to the claim, it is Russia that is shelling the Zaporizhzhia NPP and creating a radioactive threat to Ukraine and the whole of Europe. There has been an increasing number of reports that Russia uses the nuclear site as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, "using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident". Russia turned the station into a military base. It uses reactor buildings as hiding places for its armaments, such as military trucks and armoured vehicles.EU High Representative Josep Borrell condemned Russia’s military activities there and labelled them as a serious and irresponsible breach of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.See the full debunk of these claims here. Read similar cases claimig that Ukrainian forces fired missiles at the Zaporizhzhia station and Russian defences repels them, that Ukrainian militants are shelling the nuclear station in Zaporizhzhia and that The West is pushing Ukraine towards a nuclear catastrophe | War in Ukraine, Nuclear issues, Terrorism |
1,201 | 12.08.2022 | Washington and the Kyiv regime's actions pose a threat of nuclear catastrophe | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/washington-and-the-kyiv-regimes-actions-pose-a-threat-of-nuclear-catastrophe | iravunk.com | Ukraine, US | Armenian | The actions of Washington and the Kyiv regime pose a threat of a nuclear catastrophe. The shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant could lead to catastrophic consequences, for which US President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will bear responsibility. | This is an unsubstantiated claim by pro-Kremlin outlets made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. There is no evidence to support the claims.This is not the first time the Kremlin’s manipulation and disinformation machine has used a deep-seated and very reasonable fear of a nuclear disaster to advance its political and military goals in Ukraine.In fact, there have been an increasing number of reports that Russia uses the nuclear site as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, "using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident".The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns about the risk of Russia's militarization of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. According to recent data, Russia mined the territory of the plant and placed its military armaments near nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities.A video shared by Russian opposition outlet The Insider shows that Russian military vehicles move in and around the plant, some of them (including armored vehicles) moved into the building containing the first of the plant’s six nuclear reactors. Besides this, Russian forces dug trenches and establish firing positions.Russia has been widely accused of using the plant as a shield from which to launch attacks. Using the plant in this way violates the Geneva Convention, which states that particular care must be taken if "installations containing dangerous forces" are located near the fighting. About 500 Russian troops are reported to be currently at the site.EU High Representative Josep Borrell condemned Russia’s military activities there and labeled them as a serious and irresponsible breach of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, accused Russia of using the plant as a nuclear shield. “Of course, the Ukrainians cannot fire back lest there be a terrible accident involving the nuclear plant,” he said. In its recent statement, the Foreign Ministers of the G7 stated that "it is Russia’s continued control of the plant that endangers the region" and demanded Russia to hand back full control over the plant as well as other occupied nuclear facilities to Ukraine.Read our article Playing with nuclear fire and the Ukraine-joint statement on the situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.For background see: disinformation targeting Ukraine. | Volodymyr Zelensky, Joe Biden, Nuclear issues, War in Ukraine, war crimes, Invasion of Ukraine, Provocation, Josep Borrell |
1,202 | 12.08.2022 | Ukrainian forces fired missiles at the Zaporizhzhia station and Russian defences repels them | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-forces-fired-missiles-at-the-zaporizhzhia-station-and-russian-defences-repels-them | arabic.rt.com,nabd.com,msdernet.xyz | Ukraine, Russia | Arabic | On the night of August 7, 2022, Ukrainian forces fired several missiles at the Zaporizhzhia station, where the Russian defences repelled a second violent attack launched by Kyiv's forces with drones and missiles on the station controlled by the Russian army. | No evidence is provided to back the claim that Ukraine is shelling the Zaporizhzhia power plant.In fact, there have been an increasing number of reports that Russia uses the nuclear site as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, "using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident". EU High Representative Josep Borrell condemned Russia’s military activities there and labelled them as a serious and irresponsible breach of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, accused Russia of using the plant as a nuclear shield. “Of course, the Ukrainians cannot fire back lest there be a terrible accident involving the nuclear plant,” he said. Russian forces likely use the territory of the plant to shell the Ukrainian-controlled town of Nikopol across the river. Additionally, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns about the risk of Russia's militarisation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. According to recent data, Russia mined the territory of the plant and placed its military armaments near nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities. A video shared by Russian opposition outlet The Insider shows that Russian military vehicles move in and around the plant, some of them (including armoured vehicles) moved into the building containing the first of the plant’s six nuclear reactors. Besides this, Russian forces dug trenches and establish firing positions. In its recent statement, the Foreign Ministers of the G7 stated that "it is Russia’s continued control of the plant that endangers the region" and demanded Russia to hand back full control over the plant as well as other occupied nuclear facilities to Ukraine. | Nuclear issues, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,203 | 10.08.2022 | Ukrainians are dying for the interests of the US but the US and Europe are losing interest in Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainians-are-dying-for-the-interests-of-the-us-but-the-us-and-europe-are-losing-interest-in-ukraine | null | Ukraine, US, Europe | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, US, Europe | The artificially created regime in Kyiv is doomed to destruction.Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are fated to die for the interests of the US.The US and Europe are losing interest in support of Ukraine because Russia obviously won the confrontation. | A recurring mix of the narratives about the war in Ukraine, presenting Ukraine as a puppet of the US and Europe. By falsely affirming that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy follows US orders, these narratives attempt to denigrate Ukraine by portraying it as a non-independent Western puppet, one of the many long-term pro-Kremlin disinformation messages on Ukraine. Russian and pro-Kremlin disinformation sources like to claim that certain countries are no longer truly sovereign. See our article ‘Lost Sovereignty’ here. The number and intensity of these messages has increased after Russia’s unjustified aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Ukraine is getting stable support from Western countries in face of Russia's aggression. More information can be seen in “Ukraine Support Tracker”.The war in Ukraine is not of interest to the US, nor to Europe. The EU condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and imposed restrictive measures on Russia. Read more about the EU response and support for Ukraine.See other examples of disinformation presenting Ukraine as a Western puppet: The West does not allow Ukraine to move to peace negotiations; NYT: US not willing to encourage diplomatic solution in Ukraine; US prevents Ukraine from making territorial concessions. | null |
1,204 | 10.08.2022 | Ukraine shells nuclear plant to deploy international peacekeeping forces | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-shells-nuclear-plant-to-deploy-international-peacekeeping-forces | arabic.rt.com,rtarabic.com | Ukraine, Russia | Arabic | Against the background of continuous shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant by Ukrainian armed forces, Kyiv called for the deployment of international peacekeeping forces on the plant; it also called on the international community to establish a demilitarized zone around this nuclear plant. Ukraine is trying to lure a third party into its conflict. They have not managed to draw NATO countries directly there, which means that they have to push peacekeepers and international monitors in any way to the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia. | No evidence is provided to back the claim that Ukraine is shelling the Zaporizhzhia power plant.In fact, there has been an increasing number of reports that Russia uses the nuclear site as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, "using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident". The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, accused Russia of using the plant as a nuclear shield. “Of course the Ukrainians cannot fire back lest there be a terrible accident involving the nuclear plant,” he said. Russian forces likely use the territory of the plant to shell the Ukrainian-controlled town of Nikopol across the river. Additionally, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns about the risk of Russia's militarisation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. According to recent data, Russia mined the territory of the plant and placed its military armaments near nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities. A video shared by Russian opposition outlet The Insider shows that Russian military vehicles move in and around the plant, some of them (including armored vehicles) moved into the building containing the first of the plant’s six nuclear reactors. Besides this, Russian forces dug trenches and establish firing positions. In its recent statement, the Foreign Ministers of the G7 stated that "it is Russia’s continued control of the plant that endangers the region" and demanded Russia to hand back full control over the plant as well as other occupied nuclear facilities to Ukraine. | Nuclear issues, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,205 | 09.08.2022 | Political opposition in Ukraine does not exist and all media are censored | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/political-opposition-in-ukraine-does-not-exist-and-all-media-are-censored | Laivaslaikrastis.lt | Ukraine | Lithuanian | There isn't any political opposition against Zelenskyy’s party in Ukraine. All opposition political parties are forbidden, and their leaders are imprisoned. There is no free media in Ukraine. All critical-thinking journalists are imprisoned, killed, or have escaped abroad. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about dictatorship in Ukraine.The situation in Ukraine is not ideal but it is not a dictatorship either. The situation is influenced by the aggressive war against Ukraine which Russia began on 24 February 2022.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected as the head of the state in 2019 during free and competitive elections.The activities of pro-Russia political parties in Ukraine were forbidden after the beginning of Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine. It is noted that “the reasons for approval of such legislation were the popularisation or propaganda of the Russian authorities, its officials, persons, and organisations controlled by the aggressor state“. Deputies belonging to the pro-Russian party (“Opposition platform – for Life”) still work in the Rada‘s other factions.In the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders Ukraine is in position 106 (among 180 states). The Index noted that the Russian war against Ukraine “threatens the survival of the Ukrainian media” and that “Ukraine stands at the front line of resistance against the expansion of the Kremlin’s propaganda system”.See similar cases: Ukrainian authorities have set up a dictatorial regime; Ukraine is a Nazi dictatorship. | Volodymyr Zelensky, Dictatorship, Freedom of speech |
1,206 | 09.08.2022 | Ukrainian militants are shelling the nuclear station in Zaporizhzhia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-militants-are-shelling-the-nuclear-station-in-zaporizhzhia | asd.news | Ukraine | Russian | Kyiv authorities' militants are shelling the nuclear station in Zaporizhzhia avoiding witnesses to their crimes.Most likely, representatives of the IAEA are also not eager to get to the Zaporizhzhia NPP, because there they will either have to go against the Western mainstream and accuse the Nazis of shelling the plant, or deny obvious things, undermining their own authority.If a catastrophe happens, vast territories will be contaminated and uninhabitable. Ukraine will do what the West asks for: to surrender only scorched earth to Russia. | No evidence is provided to back the claims being made. The recurring claim that Ukraine plans false flag attacks is designed to deflect blame for the war atrocities away from its real perpetrators. The Ukrainian authorities denied the shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP) and accused Russia of dangerous actions that may cause a nuclear catastrophe. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns about the risk of Russia's militarisation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. According to recent data, Russia mined the territory of the plant and placed its military armaments near nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities. A video shared by Russian opposition outlet The Insider shows that Russian military vehicles move in and around the plant, some of them (including armored vehicles) moved into the building containing the first of the plant’s six nuclear reactors. Besides this, Russian forces dug trenches and establish firing positions. EU High Representative Josep Borrell condemned Russia’s military activities there and labelled them as a serious and irresponsible breach of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, accused Russia of using the plant as a nuclear shield. “Of course, the Ukrainians cannot fire back lest there be a terrible accident involving the nuclear plant,” he said. Russian forces likely use the territory of the plant to shell the Ukrainian-controlled town of Nikopol across the river.In its recent statement, the Foreign Ministers of the G7 stated that "it is Russia’s continued control of the plant that endangers the region" and demanded Russia to hand back full control over the plant as well as other occupied nuclear facilities to Ukraine. Russia has been blaming Ukraine for the alleged shelling of the occupied Zaporizhzhia NPP for weeks. Russian forces likely use the territory of the NPP to shell the Ukrainian-controlled town of Nikopol across the river. See more disinformation narratives on "Nazis in Ukraine" and war crimes. For background see: disinformation targeting Ukraine. | War in Ukraine, Nuclear issues, Terrorism, false flag, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,207 | 09.08.2022 | The West pushed and encouraged Kyiv to acquire nuclear weapons | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-pushed-and-encouraged-kyiv-to-acquire-nuclear-weapons | null | Ukraine, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, Russia | The West bears responsibility for what is happening, because it pushed Kyiv and encouraged it to acquire nuclear weapons, which created threats to Russian security, which Russia did not and will not allow. | A claim presented without any evidence or base. In addition, the claim was not counterbalanced or critically challenged in the article. Under the Budapest memorandum in 1994, Ukraine promised to remove all Soviet-era nuclear weapons from its territory, send them to disarmament facilities in Russia, and sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Ukraine kept these promises. In return, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States promised that none of them would ever threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. They specifically pledged they would refrain from making each other's territory the object of military occupation or engage in other uses of force in violation of international law. These are all pledges that Russia has blatantly broken with the annexation of Crimea in 2014, starting the war in Donbas in 2014 and with the current full invasion of Ukraine. | null |
1,208 | 09.08.2022 | Armed Forces of Ukraine have committed war crimes and genocide in Donbas | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/armed-forces-of-ukraine-have-committed-war-crimes-and-genocide-in-donbas | asd.news | Ukraine | Russian | The history of modern Ukraine is full of facts which could form the basis of the indictment of a major international tribunal. The genocide unleashed against the Russian-speaking population of Donbas by Kyiv in 2014 cannot be justified by the “struggle for the integrity of Ukraine.”Russia and most of the people who found themselves subject to war crimes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, territorial defence units and nationalist battalions leading to the deaths of thousands and thousands of civilians and the destruction of vast civilian infrastructure. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about the atrocities of the Ukrainian army in Donbas, such as war crimes and genocide. This is part of a disinformation campaign aiming to justify Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.There is no evidence to support the claims of genocide by Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities did not systematically exterminate or abuse the people living in the conflict zone. The claimed dead people – military and civilian alike - are a result of a war Russia had started in Ukraine. It was not an internal civil conflict but a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces, ongoing since February 2014. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine which has closely monitored the conflict has observed no such genocide.On the contrary, there is numerous evidence that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine, such as the shelling of shopping malls, killing civilians, raping, as well as using unprecise weapons. There is documented evidence that, for instance, the shooting of civilians in Bucha was done by Russian troops. Several executions and shootings of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha were recorded on video by witnesses and Ukrainian drones. Satellite images show that some of the corpses were already lying on the streets weeks before the Russian withdrawal. Incriminatory radio conversations by Russian troops were intercepted and released by German intelligence. Furthermore, a similar pattern of Russian war crimes is emerging in places like Borodyanka, Chernihiv, Hostomel, and others. There is also verified evidence showing that Russia is responsible for a strike at a shopping mall in the city of Kremenchuk on 27 June 2022 and in the city of Vinnytsia on 14 July 2022. Read more disinformation narratives about Ukraine allegedly perpetrating genocide against Russians. | War in Ukraine, Donbas, Invasion of Ukraine, Genocide, War crimes |
1,209 | 08.08.2022 | Poland plans to impose control on Ukraine's agriculture and other sectors of economy | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-plans-to-impose-control-on-ukraines-agriculture-and-other-sectors-of-economy | svr.gov.ru | Ukraine, Russia, Poland | Russian | Poland plans not only to send “peacekeepers” to the West of Ukraine but also to impose control on the most promising sectors of its economy, first and foremost agriculture. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets, representing Poland as a state with imperial aims and ambitions. This claim was made in the context of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.In reality, this claim is unsubstantiated and unfounded. Poland does not aim to impose control over Ukraine’s agriculture or inflict damage on any other sectors of Ukraine’s economy. On the contrary, Poland is providing Ukraine with economic and military assistance. Warsaw is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland.This claim was made in relation to Ukrainian President Zelensky submitting a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) on the status and assistance to Polish citizens in Ukraine. This draft is similar to the act endorsed by Poland’s Sejm (parliament) in relation to Ukrainians on 12 March 2022. The act regulates a number of issues concerning the refugees’ stay in Poland and allows for favourable tax treatment of humanitarian aid expenditures incurred by corporations.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poles are stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Lviv, that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to it, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, that Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia, that Poland plans to establish control over its historical lands in Ukraine. | Invasion of Ukraine, economy |
1,210 | 08.08.2022 | Poland plans to take over the Ukrainian agriculture companies at no price | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-plans-to-take-over-the-ukrainian-agriculture-companies-at-no-price | null | Poland, Ukraine | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Poland, Ukraine | The Ukrainian authorities have begun selling out the country, giving priority to Poland.Warsaw continues to take over Ukraine, implementing its long-term plans for this country. The Polish policy includes not only the introduction of the “Polish peacekeepers” to Western Ukraine but also gaining control over the most promising sectors of the economy of this state. First of all, Poland is interested in the Ukrainian agricultural sector. Warsaw takes advantage of the current difficult situation of the Ukrainian agrarian producers – Polish companies purchase Ukrainian products at reduced prices, pushing particular Ukrainian enterprises to bankruptcy. Then, the Polish companies may purchase their land and property at a “bargain” price. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.Poland was the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence, in 1991. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine's territorial integrity.Instead, Poland is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland; it is allowing millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war access to the labour market and to health and social benefits. Moreover Poland is also actively supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.Read also related cases: Poland is actively assimilating the Ukrainian territory, The Kyiv junta has already agreed to the annexation by Poland, Poland intends to impose control over western Ukraine with the blessing of Washington, Poland will "bite off" Western Ukrainian lands at the first opportunity, Poland wants to occupy parts of Ukraine, Poland threatens the territorial integrity of Ukraine, Some in Poland see Western Ukraine as part of Poland, Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia. | null |
1,211 | 08.08.2022 | Kyiv’s attacks on Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant put Europe’s security at risk | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyivs-attacks-on-zaporizhzhya-nuclear-power-plant-put-europes-security-at-risk | tass.com | Ukraine, Russia, EU | English | The shelling of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant by Ukrainian forces creates a radioactive threat for Ukraine and the whole of Europe. | No evidence is provided to back the claim that Ukraine is shelling the Zaporizhzhia power plant.In fact, there have been an increasing number of reports that Russia uses the nuclear site as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, "using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident".EU High Representative Josep Borrell condemned Russia’s military activities there and labelled them as a serious and irresponsible breach of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, accused Russia of using the plant as a nuclear shield. “Of course, the Ukrainians cannot fire back lest there be a terrible accident involving the nuclear plant,” he said. Russian forces likely use the territory of the plant to shell the Ukrainian-controlled town of Nikopol across the river.Additionally, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns about the risk of Russia's militarisation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. According to recent data, Russia mined the territory of the plant and placed its military armaments near nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities.A video shared by Russian opposition outlet The Insider shows that Russian military vehicles move in and around the plant, some of them (including armoured vehicles) moved into the building containing the first of the plant’s six nuclear reactors. Besides this, Russian forces dug trenches and establish firing positions.In its recent statement, the Foreign Ministers of the G7 stated that "it is Russia’s continued control of the plant that endangers the region" and demanded Russia to hand back full control over the plant as well as other occupied nuclear facilities to Ukraine. | Invasion of Ukraine, Nuclear issues, War crimes |
1,212 | 06.08.2022 | IAEA president warns of nuclear catastrophe after Kyiv shells Zaporizhzhia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/iaea-president-warns-of-nuclear-catastrophe-after-kyiv-shells-zaporizhzhia | arabic.rt.com,nabdn.com,Al Minasa Press,nabd.com,almarsad.co,sa24.co,180news.net,ru4arab.ru | Ukraine, Russia | Arabic | The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warns of a nuclear catastrophe against the backdrop of Kyiv's shelling of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. | No evidence is provided to back the claim that Ukraine is shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (NPP).Although the claim implies that the IAEA statement blames the shelling on Ukraine, there was not the slightest mention or implication in the statement, published on 6 August, to that effect.Contrary to the claim, it is Russia that had shelled the Zaporizhzhia NPP and creating a radioactive threat to Ukraine and the whole of Europe. There has been an increasing number of reports that Russia uses the nuclear site as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, "using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident". Russia turned the station into a military base. It uses reactor buildings as hiding places for its armaments, such as military trucks and armored vehicles.The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) warns about the risk of Russia's militarisation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP. According to recent data, Russia mined the territory of the plant and placed its military armaments near nuclear reactors and nuclear waste storage facilities.A video shared by Russian opposition outlet The Insider shows that Russian military vehicles move in and around the plant, some of them (including armoured vehicles) moved into the building containing the first of the plant’s six nuclear reactors. Besides this, Russian forces dug trenches and establish firing positions.Russia is denying officials from the United Nations and the International Atomic Energy Agency access to the plant. Russia also rejected calls from the UN for a demilitarised zone around the plant.EU High Representative Josep Borrell condemned Russia’s military activities there and labelled them as a serious and irresponsible breach of nuclear safety rules and another example of Russia’s disregard for international norms.The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, accused Russia of using the plant as a nuclear shield. “Of course the Ukrainians cannot fire back lest there be a terrible accident involving the nuclear plant,” he said. Russian forces likely use the territory of the plant to shell the Ukrainian-controlled town of Nikopol across the river. In its recent statement, the Foreign Ministers of the G7 stated that "it is Russia’s continued control of the plant that endangers the region" and demanded Russia to hand back full control over the plant as well as other occupied nuclear facilities to Ukraine. See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Nuclear issues, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,213 | 04.08.2022 | Moscow scrupulously observes Geneva Conventions on treatment of POWs | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/moscow-scrupulously-observes-geneva-conventions-on-treatment-of-pows | RT English | Ukraine, Russia | English | Moscow has scrupulously observed the Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners. | The claim is part of an ongoing pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign concerning Russia’s criminal invasion of Ukraine.Rights watchdogs and news outlets have warned about Moscow’s potential mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) throughout the course of the invasion. Some of these reports described the general conditions under which the Russian occupation forces kept the captured Ukrainians.Others concern the violation of specific provisions of the Geneva Convention. For instance, Human Rights Watch and the UN Human Rights Commissioner (p. 9) have both condemned the Russian practice of broadcasting images and interviews with Ukrainian POWs on state television. This amounts to a breach of Article 13 of the Third Geneva Convention, which states that “prisoners of war must at all times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or intimidation and against insults and public curiosity.”Experts have also highlighted Moscow’s refusal to even recognise some captured combatants as prisoners of war. In June 2022, the “supreme court” of the Russia-controlled Donetsk people’s republic sentenced two UK nationals to death for participating in the hostilities on Ukraine’s side. This directly violates the privilege of combatancy enshrined in the 1977 Additional Protocol, Art. 43(2):Members of the armed forces of a Party to a conflict (other than medical personnel and chaplains covered by Article 33 of the Third Convention) are combatants, that is to say, they have the right to participate directly in hostilities [emphasis added].The same rule applies to hundreds of Ukrainian fighters captured in Mariupol in May 2022, whom Moscow plans to charge with “war crimes” via a Nuremberg-style kangaroo trial. This would likely constitute yet another breach of the Convention, which states that the troops can only be tried for specific war crimes, on an individual basis, and based on concrete evidence. | war crimes, War in Ukraine, Human rights |
1,214 | 04.08.2022 | COVID-19 pandemic development suggests its deliberate nature and US' involvement | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/covid-19-pandemic-development-suggests-its-deliberate-nature-and-us-involvement | tlgrm.ru,iz.ru,RBC.ru,RIA,aif.ru | US | Russian | The Russian Ministry of Defence suspects USAID of involvement in the emergence of COVID-19. The development of the coronavirus pandemic suggests its deliberate nature and US involvement. The artificial occurrence of COVID-19 is evidenced by the uneven spread of the disease.Since 2009, USAID has funded the Predict program to study new coronaviruses, and bat vectors have been captured. One of the contractors was Metabiota, known for its military biological activities in Ukraine. | Disinformation about the origins of coronavirus based on recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about biological weapons and alleged secret US laboratories around the world.The claim that the US is secretly developing dangerous pathogens in laboratories around the world is a recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative. This claim was made in the context of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. No evidence exists to support the Kremlin’s allegations about COVID-19 originating in any of the US laboratories. Most of these labs are actively engaged in fighting dangerous diseases and viruses, including COVID-19. Many of the labs are part of the US Department of Defense’s Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP).The overwhelming consensus among scientists and medical experts is that SARS-CoV-2 has all the characteristics of a naturally occurring virus. Numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies from reputable academic journals have shown substantial empirical evidence that the virus is naturally occurring. PREDICT, a project of USAID’s Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) programme, was initiated in 2009 to strengthen global capacity for the detection and discovery of zoonotic viruses with pandemic potential. The project aimed at improving global disease recognition and developing strategies and policy recommendations to minimise pandemic risks. Read more about PREDICT.According to the UN, there are no signs of any biological weapons programme conducted in Ukraine, despite the claims made by Russia.Russia's allegations about the alleged biological weapons programmes in Ukraine have been also debunked by independent media.Read similar cases of disinformation about dangerous US biological tests in Georgia and Ukraine, alleging that COVID-19 was released from a US lab, that the COVID-19 pandemic is a global conspiracy in the interests of the global elite, that the Masters of Darkness invented the COVID-19 and seek world domination and that Globalists and Judeo-Masons artificially create new strains of coronavirus to reduce the population. | coronavirus, Conspiracy theory, laboratory, Biological weapons |
1,215 | 04.08.2022 | Kyiv shelled its own soldiers using US-supplied HIMARS rockets | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyiv-shelled-its-own-soldiers-using-us-supplied-himars-rockets | RT English | Ukraine, Russia | English | Kyiv shelled a prison camp housing a group of Ukrainian soldiers captured by the Russian Army. The attack, which killed 50, was carried out using the US-supplied missile systems. | The claim is part of an ongoing pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign concerning Russia’s criminal invasion of Ukraine.No actual evidence is cited to lay responsibility for the shelling on Ukraine. However, multiple analyses have ruled out the use of HIMARS systems in the attack. The US-based Institute for the Study of War has stated that although one “cannot independently assess the nature of the attack or the party responsible for it at this time,” the Kremlin’s side of the story is lacking in credibility:Kremlin-sponsored news outlet “RIA Novosti” published videos of the detention center, which showed fire damage but not the sort of damage that a HIMARS strike would likely have caused. RIA Novosti also released footage of HIMARS missile fragments but provided no evidence that the fragments were recovered at Olenivka. Similarly, a CNN investigation cited multiple arms experts as saying the nature of the damage sustained by the prison camp is incompatible with the use of a HIMARS system. One expert who discounted the Russian theory also noted that “the HIMARS remnants were not photographed [by Russia] in situ, which is odd. A basic element of any investigation would be gathering visual evidence of the remains of munitions where they were found.”A set of six experts approached by The Washington Post arrived at the same conclusion. See further debunking by POLYGRAPH.info and The Insider (in Russian). | war crimes, War in Ukraine |
1,216 | 04.08.2022 | Amnesty International admits that Ukraine fights like terrorists and uses civilians as human shields | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/amnesty-international-admits-that-ukraine-fights-like-terrorists-and-uses-civilians-as-human-shields | arabic.rt.com,kachaf.com,almatareed.org,VK.com Resource 2,sahat-altahreer.com,msdernet.xyz | Ukraine, Russia | Arabic, Russian | Amnesty International has acknowledged that Ukraine is fighting like terrorists, and its practices constitute a violation of international humanitarian law.The organisation's experts visited 29 schools, in the south-eastern part of Ukraine, and found that the Ukrainian armed forces were stationed in 22 schools. The organisation's report stated that the Ukrainian armed forces, when stationed in these locations, did not evacuate nearby buildings to reduce civilian casualties in the event of possible retaliatory strikes.Using "human shields" is a terrorist tactics" | This claim is part of a pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign regarding a recently published Amnesty International report on the war in Ukraine.While the report did criticise the Ukrainian armed forces for launching strikes from within populated residential areas, it in no way used terms like "terrorist tactics" or "human shields". In fact, nothing in the report suggests that this was a deliberate policy by the Ukrainian armed forces. On the other hand, the report makes it clear that these violations should not be used to justify Russian indiscriminate attacks against civilians using internationally banned cluster munitions, a deliberate policy that constitutes a war crime. This section of the report was completely ignored by pro-Kremlin media. The report reads:"Many of the Russian strikes that Amnesty International documented in recent months were carried out with inherently indiscriminate weapons, including internationally banned cluster munitions, or with other explosive weapons with wide area effects. Others used guided weapons with varying levels of accuracy; in some cases, the weapons were precise enough to target specific objects.The Ukrainian military’s practice of locating military objectives within populated areas does not in any way justify indiscriminate Russian attacks. All parties to a conflict must at all times distinguish between military objectives and civilian objects and take all feasible precautions, including in choice of weapons, to minimize civilian harm. Indiscriminate attacks which kill or injure civilians or damage civilian objects are war crimes."The report has been crticised for being loop-sided, failing to adress the full scale of the Russian atrocities and becoming a tool in Russian propaganda. The head of Amnesty in Ukraine could not comment on the report before publication and she resigned. The Kremlin’s information manipulation and disinformation attacks on Ukraine were launched years in advance of the war unleashed on 24 February 2022. See our webpages UKRAINE - EU vs DISINFORMATION. | Amnesty International, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, International Law, Terrorism, war crimes |
1,217 | 02.08.2022 | Europe is destroyed by the US regime | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/europe-is-destroyed-by-the-us-regime | geopolitika.ru | US, Europe | Italian | The US regime has destroyed Europe and it has seized to exist. The US now used its many hired agents in Europe, as well as their hired guns in NATO. | A recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about NATO as a tool used by the US to control European countries. See also our article Key Narratives in Pro-Kremlin Disinformation Part 3: ‘Lost Sovereignty’. NATO is a defensive alliance, based on cooperation and consensus, whose purpose is to protect its member states. NATO was founded in 1949 by twelve sovereign nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. It has since grown to 30 Allies who each took an individual and sovereign decision to join this Alliance.Recently Finland and Sweden decided to apply for NATO membership after Russia again unleashed a war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. By doing so, these two countries are enhancing their security and protect themselves from Russian threatsAll decisions in NATO are taken by consensus, which means that a decision can only be taken if every single member accepts it. No member of the Alliance can order the deployment of armed forces of other member states. There is no hierarchy between member states, and no member state can order another to do something it doesn’t want. NATO and US military presence in these states is possible only on the basis of the clear consent of the hosting nation.See similar disinformation narratives claiming that Europe is occupied by the US and has limited sovereignty, NATO is serving one master - the US, the EU is directed by Washington and that Europe is controlled by the US. | US presence in Europe, Europe, Puppets, NATO, EU/NATO enlargement |
1,218 | 01.08.2022 | Ukraine was close to turning Russian cities into Chernobyl | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-was-close-to-turning-russian-cities-into-chernobyl | livenews.am | Ukraine | Armenian | Ukraine was close to turning Russian cities into Chernobyl. There was no alternative to Russia's special military operation.Kyiv carried out prohibited work of creating nuclear weapons at the Zaporizhzhia NPP. Russia's special military operation in Ukraine has once and for all put to an end to these plans of Kyiv. | Recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets aiming to justify the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.Ukraine has been a nuclear-weapon-free country since 1994 when the Budapest memorandum was signed. On 24 October 1991, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted a statement on the country's nuclear-weapon status. In 1992, Ukraine signed the Lisbon Protocol and it joined the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state in 1994. In exchange, the leaders of the US, Russia and the UK signed the Budapest memorandum with guarantees on the integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Through the Budapest memorandum, Russia pledged not to use any weapon against Ukraine, not just nuclear.In 1998, Ukraine signed an Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and in 2006 a Protocol Additional to the Agreement which provides for strict control not only over the nuclear material present on the territory of the country, but for any nuclear research.Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, support of separatists in eastern Ukraine and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 by Russia are a clear violation of the Budapest memorandum.The claim about the creation of nuclear weapons at the Zaporizhzhia NPP is unfounded. There has been an increasing number of reports about Russia using the nuclear power plant as a so-called “sheltered” artillery park, "using the facilities to fire on Ukrainian positions in the belief that Ukraine would not fire back and risk a nuclear accident". Russia turned the station into a military base. It uses reactor buildings as hiding places for its armaments, such as military trucks and armored vehicles. See the statement from HR VP Josep Borrell condemning Russia's actions here.Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is not a "special operation" but an all-out war against a sovereign state. Russia has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for its aggression. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.Read more about Ukraine and nuclear weapons. | Nuclear issues, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Chernobyl, Budapest memorandum, Lisbon Treaty |
1,219 | 28.07.2022 | Zelenskyy wants to cede Ukrainian territory to Poland | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyy-wants-to-cede-ukrainian-territory-to-poland | fr.news-front.info,es.news-front.info | Ukraine, Poland | French, Spanish | A popular and wrong belief is that Volodymyr Zelenskyy has Jewish roots, in fact he has more Polish than Jewish origins which explain his desire to transfer sovereignty of Ukrainian territory to Poland. Moreover, Zelensyy is a Polish genus related to Mazepa.This is proved by the statements of the Polish authorities and changes to Ukrainian legislation. Bills were submitted for consideration of the Rada. Poles enjoy a special status that will allow them to hold positions in state organizations and enjoy the same rights as Ukrainians. Likewise, from Poland there have long been declarations that the two states will get rid of the common border and become one people. | Recurring narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. The statement was made after Ukrainian President Zelensky submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law on granting Poles a special status.The assertion that in this way the Ukrainian territories are given to Poland is a distortion and unfounded. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.This narrative also exploits difficult issues in Polish-Ukrainian history, without any factual basis.On 12 March 2022 the Polish parliament passed an act on assistance for Ukrainian nationals in connection with Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The special purpose act, in addition to regulating a number of issues related to the refugee’s stay in Poland, allows for favorable tax treatment of humanitarian aid expenditures incurred by corporations.In return, President Zelensky intended to submit a draft bill to the Verkhovna Rada on the status and assistance to Polish citizens in Ukraine, which is similar to the one, which has recently been endorsed by the Sejm of Poland in relation to Ukrainians. On 11 July the draft law was submitted to the Parliament.The pro-Kremlin claim that Poland is taking over the Ukrainian territories is manipulation and misrepresentation of this gesture.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.Read also related cases such as: The process of transferring the territory of Ukraine to Poland has begun, Poland plans to establish control over the west of Ukraine, Poland in the final phase of annexing Ukrainian territories, The Kyiv junta has already agreed to the annexation by Poland | Volodymyr Zelensky, Sovereignty, Ukraine |
1,220 | 28.07.2022 | The US placed two additional destroyers in a naval base in Spain without bothering to consult Madrid | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-placed-two-additional-destroyers-in-a-naval-base-in-spain-without-bothering-to-consult-madrid | lahaine.org | US, Spain | Spanish | The US has so much trust in the Spaniards that they don’t even consult them, they only inform them. In the frame of the recent NATO Summit in Spain, the US has informed Pedro Sánchez that it will place two more destroyers of the Arleigh Burke class in the Rota naval base, and without asking for permission, with all that this movement implies. That makes clear for Spain that its importance in the organisation doesn’t go beyond obeying. | This disinformation claim, first reported by the Spanish language service of the Sputnik agency and reproduced by La Haine, is clearly false. The placement of two more destroyers in the Rota naval base is part of an increase of the US military presence in Europe at the request of many NATO members, partially as a result of Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. It also goes in line with Spain’s demands that the Atlantic Alliance reinforced its southern flank. Those destroyers will improve NATO’s ballistic defence capabilities in the area.This is part of a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign against NATO, trying to frame it as a mere tool of a warmongering US. But contrary to this narrative, in reality decision-making inside NATO are adopted through consensus and not following US orders, as pro-Kremlin disinformation often claims. And although the US is the country with the highest military expenditure of the North Atlantic Alliance, it covers for only 16 per cent of NATO’s running costs, the same figure as Germany and not too far from UK’s 11 per cent and France’s 10,5 per cent, according to NATO’s formula to calculate these costs. Even in previous periods, the US didn’t pay for more than 22 per cent of the Alliance’s running costs.See other examples of similar disinformation messages, such as claims that Russia should negotiate only with Washington because 90 percent of NATO is the US, that NATO became US armed wing ensuring the control of energy resources, or that leaders of NATO countries are completely dependent on the US. | NATO, US presence in Europe |
1,221 | 28.07.2022 | Ukrainian military personnel equipped a stronghold in a school building in Dnipro | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-military-personnel-equipped-a-stronghold-in-a-school-building-in-dnipro | tass.ru | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | Ukrainian army is using civilians as human shields. In the city of Dnipro, military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine equipped a stronghold at school No. 23 (Yavornitsky prospekt). They placed artillery and armoured vehicles in the immediate vicinity of the educational institution. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation. There is no ongoing placement of artillery in the school or using civilians as human shields. This is part an of a long campaign to demonise Ukrainian defense forces in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. There is only an exhibition of military equipment dating from 1943 at the museum adjacent to the school. The address of the school No. 23 in the city of Dnipro (former Denpropetrovsk) is 14 Yavornitsky prospekt. Next to it, at 16 Yavornitsky prospekt, there is the Dnepropetrovsk National Historical Museum. Its complex includes the WWII´s Battle for the Dnieper´s open-air exposition of military equipment, dated of 1943.The exposition was inaugurated in 1975. This equipment of the Second World War is unusable, reminds Iryna Reva, researcher of the Dnipropetrovsk National Historical Museum named after Dmytro Yavornytsky.See more disinformation narratives on "nazis in Ukraine" and war crimes. For background see: disinformation targeting Ukraine. | Invasion of Ukraine, Nazi/Fascist, war crimes |
1,222 | 27.07.2022 | USA and the EU made Ukraine dependent on the West | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/usa-and-the-eu-made-ukraine-dependent-on-the-west | iravunk.com | Ukraine, EU, US | Armenian | The actions of the USA and the EU countries have made Ukraine and the Ukrainian people completely slavish and dependent on the West. | This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation claim accusing the US and the EU of undermining Ukrainian statehood, portraying Ukraine as a dependent puppet of the US and the EU. The statement about the slavish dependence of Ukraine on the US and the EU is completely devoid of any logic. Russian and pro-Kremlin disinformation sources like to claim that certain countries are no longer truly sovereign. See our article ‘Lost Sovereignty’ here.Ukraine is a sovereign country with its own national interests. It is not controlled by any Western government or organisation. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost the whole world with Russia as the key exception. Ukraine is a priority partner for the EU and the US. During the European Council on 23 June 2022, EU leaders granted EU candidate status to Ukraine. The US attaches great importance to the success of Ukraine as a free and democratic state. Pro-Kremlin media outlets often cast doubts on Ukrainian statehood and claim that Ukraine either does not exist as a state or is going to tumble down very soon, or it is a colony of the West. In reality, present-day Ukraine has been on the world map since 1991 when the Soviet Union disintegrated. It has elected six presidents since then and changed parties in government several times which illustrates political diversity and democratic dynamics even during economic hardship in the wake of Russian aggression in 2014.Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity have been violated by continuous acts of aggression by Russian armed forces since 2014 and culminated in an aggressive attack on a neighbouring country on February 24, 2022.The EU and US have taken concrete actions to support Ukraine. Some Western nations are sending weapons to Ukraine with the sole purpose of helping it repel the Russian aggression. Western weapons are expected to enable Ukraine to liberate its territories and restore its territorial integrity within the internationally recognised borders. Read about the EU's response and support for Ukraine, US-Ukraine relations and the US's support to Ukraine.See similar disinformation cases that target Ukraine: that Ukraine became an American colony since the coup; that Ukraine does not exist as a state; that Ukraine will be split up; that Ukraine is a quasi-state with a failed economy; or here a claim about how Ukraine "sold itself to external control". | Ukrainian statehood, Puppets, European Union, Maria Zakharova, Sovereignty |
1,223 | 27.07.2022 | Syrian and Libyan terrorists have been spotted in Ukraine trading Western weapons | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/syrian-and-libyan-terrorists-have-been-spotted-in-ukraine-trading-western-weapons | glavny.tv,t.me,avia.pro,smolnarod.ru,geworld.ge | Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Turkey | Russian, Georgian | Turkish-controlled Syrian and Libyan terrorists have been spotted in Ukraine. In order to hide them, they were given Ukrainian passports. One of the terrorists was arrested when he tried to enter Poland from Ukraine. He was arrested for an illegal arms trade. Libyan terrorists are the new buyers of Western and Ukrainian weapons. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation about Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.The claims about Syrian and Libyan terrorists being spotted in Ukraine are based on false evidence.The first photo that is supposed to show Syrian and Libyan terrorists being arrested was, in fact, taken in 2021 and not in Ukraine. It features the arrest of members of a criminal group on charges of money extortion by Poland’s Central Investigation Bureau of Police. Another photo presented as evidence has been altered with the use of editing software to falsely showcase an alleged Ukrainian passport being handed over to the terrorists. Read the full debunk of the story at Myth Detector.Pro-Kremlin media has long been claiming that some of the Western weapons supplied to Ukraine are being sold in other countries, including the Middle East, or end up on the black market. However, no evidence has been provided to support these allegations.See EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Terrorism, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,224 | 27.07.2022 | Helsinki's reckless adherence to the West's policy: the reason why it cannot have good relations with Moscow | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/helsinkis-reckless-adherence-to-the-wests-policy-the-reason-why-it-cannot-have-good-relations-with-moscow | regnum.ru | Finland, Russia | Russian | Relations with Finland cannot be normalised because of its unequivocal adherence to the collective West’s current policy. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets about Finland’s and Sweden’s future membership of NATO.In fact, Finland has always been striving for good-neighbourly relations with Russia. Helsinki's decision to enter NATO is a justified attempt to protect itself as Moscow is waging its war of aggression against Ukraine. The blame for the deterioration in relations between Finland and Russia falls entirely on Moscow because it is threatening security by its aggressive behaviour in the whole of Europe. Russia also makes provocative military flights and maneuvres over its neighbours in the Baltic region. For example, a Russian Mi-17 helicopter violated Finnish airspace in May 2022. In April, Finnish authorities accused a Russian IL-96-300 of violating the country’s airspace in the Gulf of Finland. Sweden and Denmark have also experienced repeated violations or provocations by Russian planes and warships. On 18 May 2022, Finland and Sweden simultaneously handed in their official letters of application to join NATO, a momentous step for the two historically militarily non-aligned countries. The leaders of both countries have made it clear that the decision to apply for membership is a direct consequence of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. An opinion poll conducted in early May 2022 saw over three-quarters of Finns in favour of NATO membership, whereas a mere 12% of respondents took the opposite view.Read more disinformation cases about Finland and Sweden’s future membership of NATO and claims that NATO is posing a threat to Russia. | EU/NATO enlargement, Anti-Russian |
1,225 | 27.07.2022 | Ukrainians dress in Russian uniform and loot houses in Donbas | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainians-dress-in-russian-uniform-and-loot-houses-in-donbas | tvzvezda.ru,5-tv.ru,RIA | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | Ukrainian militants dressed in Russian military uniforms robbed the houses of local residents. So the nationalists tried to stage a provocation to accuse our soldiers of ill-treatment of the inhabitants of Donbas. Robberies and torture were filmed in order to distribute materials in the Western media. | No evidence is provided to back the claims being made. The recurring claim that Ukraine plans false flag attacks is designed to deflect blame for the war atrocities away from its real perpetrators. The claim has been neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.The pro-Kremlin outlets claim "Robberies and torture were filmed in order to distribute materials in the Western media", but no concrete Western media outlets are named, nor are the dates specified for when the supposed "fabrications" will be run. Russia refutes any evidence of war crimes in Ukraine, with attempts to blame the Ukrainian side for the acts committed by its own troops an often encountered occurrence since the beginning of the invasion. The Ukrainian General Prosecution Office, 13 EU Member States and the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) have opened investigations on war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Ukraine.Concerning the looting claims specifically, by May 26 Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine have sent home at least 58 metric tons of looted goods since the start of the invasion in late February, according to an investigation published by independent news site Mediazona.The outlet analysed packages sent from 46 branches of delivery firm SDEK located close to the Ukrainian border in Russia and Belarus, as well as in the annexed Crimea. Parcels allegedly sent by Russian soldiers were often identified by their weight, with each package usually exceeding the size of an average parcel several times over.By analysing video footage from an SDEK checkpoint in the Russian border town of Valuyki, Mediazona identified that soldiers sent home items including sneakers, canned food, TVs, car tires and even tents.See more disinformation cases on war crimes.See also recurrent disinformation narrative on the nazis in Ukraine. | Invasion of Ukraine |
1,226 | 26.07.2022 | Sanctions don't affect the Russian economy - Yale University is wrong | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/sanctions-dont-affect-the-russian-economy-yale-university-is-wrong | francais.rt.com | Russia, EU | French | The EU was mistaken. The Russian economy was in no way weakened by EU restrictive measures against Russia. The sanctions implemented by the European Union are ineffective vis-à-vis Moscow, but have heavy consequences for member countries.Sanctions do not help Ukraine, on the other hand, they are bad for the European economy and if it continues like this, they will kill the European economy. | Old and recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative stating that sanctions would barely hurt or even benefit to Russia while it would dramatically hurt the EU, repurposed to serve in the context of Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.The EU adopted so far six sanction packages against Russia due to its illegal aggression and occupation of Ukrainian territories. Not all trades restrictions are yet enforced as the energy sector needs longer transition periods so it is too early to assess the full effect of the sanction as that work in a the long term. However, it is incorrect to state that Russian economy would be barely affected or would even benefit from the sanctions. The Russian leadership is constantly demanding the sanctions be removed. A recent study from Yale University takes a detailed look into the effects sanctions are having on the Russian economy, concluding that "business retreats and sanctions are catastrophically crippling the Russian economy." See also the assessment of EU HRVP Josep Borrell: sanction policy is working and strongly impacts Russian economy.Read also related cases : The New York Times reports that Russia is barely affected by sanctions, sanctions against Russia worsen the economic crisis in the West , Sanctions are beneficial to Russia so the West should recognise Crimea as Russian, FT: Thanks to sanctions Russian agriculture strengthens its position in the world, The EU lost more from sanctions than Russia, European sanctions against Russia do not work. | Sanctions, Europe, Economic difficulties, economy |
1,227 | 26.07.2022 | Two Caesar howitzers were sold to the enemy and are now studied in Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/two-caesar-howitzers-were-sold-to-the-enemy-and-are-now-studied-in-russia | null | Russia, Ukraine, France | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Russia, Ukraine, France | Two of the 12 Caesar cannons that France delivered to Kyiv have been sold to Russia. In Russia, they have already been disassembled in a tank factory, and there they are looking at what can be used. Ths is a fact.Russia knows how Caesars are delivered, and as soon as they arrive, they will be covered by the Russian high-precision weapons. The west should think about whether it's worth delivering weapons to Ukraine. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about alleged Ukrainian corruption aiming at deterring the West from delivering more weapons to Ukraine.DFR Lab has analyzed how this fake story emerged as a rumor based on nothing but the fantasy of Internet users and was then exploited by Russian media to lobby against military support to Ukraine. Amplified by Kremlin media and taking advantage of other legitimate coverage on the risk of weapons smuggling, it gained a semblance of credence. | null |
1,228 | 26.07.2022 | NATO mounts efforts to create direct military threats to Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nato-mounts-efforts-to-create-direct-military-threats-to-russia | tass.com | Ukraine, Russia, EU | English | NATO is mounting efforts aimed at creating direct military threats to Russia. The Madrid summit again demonstrated that the North Atlantic alliance continues to be a mechanism of imposing US interests on the collective West. Contrary to statements by the NATO leadership, the alliance’s activity does not contribute to ensuring international stability and strengthening the security of its member states. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that NATO has aggressive intentions against Russia and accusing the West in general of Russophobia.In reality, Western nations have been trying to establish good relations with Russia since the breakup of the former Soviet Union in 1991. According to the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation in 1997, “NATO and Russia do not consider each other as adversaries.” At their recent summit in Madrid, NATO leaders adopted a new strategic blueprint branding Russia as “the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.” But it does not mean that NATO is posing a threat to Russia. The alliance only wants to ensure the security of its member states. NATO is primarily a political organisation, which aims at solving conflicts by peaceful means. Finland’s and Sweden’s future membership of the alliance is caused by their desire to protect themselves from possible threats and challenges in the future rather than by NATO’s alleged intention to inflict harm on Russia.Since Russia re-started its unjustified aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the West has been calling for a peaceful settlement. Due to Russia’s refusal to seriously discuss a diplomatic solution and its resolve to continue fighting and targeting civilian objects, Western nations took a tougher stand and imposed sanctions on Moscow and certain Russian individuals. These measures are not to be considered threatening or aggressive because they only aim to stop fighting rather than to infringe harm on the vital interests of Russians.It is true that some NATO member states are providing military assistance to Ukraine in repelling Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression. This aid is of defensive character. Ukraine is using these weapons to fight the Russian invasion. It does not intend to move forward into Russian territory after defeating the Russian aggression. The fact that some Western leaders have said unequivocally that Ukraine will win the war (see here and here) does not mean that NATO is threatening Russia. Their statements only imply the West’s desire to help Ukraine restore its territorial integrity in its internationally recognised borders including the peninsula of Crimea and Donbas.Read more disinformation cases claiming that NATO is posing a threat to Russia and accusing the West of Russophobia. | Invasion of Ukraine, Russophobia, Anti-Russian |
1,229 | 26.07.2022 | Ukraine is preparing a false flag chemical attack to damage the image of Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-is-preparing-a-false-flag-chemical-attack-to-damage-the-image-of-russia | fr.news-front.info | Russia, Ukraine | French | The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) intends to set up a provocation there with the use of highly toxic chemical substances. At the oil and grease plant, SBU employees plan to explode containers with hexane with a total volume of more than 120 tons in the coming days.
With particular cynicism of these inhumane actions of the Ukrainian authorities they are ready to sacrifice tens of thousands of their own citizens living in Slavyansk, as well as servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces deployed in the city. The aim is to accuse the Russian Armed Forces and those of the DPR. | Recurrent Pro-Kremlin disinformation about an alleged false flag chemical attack to pretend that Russia in endangering the life of civilians in Ukraine. This narrative targets Ukrainian forces and free international media reporting about Russian military actions in Ukraine.It has been documented that Russia using low precision weapons in Ukraine both because of a lack of high precision arms and to terrorize local populations. There is no need for Ukraine on the 152th day of war to do a false flag operation to hurt the image of Russia: war crimes and massive disinformation are already common practice for pro-Kremlin forces.There is no evidence to back the claim that Ukraine is preparing a chemical or biological provocation or a use of the weapons of mass distruction.Оn the contrary, many Western leaders have real concerns’ Russia could use chemical weapons."Russia could use chemical weapons in Ukraine or manufacture a "false flag" operation that uses them. Russia has long and well-documented track record of using chemical weapons" as well as its pattern of "accusing the West of the very violations that Russia itself is perpetrating," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated.Read also related cases: Kyiv prepares chemical attacks to blame the Russian army, Ukraine is under control of the West and staged fakes about Bucha, Mariupol and Kramatorsk, France and Belgium to stage chemical attack in Syria. | war crimes, Chemical weapons/attack, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, false flag, SBU |
1,230 | 25.07.2022 | The Times explains how western media deliberately hide the truth on Russia’s main successes in Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-times-explains-how-western-media-deliberately-hide-the-truth-on-russias-main-successes-in-ukraine | es.news-front.info | Russia, Ukraine, UK, US, EU | Spanish | Western media deliberately hide the truth on Russia’s main successes in Ukraine, British journalist Rod Liddle wrote in an article in The Times. He added that the more successful is Russia, more space is given in those western media to the imaginary atrocities of the military. | This is a disingenuous distortion of the original op-ed written by British journalist Ron Liddle in The Times, in order to promote several pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Russian military superiority and about mainstream media as biased against Russia.Although the article is critical of the coverage of the war in Ukraine in western media, claiming that it is marred by a lot of wishful thinking, he never affirms that these outlets “deliberately hide the truth”. And while Liddle mentions that “alleged Russian atrocities” are frequently displayed in prominent spaces in the media, he doesn’t affirm that those atrocities are “imaginary”. On the contrary, there is massive proofs of Russia’s human rights violations during its unprovoked aggression against Ukraine, including reports by human rights organisations, OSCE and the UN, journalistic and eyewitness testimonies, open source and satellite images, and forensic evidence.Distorting articles in Western media to make them appear as supporting pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives is a frequent technique of pro-Kremlin outlets. See other examples in our database, such as false claims that Financial Times reported that Ukraine threatened Russia with terrorist attacks, that The New York Times reports that Russia is barely affected by sanctions, that Germany doesn’t trust Zelenskyy according to Der Spiegel, that The National Interest explained why the US should side with Russia in Ukraine; or that Foreign Policy explained why Washington needs a “Russian intervention”. | war crimes, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukraine, Mainstream media |
1,231 | 25.07.2022 | Poland starts activities to dismember Ukraine with Kyiv’s approval | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-starts-activities-to-dismember-ukraine-with-kyivs-approval | Sign Of The Times Spanish | Poland, Ukraine | Spanish | Warsaw has passed from words to action and is already developing plans for ‘de facto’ dismembering of Ukraine while Kyiv’s regime is in a weak position. Warsaw estimates that as Russian troops advance deeper in the Ukrainian territories, Washington and London will have no option but to unconditionally support Warzaw. | Recurring narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions, aiming to confound the reality of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. The claim that Poland is preparing to dismember Ukraine is unfounded. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.On the contrary, it is Russia that started an unprovoked war in Europe, capturing more and more territories of a neighbouring country and has created a serious danger to European security.Poland was the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence, in 1991. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine's territorial integrity.Poland is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland; it is allowing millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war access to the labour market and to health and social benefits. Moreover Poland is also activly supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.The pro-Kremlin claim that Poland is taking over the Ukrainian territories is manipulation and misrepresentation of this gesture.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poles are stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Lviv, that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to them, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, that Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia, that Poland plans to establish control over its historical lands in Ukraine. | Intelligence services, Imperialism/colonialism, Territorial dispute, illegal annexation, War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,232 | 25.07.2022 | Ukraine says it may use HIMARS against Crimea despite having said it wouldn’t attack Russian territory | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-says-it-may-use-himars-against-crimea-despite-having-said-it-wouldnt-attack-russian-territory | actualidad-rt.com | Ukraine, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, Russia | Ukraine affirmed that it may use HIMARS rocket systems to attack Crimea. The spokesperson of the General Directory of Intelligence of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence declared that Crimea is one of the targets to attack to guarantee the security of the country. But those statements take place after the Ukrainian Minister of Defence Alexei Reznikov said that Kyiv had promised not to use HIMARS systems against the territory of Russia. | In this disinformation story, two pieces of factual information are presented together in a distorted way to suggest that Crimea is part of Russia’s territory and therefore Ukraine may be violating its own promises if it attacks it.In reality, Crimea was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014 and remains an integral part of Ukraine. No international body has recognised the so-called Crimea referendum, announced on 27 February 2014, and held on 16 March 2014. On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 17 December 2018, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.The European Union does not recognise and continues to strongly condemn this violation of international law, which remains a challenge to the international security order. In response to the illegal annexation of Crimea, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against the Russian Federation. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the EU has adopted a variety of restrictive measures targetting Russia.See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Crimea vote to secede after the coup in Kyiv, that Crimea is officially part of Russia, that the West recognized that Crimea belongs to Russia, or that joining Russia saved Crimeans from bloodshed. | null |
1,233 | 25.07.2022 | Washington: not adequate to solve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine through diplomatic means | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/washington-not-adequate-to-solve-the-conflict-between-russia-and-ukraine-through-diplomatic-means | actualidad-rt.com | US, Ukraine, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
US, Ukraine, Russia | Washington doesn’t consider adequate to try to solve the hostilities between Russia and Ukraine in the negotiation table during the current stage of the conflict, US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby affirmed in an interview with Fox News. | The claim is a distortion of the original statements by US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, who never uttered the words attributed to him during the mentioned Fox News interview. After the interviewer said that a negotiated settlement could be required if the war drags on and asked if it is time for the US president to push Russia and Ukraine to the negotiation table, Kirby replied: “It is time for the US to continue supporting Ukraine, and this is what we are doing. President Zelenskyy gets to determine how victory is decided and when, and on what terms. What we are going to do is to ensure that the can succeed in the battlefield so he can succeed at the table. But as even president Zelenskyy will tell you, the time is not now for these discussions, and certainly president Putin has shown no indication that he is interested in negotiating talks. In fact, quite the contrary”.This distortion is part of a wider disinformation narrative to portray Western powers, and the US specifically, as against peace and as pushing Ukraine to continue fighting against its own interests in order to weaken Russia.See other examples of similar disinformation messages in our database, such as claims that decisions on Ukraine are not made by Zelenskyy but by high ranking officials in the US, that a peaceful settlement in Ukraine is off the table for Western countries, that Zelenskyy is only a marketing operation, a Jewish face for a Nazi regime, or that Ukraine cannot be called a state, so Russia fights against the West. | null |
1,234 | 25.07.2022 | The European Union continues to promote and invest in further hostilities | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-european-union-continues-to-promote-and-invest-in-further-hostilities | tlgrm.ru,RBC.ru,tass.ru,regnum.ru,RIA,life.ru | Ukraine, EU | Russian | The decision of the EU to allocate another 500 million euros for the supply of weapons to Kyiv indicates a lack of readiness for a political settlement. The European Union continues to invest in further hostilities. This is a direct road to the abyss for both Kyiv and Brussels. Sponsors from the EU should be held accountable for the crimes of the Ukrainian military along with them. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the EU of aggravating the situation in Ukraine and war sponsoring. The EU does not sponsor war, but is continuously calling on Moscow to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The West is not interested in the continuation of the war at the heart of Europe. The Council adopted two assistance measures aimed to step up the EU's support for the capabilities and resilience of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country, and protect the civilian population against the ongoing Russian military aggression.Since Russia launched its unjustified aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the West has been calling for a peaceful settlement. Due to Russia’s refusal to seriously discuss a diplomatic solution and its resolve to continue fighting and targeting civilian objects, Western nations took a tougher stand and imposed sanctions on Moscow. Read about the EU sanctions against Russia.Some Western nations are sending weapons to Ukraine with the sole purpose of helping it repel the Russian aggression. Western weapons are expected to enable Ukraine to liberate its territories and restore its territorial integrity within the internationally recognised borders. Ukraine does not intend to move further into Russia within its internationally recognised borders.The EU resolutely condemns Russia’s indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and urges Russia to immediately and unconditionally withdraw all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.As for the claim about the war crimes responsibility, Ukraine is investigating more than 21,000 war crimes and crimes of aggression committed by Russia.Read more about the EU's response and support for Ukraine.Read other disinformation cases about the Russian unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Maria Zakharova, war crimes, War crimes, European Union |
1,235 | 25.07.2022 | US prevents Ukraine from making territorial concessions | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/us-prevents-ukraine-from-making-territorial-concessions | elextremosur.com | Ukraine, Russia, US | Spanish | Ukraine is not willing to make territorial concessions to Russia, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CNN. Experts believe that US doesn’t authorises Kyiv to negotiate with Russia. The Ukrainian president act on orders from his Western sponsors. The White House doesn’t want a peace agreement because of its plans to destabilise Russia. | This claim, first made by the Spanish service of Sputnik and reproduced by the Argentinian website El Extremo Sur, is a mix of several recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Ukraine’s alleged lack of sovereignty and Western plans for destabilising Russia. By falsely affirming that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy follows US orders, these narratives attempt to denigrate Ukraine by portraying it as a non-independent Western puppet, one of the many long-term pro-Kremlin disinformation messages on Ukraine. The number and intensity of these messages has increased after Russia’s unjustified aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that decisions on Ukraine are not made by Zelenskyy but by high ranking officials in the US, that a peaceful settlement in Ukraine is off the table for Western countries, that Zelenskyy is only a marketing operation, a Jewish face for a Nazi regime, or that Ukraine cannot be called a state, so Russia fights against the West. | War in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian statehood, Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,236 | 25.07.2022 | NYT: US not willing to encourage diplomatic solution in Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nyt-us-not-willing-to-encourage-diplomatic-solution-in-ukraine | actualidad-rt.com | US, Ukraine, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
US, Ukraine, Russia | While the US doesn’t seem willing to encourage Ukraine to solve the conflict with Russia through diplomatic means, US analysts and officials point that for Washington it “will be difficult” to maintain the level of assistance provided to Kyiv without degrading the military preparation of their own country, The New York Times correspondents Peter Baker and David E. Sanger write. | The claim is a disingenous distortion of the original article published by The New York Times, mixing accurate sentences with others introduced to present this outlet as supporting a specific pro-Kremlin narrative. The claim that “the US doesn’t seem willing to encourage Ukraine to solve the conflict with Russia through diplomatic means” or any similar formulation doesn’t appear at all in the NYT original piece. By claiming otherwise, this disinformation story promotes the long-term pro-Kremlin narrative that Western powers, and the US specifically, are pushing Ukraine to continue fighting against its own interests in order to weaken Russia, diminishing Ukraine's sovereignty. Distorting articles in Western media to make them appear as supporting pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives is a frequent technique of pro-Kremlin outlets. See other examples in our database, such as false claims that Financial Times reported that Ukraine threatened Russia with terrorist attacks, that The New York Times reports that Russia is barely affected by sanctions, that Germany doesn’t trust Zelenskyy according to Der Spiegel, that The National Interest explained why the US should side with Russia in Ukraine; or that Foreign Policy explained why Washington needs a “Russian intervention”. | null |
1,237 | 23.07.2022 | In Ukraine in February 2014 there was a coup d'état orchestrated by the United States and the European Union | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/in-ukraine-in-february-2014-there-was-a-coup-detat-orchestrated-by-the-united-states-and-the-european-union | lantidiplomatico.it | Russia, Ukraine, US, EU | Italian | In Ukraine in February 2014 there was a coup d'état orchestrated by the United States and the European Union. | Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Euromaidan and Nazi/fascist Ukraine and the US presence in Europe, recently rebooted to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013–14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy.In fact, far-right groups enjoyed a very limited presence during the Euromaidan protests and got abysmal results in the 2014 presidential and parliamentary elections. During the 2019 election cycle, the far right managed to sustain an even more tremendous failure; the highest-rated nationalist candidate, Ruslan Koshulynskyy, won 1.62% of the vote whereas Svoboda, one of the Kremlin's favourite bogeymen, won 2.16% of the national vote, falling far short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament.Moreover, Euromaidan was an organic reaction by numerous parts of the Ukrainian population to former President Yanukovych’s sudden departure from the promised Association Agreement with the European Union in November 2013. It was not orchestrated by any foreign actors.Read also similar articles claing that The far-right coup government in Kyiv emerged from the 2014 Maidan uprising that Zelenskyy's regime is based on Nazism and hatred towards Russians that Ukrainians imbued with destructive Nazi ideology, and that the CIA was leading the Ukrainian Nazis in orchestrating the 2014 coup. | Coup, Euromaidan, Nazi/Fascist, European Union |
1,238 | 23.07.2022 | Ukrainian children being seized from refugee parents | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-children-being-seized-from-refugee-parents | RIA | Ukraine, Russia, EU, UK | Russian | Ukrainian children are being seized from their refugee parents in the West. They are being snatched because they do not finish their meals, because they eat too fast, because they are emotionally tied to their children or because a mother was telling off her child in a loud voice. 79 cases reported so far. | New pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative deployed in the context of Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, aiming to spread doubt and discourage Ukrainians fleeing conflict from seeking shelter to the West, and in particular Poland, by deploying emotional and scare tactics. In reality, Ukrainian refugees are generally well all accepted over Europe. The EU has provided Ukraine with coordinated humanitarian, political, financial and material support, including: reception of refugees, protection of children, and humanitarian aid. Special protections have been put in place for children, especially for unaccompanied minors, with family tracing being a priority in these cases. Ukrainian children have a right to are (including housing) as soon as possible, healthcare (including psychological support), and education. They are admitted to local schools and summer camps. As of mid-July 2022, almost half a million Ukrainian children are registered and attending school in the EU. Almost 6 million Ukrainians have registered for Temporary Protection or similar national protection schemes in Europe. Consult here an overview of concrete measures of EU solidarity with Ukraine that have been set up in the wake of Russian aggression. See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war and read our account of the Kremlin's intention to annihilate Ukraine here.NOTE: This debunk was edited for clarity on 2023 04 18 | Invasion of Ukraine, Refugees |
1,239 | 22.07.2022 | End of Ukraine war depends on Kyiv | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/end-of-ukraine-war-depends-on-kyiv | tass.com | Ukraine, Russia, EU | English | Kyiv should engage in talks with Moscow to end the Ukraine crisis. Military activities may end under more favourable conditions for Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities should get to the negotiation table and agree that they will never threaten Russian territory. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets trying to potray Kyiv as being responsible for Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.In reality, it is an unprovoked war and its end depends on Russia. The European Union is staunchly standing by Ukraine and calling for the immediate pull-out of Russian troops from the internationally recognised Ukrainian territories. Ukraine has never threatened Russia. It was Russia who illegally annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea and instigated a separatist revolt in Donbas in 2014. It has been threatening Ukraine with more territorial losses ever since. Ukraine and its Western partners have been trying to find a diplomatic solution to the war, but Russia has made it impossible to reach a peaceful settlement because of its continual bombing of civilian objects. In order to force Moscow into stopping hostilities, the European Council adopted a sixth package of economic and individual sanctions against Russia and Belarus on 3 June 2022. This package includes restrictions on exports, prohibition of consulting services, de-SWIFTing of additional banks, suspension of the broadcasting activities of several state-owned outlets, as well as individual sanctions.Contrary to Russian claims that its troops target only military facilities in Ukraine, a lot of civilian infrastructure has been damaged or ruined and thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed. According to unofficial data, up to 22,000 civilians have died in Mariupol alone. Russian troops killed hundreds of civilians in the town of Bucha outside Kyiv. Similar atrocities have been discovered in many other cities where Russian forces were in control. In a recent bombing of civilian objects, at least 24 people were killed including several children and more than 200 were wounded as a Russian missile his a business centre in the city of Vinnytsia on 14 July 2022.Read OSCE Report on violations of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity committed in Ukraine since 24 February 2022. See also the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Invasion of Ukraine, Alexander Lukashenko |
1,240 | 21.07.2022 | It is a lie that Russia is blocking wheat exports | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/it-is-a-lie-that-russia-is-blocking-wheat-exports | ge.news-front.info | Russia, Ukraine | Georgian | Russia is accused of starting a wheat blockade and wanting to cause famine, which is complete nonsense. It is a lie that Russia is blocking wheat exports. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the growing food crisis and supply insecurity.Russia's responsibility for the global food crisis comes as a consequence of the unprovoked and unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine: naval blockade of Ukrainian posts, bombardment of transport infrastructure and shelling of farming regions.Russian warships have been blocking Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea, preventing the export of grain, which poses a risk to global food supply chains. Russia's invasion of Ukraine could soon cause a global food crisis that may last for years, the UN has warned. The World Bank calls it a human catastrophe.The Russian invasion of Ukraine has destabilised global food markets and is driving food prices up due to increased cost of production, transport and freight insurance. Russia has destroyed substantial food stocks, production, as well as processing and transport capacities in Ukraine.Moreover, Russia blackmails the world with the threat of a food crisis, Russian officials promise to ensure the passage of vital Ukrainian food exports through the Black Sea in exchange for the end of sanctions against it. | food, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine |
1,241 | 21.07.2022 | Kyiv burned grains in Mariupol and mined the Black Sea to prevent its exportation | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyiv-burned-grains-in-mariupol-and-mined-the-black-sea-to-prevent-its-exportation | libyaakhbar.com,jwabik.xyz | Ukraine | Arabic | The Kyiv authorities created many obstacles for the export of grains; in addition to its arson in the port of Mariupol, the Ukrainian forces deployed mines in the Black Sea to prevent the exportation of grains to the rest of the world. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about war in Ukraine and food security meant to deflect Russia's responsibility for a potential global food crisis.There is no evidence to substantiate claims that Ukrainian forces burned grains. Grain is one of Ukraine's valuable export items. On the other hand, Russia's destruction of Ukraine's agricultural production areas, farming and harvesting equipmenyt, looting and plundering, blocking the trade routes, and laying mines in Black Sea ports are all well-documented.See the debunk of this particular claim by Ukrainian journalists.Read also related disinformation cases: Ukrainians burned 50,000 tons of grain in Mariupol on purpose; The food crisis is associated primarily with the sanctions of the US and the West; Ukraine is responsible for its inability to export grains and lack of food export; Ukraine is paying for weapons with grain.Technical remark: This disinformation was published on Sputnik Arabic (amongst others) on 21 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to temporarily restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the RT/ Sputnik links may not work inside the EU. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, food, Black Sea |
1,242 | 21.07.2022 | Ukraine crisis was provoked by the West | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-crisis-was-provoked-by-the-west | tass.com | Russia, Ukraine | English | The conflict in Ukraine was provoked by the West. It could have been avoided if Western states had provided Russian President Vladimir Putin with the security guarantees he had asked for. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets about the West’s allegedly provocative actions in the run-up to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine which escalated again 24 February 2022. The war began in 20214 with the illegal annexation of Crimea and Russia's military involvement and support of seperatist in Donbas. Russia’s protreacted invasion of Ukraine is unprovoked and unjustified. Days before the new war in February, Putin had offered several reasons for launching aggression, including the necessity to help non-government-controlled territories in Eastern Ukraine from a genocide, Ukraine’s alleged desire to obtain nuclear weapons and Kyiv’s possible membership of NATO. These were only pretexts because Putin had seemingly taken the decision to invade Ukraine long before.In late 2021 and early 2022, Western nations were trying to conduct a constructive dialogue with Moscow on all disputed issues including security guarantees. Russia put forth excessive demands, so the West had to decline them. Russia opted for a policy of confrontation, which is why these discussions achieved no breakthrough. See our account of the Russian demands here and about Seven Popular Russian Myths here. Read more disinformation narratives about NATO’s allegedly provocative actions towards Russia. | Invasion of Ukraine, NATO, Provocation |
1,243 | 20.07.2022 | By arming Ukraine, the US and the UK want to push Russia against Europe | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/by-arming-ukraine-the-us-and-the-uk-want-to-push-russia-against-europe | tlgrm.ru,rossaprimavera.ru,rg.ru,RIA | US, UK, Ukraine, Russia | Russian | By arming Ukraine the US and the UK want to push Russia against Europe.This is an Anglo-Saxon thing, with the active support of the Germans and Poles, and the Baltic states, they really want to make this war real and push Russia against the European countries.Ukraine is literally being held back from any constructive steps, not just being pumped up with weapons, but being forced to use these weapons more and more riskily. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the US and the UK of aggravating the situation in Ukraine, and disrupting peace efforts. It promotes a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about lost sovereignty / external control, specifically about the EU's dependence on the US and so-called "Anglo-Saxons".Multiple countries around the world support Ukraine's defense against Russia' military aggression with deliveries of weapons, ammunition and non-lethal military equipment, including multiple NATO allies, Australia,Japan, and others. Many also countries are supporting Ukraine with military, political and humanitarian aid and are simultaneously trying to find a diplomatic solution to the war against UkraineWestern leaders have been continuously calling for talks and a peaceful solution to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, but Moscow has been ignoring these efforts. The West is not interested in the continuation of the war at the heart of Europe. And the West is not interested in war with Russia or Russians. Sovereign decisions of the European nations and the EU regarding their domestic and foreign policies are often presented in pro-Kremlin media as an "Anglo-Saxon provocation". The term “Anglo-Saxons” in such cases normally stands for the US and UK and often means “evil”, “belligerent” and “morally corrupt” Westerners, as explained in our earlier analysis.Read more about the EU's response and support for Ukraine. See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war. See our account of the Kremlin's intention to annihilate Ukraine here. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Sergei Lavrov, Military, Anti-Russian, War preparation |
1,244 | 20.07.2022 | Poland plans to send military units to Ukraine, take control of the Western regions | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-plans-to-send-military-units-to-ukraine-take-control-of-the-western-regions | newsua.ru,military.pravda.ru,nation-news.ru | Poland, Ukraine | Russian | Poland plans to send two [military] brigades into Western Ukraine in August and take control of the western regions, while units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which are currently stationed there, will be transferred to the front line in Donbas. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions.The claim that Poland plans to establish control over the west of Ukraine is baseless. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” aims towards other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.Notably, official Poland has not made territorial claims over Ukraine. On July 21st, the spokesperson of the Minister-Special Services Coordinator, Stanislaw Zharyn, responded on Twitter to the accusations of various pro-Kremlin actors, underscoring that this is a typical manifestation of Russian disinformation propaganda and an attempt to legitimise lies.Read the full debunk at Myth Detector.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Territorial dispute, Imperialism/colonialism, Occupation, Ukrainian disintegration |
1,245 | 20.07.2022 | Russia’s special operation prevented Ukraine’s attack | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russias-special-operation-prevented-ukraines-attack | ge.news-front.info | Russia, Ukraine | Georgian | Russia started the special operation on February 24 in order not to become an object of the special operation of neighboring Ukraine. Ukraine was going to do this on March 8, but Putin was first. | An unfounded pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative justifying the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.There is no evidence to confirm that Ukraine had plans to attack the non-government-controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. In disrespect for the Minsk Agreements, President Vladimir Putin recognised the two self-styled “people’s republics” of LNR and DNR on 21 February 2022.These territories later asked Russia to interfere, which it did on 24 February 2022 under the pretext of the “de-Nazification and demilitarisation” of Ukraine. Russia had earlier issued assurances to both Ukraine and the whole world that it was not planning to invade Ukraine.The EU condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and imposed restrictive measures on Russia.Read more about the EU response and support for Ukraine.See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war. | Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Donbas, DNR, LNR |
1,246 | 19.07.2022 | The West is tired of Ukrainian conflict, German parliamentarians are calling to dissolve Nato | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-is-tired-of-ukrainian-conflict-german-parliamentarians-are-calling-to-dissolve-nato | null | Ukraine, Russia, Germany, US, UK | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, Russia, Germany, US, UK | The Kyiv regime tries to stop a voluntary return of Zaporizhzhya, Kherson, and Kharkiv regions, liberated from Nazism, to Russia. In Germany, Bundestag parliamentarians called for peace with Russia and NATO dissolution. Washington and London have put an ultimatum to Volodymyr Zelenskyy that in case the Ukrainian town of Slavyansk is surrendered, military financing will end. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about neo-Nazi Ukraine, which is abandoned by the West, but also a puppet of the West. It cynically calls the Russia-occupated territories of Ukraine 'liberated' under the false pretext of 'Nazi' Ukrainian authorities.The article promotes a false claim about the German parliament’s anti-NATO position. The position of individual German parliamentarians is presented as of the whole Bundestag. In fact, the majority of the German lawmakers firmly support NATO. In early July 2022, the overwhelming majority of the German Bundestag swiftly backed Finland and Sweden’s bids to join NATO. Furthermore, a conspiracy is promoted concerning the West’s ultimatum to Kyiv regarding the town of Slavyansk and arms support – there is no proof to it whatsoever and is part of a long series of claims meant to undermine Ukraine's statehood and sovereignty. A false claim about Nazi-ruled Ukraine became a cornerstone in pro-Kremlin disinformation and served as one of the pretexts behind Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Learn more about the reasons behind the Kremlin's obsession with framing Ukraine as a Nazi state in the EUvsDisinfo analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".Read more disinformation cases about the Russian unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 19 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | null |
1,247 | 19.07.2022 | Limited military operation liberates LPR from the Ukrainian Nazi rule | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/limited-military-operation-liberates-lpr-from-the-ukrainian-nazi-rule | RIA,Eurasia Expert | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | Another key task of the special operation is the denazification of Ukraine.There are certain plans for how such operations unfold. At the moment, the LPR ["Lugansk Peoples Republic"] has already been liberated from the nationalists, from the pro-fascist forces, which seized power there at a certain period ... In another part, the special operation continues. | Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aimed at justifying the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and portraying the latter as a nazi state. 80% of the population of what the article calls "liberated", but is in fact occupied territory of the Zaporizhya region left their homes. Only 1/3 of population stays in the occupied Lisichansk. In Mariupol, Russians are holding over 10,000 Mariupol residents in “filtration camps”. Several thousands, including unaccompanied children have been forcefully deported to Russia. Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is not a "special operation" but an all-out war against a sovereign state. Russia has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for its aggression. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine appeared as the Kremlin's reaction to the Euromaidan protests in late 2013 - early 2014, when the then-president Viktor Yanukovych was toppled and later fled to Russia. The Kremlin has been using this myth since then to discredit Kyiv’s shift towards Euro-Atlantic policy. Contrary to what this disinformation narrative affirms, in 2015, Ukraine issued a ban on Nazi and Communist ideologies. On top of that, far-right groups had a very limited presence during the protests and have suffered defeats in every national election after that.This false myth of Nazi Ukraine is a clear propaganda narrative that became a cornerstone in pro-Kremlin disinformation and served as one of the pretexts behind Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Learn more about the reasons behind the Kremlin's obsession with framing Ukraine as a Nazi state in the EUvsDisinfo analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism". | Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Nazi/Fascist, Ukrainian disintegration |
1,248 | 19.07.2022 | Kalibr missile hit an important military meeting in Vinnytsia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kalibr-missile-hit-an-important-military-meeting-in-vinnytsia | aif.ru,life.ru,vesti.ru,tvzvezda.ru,vz.ru | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | On July 14, Russian Armed Forces attacked the building of the garrison House of Officers in the city of Vinnytsia with Kalibr sea-based precision missiles. At that moment there was a meeting going on. The meeting was attended by the command of the Ukrainian Air Force and representatives of foreign arms suppliers. At the meeting they discussed the transfer of the next batch of aircrafts and weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the organisation of the repair of the Ukrainian aviation fleet. As a result of the strike by high-precision missiles, all participants in the meeting were destroyed.Russia only hits military targets in Ukraine. | This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, claiming that Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure.The material and links may contain distressing/graphic content.The officers' house in Vinnytsia, which was hit by Russian missiles, de iure belonged to the Air Force of Ukraine, and de facto was a cultural institution of Vinnytsia, where the biggest concerts of Ukrainian stars were held, dozens of children's clubs, unions and public organizations worked, where there were recording studios, cafes and branches of "Privatbank". "Houses of officers" existed in every major city since the Soviet era and Vinnytsia is no exception. They were designed as culture and leisure places for the military but were accessible to all residents. Similar situation was with "Houses of railways workers" across USSR, designed for promoting culture among workers and practically serving for children's activities. "Houses of officers" could not be considered as military objects by default. Pro-Kremlin media showed no evidence of their claims on "the military meeting taking place there".On July 14, at least 25 civilians were killed, among them several children, and dozens were wounded.Pro-Kremlin media advanced contradictory versions of what Russia targeted in Vinnytsia. The fist one pretended that Russian military hit "headquarters of the Nazis". The second one was about the meeting of Ukrainian Air Forces representatives with some representatives of the West while the first one was forgotten.The particular claim that "at the meeting they [Western allies] discussed the transfer of the next batch of aircraft and weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine" cannot be factual, since the West has not supplied any aircraft to Ukraine so far. The claim that "Russia only hits military targets in Ukraine" is untrue. The war crimes of Russia has been already investigated in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol. Some 1,256 Russian war crimes have already been recorded in the occupied city of Mariupol and they are being investigated by Ukrainian prosecutor's offices. In Kremenchuk, war crimes investigators inspected the charred remains of a shopping mall devastated by a Russian missile strike.In Vinnytsia, 12 investigative and operative groups of the National Police of Ukraine, as well as representatives of the investigative units of the Security Service of Ukraine, began their activities, which immediately started documenting war crimes.The EU's HRVP Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič condemned Russian attacks against civilian targets, calling the events in Vinnytsia an atrocity, "the latest in a long series of brutal attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure."See more disinformation cases on war crimes. | war crimes, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,249 | 18.07.2022 | Bio experiments in US labs turn Ukrainian soldiers into ‘most cruel monsters’ | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/bio-experiments-in-us-labs-turn-ukrainian-soldiers-into-most-cruel-monsters | Kommersant,eadaily.com | Ukraine, Russia, US | Russian | The Russian Federation Council claim that American biological laboratories in Ukraine conduct "secret experiments"... which turned Ukrainian servicemen into "the most cruel monsters." [...]"The Ukrainian personnel commit monstrous crimes against civilian population, against prisoners of war, all under the control of the United States ... And those doping substances are still given in order to generally neutralize the last traces of human consciousness...", - said Irina Yarovaya [Deputy Chairman of the State Duma]. | A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about biological weapons and biological research laboratories. This disinformation message is a part of the Kremlin's disinformation efforts to obfuscate the atrocities committed by the Russian armed forces in Ukraine. The disinformation narrative about biological weapons and biological research laboratories is often reinforced with allegations that birds, rats and reptiles are being poisoned in such laboratories with a special substance targeting ethnic Russians.The United States embassy in Ukraine has issued statements dispelling disinformation about US biological weapons being produced in secret laboratories in Ukraine or other former Soviet republics. Ukraine participates in the US Department of Defence's Biological Threat Reduction Programme (BTRP). This co-operation aims at safeguarding global health by preventing the outbreak of contagious diseases. Both countries work together to consolidate and secure pathogens and toxins of security concern in Ukrainian state-run facilities. Ukraine also received four mobile scientific and medical laboratories to counter COVID-19 pandemic. No biological experiments are being carried out on human being in these laboratories.The United Nations high representative for disarmament, Izumi Nakamitsu said in March 2022 that the UN was “not aware of any biological weapons programmes” in Ukraine.Read similar cases claiming that COVID-19 likely the fault of the US; it runs dozens of deadly biolabs around the world, the US is developing biological weapons in laboratories in post-Soviet republics or that Ukraine is a testing ground for US biological war against Russia | Invasion of Ukraine, Biological weapons, laboratory |
1,250 | 18.07.2022 | Ukraine deliberately set fire to wheat fields with the approval of its leadership | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-deliberately-set-fire-to-wheat-fields-with-the-approval-of-its-leadership | nabd.com,arabic.rt.com,kachaf.com,msdernet.xyz,RIA,Moskva 24,iz.ru,tlgrm.ru | Ukraine | Arabic, Russian | Ukraine deliberately set fire to wheat fields in the Zaporozhye region, in the areas adjacent to the Military Demarcation Line. It is clear that these measures have the approval of their leadership, as the operation is being launched in two regions at the same time. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation about the war in Ukraine, obfuscating Russia's responsibility in the global food security crisis. In fact, Russia's continuous shelling of Ukraine has caused numerous large-scale fires in wheat and barley fields. For example, in the Kherson region, shelling has led to the burning of hundreds of hectares of wheat and barley fields. Additionally, the Ukrainian national police estimate that around 600 hectares (1,500 acres) including wheat and rapeseed were burned in Zaporizhzhia after just one-day of Russian air-strikes on 12 July. Another 800 hectares were destroyed the week before.
On June 10 already, it was estimated that Russian shelling had caused the destruction of 50,000 ton of grain in Mariupol alone.Export of grain and food products is one of Ukraine's main incomes so setting this on fire is contary to any logic and reflects a sinister lie of the pro-Kremlin media. Read also similar disinformation cases trying to absolve Russia from its responsibility in causing the food crisis: Ukrainians burned 50,000 tons of grain in Mariupol on purpose; The food crisis is associated primarily with the sanctions of the US and the West; Ukraine is responsible for its inability to export grains and lack of food export; Ukraine is paying for weapons with grain. | food, Conspiracy theory, War in Ukraine |
1,251 | 18.07.2022 | Reports of Russian prisoners at Lugar bio-lab proves that US is developing viruses capable of destroying Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/reports-of-russian-prisoners-at-lugar-bio-lab-proves-that-us-is-developing-viruses-capable-of-destroying-russia | de.news-front.info | Georgia, Ukraine | German | US bio-labs found in two more liberated LPR towns. Hidden US biolabs have been discovered in the liberated towns of Rubishniye and Sieverodonetsk. Documents of a former Russian prisoner who had been imprisoned and convicted in Georgia, for example, were made available. According to him, in 2016 representatives of the Red Cross offered him to participate in tests in exchange for reducing his sentence from 6 to 3 years. According to the person concerned, he and other prisoners, including Georgians and Ukrainians, received injections at the Lugar bio-lab in Tbilisi, which caused vomiting, dizziness, general weakness, fever and loss of consciousness. After the injections, the specialists carried out a diagnosis and administered various medicines. In addition, the source notes that on the way to the biolaboratory he often saw cars with US embassy plates loaded with small metal suitcases with radioactive stickers. He adds that he saw many dead bodies in the laboratory. This story, as well as the biological laboratories found in Ukraine, clearly prove that the US is actively developing viruses that can massively destroy the population of any country, especially Russia. | Newly adapted version of a recurring conspiracy theory alleging that the United States develops biological weapons and has secret biological laboratories around the world. The disinformation claim also capitalises on the oft-recurring conspiracy theory about laboratories in Ukraine, as well as the Lugar Lab in Georgia. These claims are made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.The US Embassy in Ukraine has repeatedly denied the "creation of military biological laboratories" in Ukraine.The cooperation between Ukraine and the United States in the direction of combating biological terrorism takes place exclusively within the framework of Ukrainian legislation and in the interests of Ukraine.In 2005, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the U.S. Department of Defence signed a framework agreement on preventing the spread of technologies, pathogens and knowledge that can be used in the development of biological weapons. Within the framework of this Agreement, a number of state laboratories located in Odesa, Kharkiv, L'viv, Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Kherson and Dnipro regions were modernised (repair works were carried out, equipment was updated, consumables were purchased, etc.).The Security Service of Ukraine emphasises that these laboratories are financed from the state budget, subordinated to the Ministry of Health and the State Service of Ukraine for Food Safety and Consumer Protection.Read further debunk by StopFake.org.See similar disinfo cases alleging that there are dangerous American labs close to the Russian border, that Kazakhstan is a testing ground for production of dangerous diseases, that coronavirus was created by Americans in a biolaboratory in Kazakhstan, that the US develops biologcal weapons in Ukrainian laboratories, that the people of Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are "biomaterial" for the Pentagon, and that Pentagon controls the work of 15 bacteriological laboratories in Ukraine. | Biological weapons, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,252 | 18.07.2022 | Germany was involved in the development of biological weapons in Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/germany-was-involved-in-the-development-of-biological-weapons-in-ukraine | de.news-front.info | Germany, Ukraine | German | On behalf of the Central Medical and Health Service of the German Armed Forces, a number of projects were used in Ukraine to carry out tests on biological weapons. The specialists of the German Armed Forces paid special attention to the pathogen causing Congo-Crimean fever. A comprehensive screening of the local population's susceptibility to this infection was carried out, combining demographic, epidemiological and clinical data. Earlier, the Russian Defence Ministry had presented evidence of US culpability in the development of weapons of mass destruction. | Recurring conspiracy theory alleging that Germany develops biological weapons in Ukraine. These claims are made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.The German Armed Forces Press Service denied these accusations and described them as clearly not true. In a statement obtained by StopFake, the Bundeswehr said that the Russian media allegations probably referred to the Ukrainian-German biosecurity initiative, which aims to control the risks of zoonotic diseases near the EU's external bord. However, no research related to biological weapons has been carried out under this project. As far as Ukraine is concerned, improving biosecurity and public health, especially in the east of the country, has been an acute challenge since 2014 - with the start of the Russian war against Ukraine. Basic diagnostic methods for pathogens are often not available in eastern Ukraine, so sources of contamination with dangerous infectious diseases cannot be detected quickly. Since 2016, the Institute of Microbiology of the German Armed Forces (IMB) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have therefore been implementing a cooperation project in Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine as part of the German Biosafety Programme to sustainably improve the biosafety situation in Ukraine and stabilise the public health situation.Besides Ukraine, similar projects are underway in Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tunisia and the five African countries of the Sahel Group.Read the full debunk by StopFake.org (German/Russian/Ukrainian).See similar disinfo cases alleging that there are dangerous American labs close to the Russian border, that Kazakhstan is a testing ground for production of dangerous diseases, that coronavirus was created by Americans in a biolaboratory in Kazakhstan, that the US develops biologcal weapons in Ukrainian laboratories, that the people of Armenia, Georgia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan are "biomaterial" for the Pentagon, and that Pentagon controls the work of 15 bacteriological laboratories in Ukraine. | Biological weapons |
1,253 | 18.07.2022 | Western sanctions cause food crisis and price growth | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/western-sanctions-cause-food-crisis-and-price-growth | ren.tv | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | Western politicians have been repeatedly accusing Russia of staging “hunger games”. But they have been silent about the fact that anti-Russian sanctions are a powerful catalyst for the food crisis and increase in prices. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the growing food crisis and supply insecurity. This claim was made in the context of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.EU sanctions are directed against the Russian government, the financial sector and the economic elites, targeting the Kremlin's ability to finance the military aggression. No sanctions target food production or export. The US also exempts transactions for food, agricultural products and medical supplies from sanctions.The Russian invasion of Ukraine has destabilised global food markets and is driving food prices up due to increased cost of production, transport and freight insurance. Russia has destroyed substantial food stocks, production, as well as processing and transport capacities in Ukraine.In spite of the recent agreement brokered brookered with the UN and Ankara, only very few Ukrainian ships leave the Black Sea ports with food export. Russia's de-facto naval blockade and attacks on harbours has prevented more than 20 million tons of grain to leave the ports of Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the world’s top agricultural producers and exporters. Before the Russian invasion, most of the food produced by Ukraine – enough to feed 400 million people – was exported through the country’s seven Black Sea ports, according to an estimate of the World Food Programme.For more information on this topic, read the EUvsDisinfo article covering Russian disinformation related to the food security. See more disinformation cases about Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine. | Invasion of Ukraine, Sanctions, food |
1,254 | 17.07.2022 | Russian liberation of Lysychansk, Severodonetsk ends discrimination and abuse | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russian-liberation-of-lysychansk-severodonetsk-ends-discrimination-and-abuse | lantidiplomatico.it | Russia, Ukraine | Italian | Now the inhabitants of Lysychansk, Severodonetsk and all the other settlements freed by the Russians can speak Russian, their mother tongue, without suffering discrimination and abuse by Kyiv’s junta. | Recurring disinformation campaign about alleged Russophobia in Ukraine aimed to justify Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine. This claim is consistent with disinformation narratives about ‘Nazi’ Ukraine.The rights of Russian-speaking citizens are guaranteed by the Ukrainian constitution and legislation. Articles 10 and 11 of the Constitution guarantee the free development of the languages and cultures of Ukraine’s ethnic minorities, including Russian-speakers.Russian-speaking Ukrainians, as well as other national minorities, are not second-rate citizens. This claim was shaped by the fact that in 2021 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted to the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) a draft law, "On the indigenous peoples of Ukraine." Pro-Kremlin outlets have claimed that this bill divides all citizens into three categories: ethnic Ukrainians, indigenous peoples, and others. This is not true, because the bill is aimed at protecting three peoples who are indigenous to Crimea and who are threatened due to Russia's discriminatory policy in the illegally annexed Ukrainian peninsula. These ethnic communities are Crimean Tatars, Karaites and Krymchaks. This bill is not aimed against other ethnic groups who live in Ukraine and enjoy equal rights, regardless of their ethnic origin.There is no evidence that ethnic Russians in Donbas were facing persecution at the hands of the Ukrainian authorities, much less the danger of annihilation on grounds of nationality, ethnicity, or cultural belonging. This has been confirmed by reports issued by the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE. For an overview of the Kremlin's deployment of the "genocide" narrative regarding Ukraine, see further debunking by EUvsDisinfo, Euromaidan Press, and POLYGRAPH.info.Read similar cases claiming that Ukraine bans everything Russian, treats ethnic Russians as second-rate citizens and that Russian language is banned in Ukrainian regions controlled by the Kyiv junta | War in Ukraine, Donbas, Russophobia, Russian language |
1,255 | 17.07.2022 | Russian special operation is preventive self-defence to eliminate a military threat | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russian-special-operation-is-preventive-self-defence-to-eliminate-a-military-threat | tlgrm.ru,tlgrm.ru,novostivl.ru,Interfax-russia | Russia | Russian | The deepest interest of the West is the containment of Russia. This task has not changed for years. Therefore, Russia must be so strong that no one could even think about aggressive actions against it.The Russian Special operation is a preventive self-defence to eliminate the military threat. | A recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets attempting to justify Russia's unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, launched on 24 February 2022.Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is not a "special operation" but an all-out war against a sovereign state. Russia has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for its aggression. It is Russia and President Putin who are clearly responsible for the war in Ukraine.The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 11,544 civilian casualties in the country: 5,024 killed and 6,520 injured (data by 12 July).See similar cases claiming that The West ignores Russian interests, slaps unfair sanctions; The West has always humiliated Russia; The West is pursuing an absolutely unfriendly and hostile policy towards Russia; the West is trying to make Russia “obedient” and “comfortable”.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Dmitry Medvedev, West, Anti-Russian, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Russophobia |
1,256 | 17.07.2022 | West preparing possible CBRN provocations in Zaporizhzhia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/west-preparing-possible-cbrn-provocations-in-zaporizhzhia | null | Ukraine, Russia, US | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, Russia, US | The demand of the US embassy in Kyiv for US citizens to leave Ukraine immediately may be related to the preparation of a provocation. Such a provocation may involve chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. | This is an unsubstantiated claim by pro-Kremlin outlets made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.There is no evidence proving that Ukraine or its Western partners are planning such actions. The US embassy in Ukraine issued a security alert on 14 July 2022 and urged US citizens to depart immediately - it was a general warning to be vigilant and an explaination what action must be taken in the event of danger.The situation in Ukraine continues to be violent and unpredictable due to Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression. It is Russia which is often involved in provocations. Russian troops wanted to stage a provocation at an occupied atomic power plant in the Zaporizhzhia Region where they detained several workers and tortured them to confess that they had dropped weapons into the concrete bowls of the cooling ponds. Under this pretext, the occupiers insisted on draining the cooling ponds to check their bottoms and stop the pumps that supply water to the safety systems of power units. It might leave the power plant without cooling, which could threaten nuclear safety. Russian forces also deployed artillery systems, rocket launchers, tanks and personnel carriers at the same power plant, turning it into a military base. They did it purposefully to prevent a Ukrainian counterattack. Read more about the EU's responseto Russia's invasion of Ukraine along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | null |
1,257 | 15.07.2022 | UN fails to take a balanced stance on situation around Vinnytsia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/un-fails-to-take-a-balanced-stance-on-situation-around-vinnytsia | tass.com | Ukraine, Russia | English | The UN Secretariat has failed to take a balanced stance on the developments in the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s statements about it are contrary to the requirements of the UN Charter. The Secretariat failed to take an equidistant stance, which is what one would expect from the secretariat of the most reputable international organisation, particularly designed to help resolve disputes. | This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, claiming that Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure.The material and links may contain distressing/ graphic content.In reality, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’s response to Russia’s bombing of several civilian objects in the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia on 14 July 2022 was as follows:“The Secretary-General is appalled by today's missile attack against the city of Vinnytsia in central Ukraine that reportedly killed at least 22 people, including three children and wounded more than 100 others. The Secretary-General condemns any attacks against civilians or civilian infrastructure and reiterates his call for accountability for such violations.”It was an objective and unbiased statement without even mentioning Russia as the perpetrator.It is a well-established fact that Russian missiles struck several civilian objects in Vinnytsia on 14 July 2022, killing at least 23 people, among them several children. A business centre in downtown Vinnytsia, an Officers’ House and several houses were targeted. Russian propaganda reports claimed that Nazis were deployed in the Officers’ House. However, Officers’ Houses in Ukraine are not military facilities. They are civilian objects where cultural, educational, and leisure activities are carried out. Concerts and other social events are often held there.The UN is striving to put an end to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Antonio Guterres has visited both Moscow and Kyiv in an attempt to secure a truce or ceasefire. The UN is also taking part in talks aimed at lifting the Russian blockade of Ukrainian seaports so that Ukraine is able to export its agricultural produce and avert a possible famine in the world.The EU's HRVP Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič condemned Russian attacks against civilian targets, calling the events in Vinnytsia an atrocity, "the latest in a long series of brutal attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure."Read more about the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Invasion of Ukraine, UN, War crimes |
1,258 | 14.07.2022 | Russian forces targeted an officers’ club in Vinnytsia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russian-forces-targeted-an-officers-club-in-vinnytsia | RIA | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | Russian forces targeted an officers’ club in Vinnytsia, where Ukrainian nationalists were temporarily deployed. | This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, claiming that Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure.The material and links may contain distressing/graphic content.The officers' house in Vinnytsia, which was hit by Russian missiles, de jure belonged to the Air Force of Ukraine, and de facto was a cultural institution of Vinnytsia, where the biggest concerts of Ukrainian stars were held, dozens of children's clubs, unions and public organizations worked, where there were recording studios, cafes and branches of "Privatbank"."Houses of officers" existed in every major city since the Soviet era and Vinnytsia is no exception. They were designed as culture and leisure places for the military but were accessible to all residents. Similar situation was with "Houses of railways workers" across USSR, designed for promoting culture among workers and practically serving for children's activities. "Houses of officers" could not be considered as military objects by default. Pro-Kremlin media showed no evidence of their claims on "the military meeting taking place there".On July 14, at least 25 civilians were killed, among them several children, and dozens were wounded.Pro-Kremlin media advanced contradictory versions of what Russia targeted in Vinnytsia. The fist one pretended that Russian military hit "headquarters of the Nazis". The second one was about the meeting of Ukrainian Air Forces representatives with some representatives of the West while the first one was forgotten.The claim that "Russia only hits military targets in Ukraine" is untrue. The war crimes of Russia has been already investigated in Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol. Some 1,256 Russian war crimes have already been recorded in the occupied city of Mariupol and they are being investigated by Ukrainian prosecutor's offices. In Kremenchuk, war crimes investigators inspected the charred remains of a shopping mall devastated by a Russian missile strike.In Vinnytsia, 12 investigative and operative groups of the National Police of Ukraine, as well as representatives of the investigative units of the Security Service of Ukraine, began their activities, which immediately started documenting war crimes.The EU's HRVP Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič condemned Russian attacks against civilian targets, calling the events in Vinnytsia an atrocity, "the latest in a long series of brutal attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure."See more disinformation cases on war crimes. | Invasion of Ukraine, war crimes |
1,259 | 14.07.2022 | The House of Officers in Vinnytsia was a temporary location for Nazis | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-house-of-officers-in-vinnytsia-was-a-temporary-location-for-nazis | tlgrm.ru,tlgrm.ru,tlgrm.ru,RIA,news.ru,news.ru,tass.ru,vedomosti.ru,Sputnik on Twitter | Ukraine | Russian, French | Russia strikes only military targets in Ukraine. In the House of Officers in Vinnytsia there were servicemen of the Ukrainian army, stated the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation to the UN.RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan wrote: “I asked the Defense Ministry where they hit in Vinnytsia. The answer is: “In the House of Officers, there was a temporary accommodation point for Nazis.” | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, claiming that Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure.The material and links may contain distressing/graphic content.Three Russian missiles struck several civilian objects in Vinnytsia on 14 July 2022, killing at least 23 people, among them several children, more than 100 were reported injured. Rescue operations were still underway and the number of casualties might rise. 25 to 50 cars burned down at a nearby parking lot. Ukrainian authorities tend to not disclose exact locations which suffered from Russian bombing. Russian missiles hit a business centre in downtown Vinnytsia. An Officers’ House and several houses were also damaged. Officers’ Houses are not military objects in Ukraine. They are not used as barracks. The House of Officers carries out cultural, educational, and leisure activities. Concerts and other social events are often held there. Ukrainian singer Roxolana was preparing a concert at the officers’ club in Vinnytsia on 17 July 2022. One of her crew died in the attack.The EU's HRVP Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič condemned Russian attacks against civilian targets, calling the events in Vinnitsya an atrocity, "the latest in a long series of brutal attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure."Read more about the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, war crimes, War crimes, Military, Nazi/Fascist |
1,260 | 13.07.2022 | Warsaw continues eyeing western Belarus as part of the Rzeczpospolita project | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/warsaw-continues-eyeing-western-belarus-as-part-of-the-rzeczpospolita-project | null | Poland, Belarus | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Poland, Belarus | The Polish authorities, represented by the state Institute of National Rememberance, promote the idea of restoring Rzeczpospolita. It would mean the annexation of Belarus’s western part to Poland. The issuing of the Cards of the Pole became a political gesture to mark the belonging of Belarus’s western territories to Poland. However, the Belarusian authorities managed to take the political initiative by introducing a visa-free entry for Polish nationals. | This article promotes recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Polish imperial ambitions. Our recent analysis is dedicated to recurring disinformation about alleged Polish dreams of imperialism towards Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and has no territorial claims upon Belarus, Ukraine, or other neighbouring countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here. The Institute of National Remembrance does not promote the idea of restoring Rzeczpospolita, contrary to the allegation made in the publication. When it comes to the "Cards of the Pole", they are issued to nationals of post-Soviet countries of Polish descent since 2008. The Belarusians holders of the "Cards of the Pole" can reside in any part of Belarus, not necessarily in its western part. Hence, the issuance of the Cards of the Pole cannot mark the belonging of Belarus’s western territories to Poland, as alleged.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poles are stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Lviv, that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to them, and that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire.Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 13 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | null |
1,261 | 12.07.2022 | Newly liberated Ukrainian regions are returning to Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/newly-liberated-ukrainian-regions-are-returning-to-russia | null | Ukraine, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, Russia | The residents of liberated territories of Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions are going to return to Russia. Other regions may follow them. To give Ukrainians the freedom of choice, Vladimir Putin signed a decree which facilitates the issuance of Russian citizenship to all Ukrainians citizens. The major goal of the special military operation is to destroy a hostile Nazi Ukrainian army. After that, a legal environment needs to be created which would not allow extremist organisations, national battalions and anti-Russian ideology to revive. Western arms support will not be able to endlessly reanimate a puppet Kyiv regime. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets justifying the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and presenting Ukraine as a non-sovereign and neo-Nazi state. Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is not a "special operation" but an all-out war against a sovereign state. Likewise, the occupied Ukrainian territories are not "liberated" as the publication claims, but temporarily occupied territories as a result of Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Russia has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for its aggression. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine appeared during the Euromaidan protests in late 2013 - early 2014, when the then-president Viktor Yanukovych was toppled and later fled to Russia. The Kremlin has been promoting this myth since then to discredit Kyiv’s shift towards Euro-Atlantic policy. Contrary to what this disinformation narrative affirms, in 2015, Ukraine issued a ban on Nazi and Communist ideologies. On top of that, far-right groups had a very limited presence during the protests and have suffered defeats in every national election after that.This false myth of Nazi Ukraine is a clear propaganda narrative that became a cornerstone in pro-Kremlin disinformation and served as one of the pretexts behind Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Learn more about the reasons behind the Kremlin's obsession with framing Ukraine as a Nazi state in the EUvsDisinfo analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".Read more disinformation cases about the Russian unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine.Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 12 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | null |
1,262 | 12.07.2022 | Expansion of NATO terrorist organisation is contained by Russian military operation in Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/expansion-of-nato-terrorist-organisation-is-contained-by-russian-military-operation-in-ukraine | Katehon - English,geopolitika.ru | Ukraine, Russia | English, Italian | As Russia conducts a military operation in Ukraine, American dominance is no longer absolute. A new world is being born and Russia is at the forefront of this fight. Today, this is reflected in Russia's special military operation to contain NATO's expansion and counter its reckless policies that endanger Russia's security and European peace by encouraging the neo-Nazi government in Kyiv and its policy of genocide.Russia and its President Vladimir Putin are waging this fight in the name of humanity, against the terrorist and hostile alliance known as NATO. | Recurrent anti-NATO rhetoric justifying the criminal Russian invasion of Ukraine by imaginary crimes of NATO and Ukraine.NATO is a defensive alliance that cannot be associated with terrorism or an expanding security threat:NATO promotes democratic values and enables members to consult and cooperate on defense and security-related issues to solve problems, build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.The Ukrainian executive power cannot be associated with Neo-Nazism or genocide policy: these are groundless accusations.The Russian military invasion of Ukraine did not contain NATO since countries like Sweden or Finland are eager to join the Alliance and have the guarantee of their security in the new security context.Accusations of terrorism and nazism by Russia against NATO members and Ukraine are masking fascist and terrorist mechanisms that undermine Russia. Similarly, accusations of genocide against Kyiv mask a real genocide desire by Moscow propaganda that Timofey Sergeytsev expressed in April 2022.There is no evidence to support the claims of genocide by Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities did not systematically exterminate or abused the people living in the conflict zone. The claimed dead people – military and civilian alike - are a result of a war Russia had started in Ukraine. It was not an internal civil conflict but a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces, ongoing since February 2014. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine which has closely monitored the conflict had observed no such genocide.Read more disinformation narratives about Ukraine allegedly perpetrating genocide against Russians.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.Read also related cases: NATO is an aggressive bloc created for confrontation , NATO was turning Ukraine into an enemy of Russia , Russia's special operation in Ukraine is due to NATO's persistent expansion | West, Invasion of Ukraine, Genocide, Nazi/Fascist, Terrorism, NATO, EU/NATO enlargement |
1,263 | 12.07.2022 | The process of transferring the territory of Ukraine to Poland has begun | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-process-of-transferring-the-territory-of-ukraine-to-poland-has-begun | livenews.am,iz.ru | Poland, Ukraine | Armenian, Russian | The process of transferring the territory of Ukraine to Poland began. The dream of the Poles to return the previously lost territories becomes a reality. | Recurring narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. The statement was made when the President of Ukraine submitted to the Verkhovna Rada a draft law on granting the Poles a special status.The assertion that in this way the Ukrainian territories are given to Poland is unfounded. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.This narrative also exploits difficult issues in Polish-Ukrainian history, without any factual basis.It is Russia that started an unprovoked war in Europe, capturing more and more territories of a neighbouring country and has created a serious danger to European security.Poland was the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence, in 1991. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine's territorial integrity.Poland is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland; it is allowing millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war access to the labour market and to health and social benefits. Moreover Poland is also activly supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.On 12 March 2022 the Polish parliament passed an act on assistance for Ukrainian nationals in connection with Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The special purpose act, in addition to regulating a number of issues related to the refugee’s stay in Poland, allows for favorable tax treatment of humanitarian aid expenditures incurred by corporations.In return, Ukrainian President Zelensky intended to submit a draft bill to the Verkhovna Rada on the status and assistance to Polish citizens in Ukraine, which is similar to the one, which has recently been endorsed by the Sejm of Poland in relation to Ukrainians. On 11 July the draft law was submitted to the Parliament.The pro-Kremlin claim that Poland is taking over the Ukrainian territories is manipulation and misrepresentation of this gesture.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poles are stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Lviv, that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to them, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, that Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia, that Poland plans to establish control over its historical lands in Ukraine. | Territorial dispute, Imperialism/colonialism, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, Andrzej Duda |
1,264 | 11.07.2022 | To protect Donbas and itself, Russia has to liberate whole of Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/to-protect-donbas-and-itself-russia-has-to-liberate-whole-of-ukraine | null | Ukraine, Russia, US | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, Russia, US | Western arms supplies to Ukraine prolong the military actions, result in massive Ukrainian human losses, and do not change the goals of the Russian special military operation. Kyiv acts for American interests and money. American missiles can reach many large Russian cities. Hence, to guarantee the protection of Donbas republics and Russian territory, Russian troops have to liberate whole of Ukraine’s territory. Ukraine’s existence is highly dangerous for Russia and leaves Moscow no choice. | This message provides an absurd interpretation of the Russian brutal aggression against Ukraine, calling it a ‘liberation’. As our recent analysis explains, pro-Kremlin outlets often present Ukraine as a non-existing entity, which somehow poses an existential threat to Russia. Aware of this logical incongruity, pro-Kremlin propaganda tends to introduce the West into the equation and claims that the evil West controls Ukraine and uses it to attack Russia. Notably, this article claims that Ukraine fights not for its existence as a sovereign country but for “American interests and money”.Russia's unjustified military invasion of Ukraine is a clear violation of international law. The Ukrainian Army and volunteers are fighting against Russian troops to defend their country from unprovoked Russian military aggression. Russian President Putin launched a new invasion, what he called a "special military operation" against Ukraine on 24 February 2022 citing NATO’s military infrastructure approaching the Russian border as a pretext. Another pretext for the so-called operation is the “demilitarisation and denazification” of Ukraine according to official Russian statements. The invasion was followed by airstrikes on military objects. Russian troops soon after started bombing and shelling civilian targets as well.Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 11 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | null |
1,265 | 09.07.2022 | NATO pilot flew a helicopter that was downed in Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nato-pilot-flew-a-helicopter-that-was-downed-in-ukraine | avia.pro,ryazan.life,yakutsk-news.net,solenka.info,novostivl.ru,osnmedia.ru,rznonline.ru,znat-kak.livejournal.com,1news.pro,geworld.ge | Ukraine | Russian, Georgian | At the site of a helicopter shot down in Ukraine, a helmet of a NATO Air Force pilot was found. We are talking about the HGU-56/P ABH tactical helmet. Officially, the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not possess such protective equipment. This means that, most likely, either a mercenary with piloting skills or a pilot from the US could fly the downed helicopter. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, portraying the Alliance to be directly involved in the hostilities on the Ukrainian side.In fact, the photos of the HGU-56/P ABH military helmet, which pro-Kremlin outlets claimed to prove the NATO pilot was flying the downed Ukrainian helicopter, were initially released by the helmet manufacturer company itself. The Instagram post of the company states that the photos were given to them by Ukrainian pilots as a sign of gratitude because the helmet saved their lives. Read the full debunk at Myth Detector.NATO condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. NATO as an organization is not involved in fighting in Ukraine. In response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, NATO has reinforced its support for capability development and capacity-building in Ukraine. NATO member states provide Ukraine with military assistance to repel the unprovoked Russian aggression and not because of their alleged animosity towards Russia.Read more about the EU's response and support for Ukraine.See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war. | NATO, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,266 | 08.07.2022 | The West has been aggressive towards Russia for decades | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-has-been-aggressive-towards-russia-for-decades | tass.com | Russia | English | The so-called collective West, led by the United States, has been behaving exceptionally aggressively towards Russia for decades. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of Russophobia.The West has been trying to establish good-neighbourly relations with Moscow since the collapse of the Soviet Union and until the moment when Russia launched its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. According to the 1997 Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation, Russia was viewed as a partner of the alliance. Western nations have been calling for solving all problems with Russia in a peaceful and diplomatic manner.As Russia kept conducting its aggressive policy and violating international law, the West had to resort to restrictive measures. These restrictive measures have been carefully targeted to include certain sensitive sectors of Russia's economy and some individuals related to the Kremlin’s decision-making. All these measures are defensive in their nature, they are aimed at limiting Russia's ability to continue to conduct aggressive and destructive foreign policy, and are therefore not aggressive per se.Read more disinformation cases alleging that the West is carrying out a policy of Russophobia. | Russophobia, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,267 | 08.07.2022 | The West does not allow Ukraine to move to peace negotiations | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-does-not-allow-ukraine-to-move-to-peace-negotiations | split.spnews.io,obieqtivi.info | Ukraine, Russia | Georgian | The West does not allow Ukraine to move to the peace process but forces Kyiv to take their weapons and use them for the bombing of cities and the destruction of the civilian population. | Recurring disinformation narrative about the Ukrainian statehood, trying once again to denigrate Ukraine as a non-sovereign puppet of the West and claiming that negotiations are under Western control.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity have been violated by continuous acts of aggression by Russian armed forces since 2014 culminating in a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022.Western leaders have been continuously calling for talks and a peaceful solution to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, but Moscow has been ignoring these efforts. The West is not interested in the continuation of the war at the heart of Europe. By fully supporting Ukraine, the West does not interfere or deprive Ukrainians of peace talks. "Ukraine will decide political conditions for peace," French President Macron said.It is Russia that strikes civilian objects and residential areas. According to multiple international media reports, Russian troops are regularly shelling and bombing residential areas, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, orphanages, churches, and other civilian objects. They are also planting mines in cities. Read more about the EU's response and support for Ukraine. See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war. See our account of the Kremlin's intention to annihilate Ukraine here.Technical remark: This disinformation was also broadcast via Sputnik Georgia on 08 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to temporarily restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | West, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Puppets, Sovereignty, Sergei Lavrov, Ukrainian statehood |
1,268 | 07.07.2022 | The West ignored all attempts by Russia to engage in dialogue | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-ignored-all-attempts-by-russia-to-engage-in-dialogue | news.am,news.am,RIA,iz.ru,rg.ru,tass.ru,duma.gov.ru | Russia, EU | Armenian, Russian | All attempts by Russia to engage in dialogue with the West on issues of concern, including strategic stability, have been ignored. Our proposals to create a system of equal security in Europe have been rejected. Our warnings about the unacceptability of NATO expansion, especially at the expense of the former republics of the Soviet Union, have been ignored. They just don't need a country like Russia. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of Russophobia. The claim that the EU or the West in general allegedly provoked the large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine is one of the key messages of Putin’s propaganda aiming to deflect responsibility away from the Kremlin.The West has been trying to establish good-neighbourly relations with Moscow since the collapse of the Soviet Union and until the moment when Russia launched its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. According to the 1997 Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation, Russia was viewed as a partner of the alliance. Western nations have been calling for solving all problems with Russia in a peaceful and diplomatic manner.As Russia kept conducting its aggressive policy and violating international law, the West had to resort to restrictive measures.The sharp deterioration in relations between the West and Russia is directly linked to Moscow's illegal actions. A number of issues affect bilateral relations, including Russia’s aggressive actions in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood, Syria, Libya and elsewhere, and repeated malign activities including disinformation campaigns.The EU has conducted half-year summits with the Russian leadership for years until 2014 in an effort to enhance relations. EU has also tried to change the course of Russia's agressive actions and give diplomacy a chance such as with the efforts of HRVP Josep Borrell - see here.Russia’s alleged proposals of “strategic stabilty and equal security” were considered by the West as unacceptable demands that denied the sovereignty of the countries that Moscow deemed as its “sphere of influence”. However, both the US and the European Union were open to continue discussing Russia’s concerns and maintaining a dialogue on ways to strengthen the security of all. Instead, Russia opted for invading a peaceful neighbouring country.Similar cases: EU rejected all Russian compromises and forced Russia to launch the special operation in Ukraine; Russia's calls to the West for equal footing were deliberately ignored; The West has been aggressive towards Russia for decades; West unleashes Nazi and Russophobic war against Russia and Russians; The West ignores Russian interests, slaps unfair sanctions. | Vladimir Putin, War in Ukraine, EU/NATO enlargement, security threat, West, Russophobia, Anti-Russian |
1,269 | 07.07.2022 | Poland plans to establish control over the west of Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-plans-to-establish-control-over-the-west-of-ukraine | news.am | Ukraine, Poland | Armenian | Poland's plans to establish control over the west of Ukraine are dangerous for all of Europe. Indeed, it is dangerous. Dangerous for Ukraine, dangerous for all of Europe. The fact is that there are quite a few points on the European continent where neighbours silently claim the territory of neighbouring states.Therefore, if Poland opens this Pandora's box, it will not seem little to anyone. This can significantly complicate the situation on the European continent and, of course, lower the level of international security. | Recurring narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial aims.The claim that Poland plans to establish control over the west of Ukraine is ungrounded. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” aims towards other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.This narrative attempts to exploit difficult issues in Polish-Ukrainian history, without any factual basis.It is Russia that started an unprovoked war in Europe, capturing more and more territories of a neighbouring country and has created a serious danger to European security.Poland was the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence, in 1991. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, has violated Ukraine's territorial integrity.Instead, Poland is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland; it is allowing millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war access the labour market and to health and social benefits. Moreover, Poland is activly supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.On 12 March 2022 the Polish parliament passed an act on assistance for Ukrainian nationals in connection with Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The special purpose act, in addition to regulating a number of issues related to the refugee’s stay in Poland, allows for favorable tax treatment of humanitarian aid expenditures incurred by corporations.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poles are stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Lviv, that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to them, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia, that Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia, that Poland plans to establish control over its historical lands in Ukraine. | War in Ukraine, Imperialism/colonialism, illegal annexation, Territorial dispute, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,270 | 07.07.2022 | The West encouraged and justified genocide against the Donbas population | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-encouraged-and-justified-genocide-against-the-donbas-population | m.akhbarelyom.com,alwatanskynews.com | Ukraine, Russia | Arabic | The West started the war by organising and supporting an armed coup against the constitutional order in Ukraine in 2014, encouraging and justifying the genocide against the Donbas population. The West is the direct instigator and responsible for what is happening today. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine, actively trying to legitimise Russia’s invasion of the country. There is no evidence that either ethnic Russians or Russian speakers are facing persecution at the hands of the Ukrainian authorities in Donbas or elsewhere, much less the danger of annihilation on grounds of nationality, ethnicity, or cultural belonging. This has been confirmed by reports issued by the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE.The genocide narrative has been an integral part of the justification campaign of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Leaders of the European Union recognized that Moscow's actions should be evaluated as “acts of violence and the violation of international law”.Additionally, there was no coup, nor a western orchestrated protest in Ukraine in 2014.The demonstrations which began in Kyiv in November 2013 – called "Maidan", or "Euromaidan" – were a result of the Ukrainian people's frustration with former President Yanukovych. The protesters' demands included constitutional reform, a stronger role for parliament, the formation of a government of national unity, an end to corruption, early presidential elections and an end to violence.See more similar narratives of disinformation against Ukraine: Moscow must interfere because Kyiv gasses people in camps; Kyiv’s leaders do not hide their desire to move from a Russophobic policy to genocide; Russian speakers in Donbass are victims of genocide. | West, Genocide, Donbas |
1,271 | 07.07.2022 | Western arms support to Ukraine failing, backing international terrorists | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/western-arms-support-to-ukraine-failing-backing-international-terrorists | null | Russia, Ukraine | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Russia, Ukraine | According to Japanese media Shūkan Gendai, NATO weapons, including thousands of rocket launchers and hundreds of drones, make their away to the global black market and end up in the hands of terrorists and criminals.[...] International criminal clans may start internal clashes with the use of Stinger and Javelin rocket launchers. Terroristic activities may reach a new, transcontinental level.[...] A geopolitical game of aid to Ukraine is transforming into direct, wide-scale military actions of the US and NATO with Russia. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of aggravating the situation in Ukraine and waging a war against Russia. This claim is made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The western arms support is claimed to be useless for Ukraine and dangerous for the western countries due to alleged leaks to terrorist groups.There are legitimate concerns about the transparency in the supply process of Western weapons, as the US and other governments have explained that they don’t have the means to monitor the final destination of all these arms. According to the reports in the international media, Ukraine was setting up a more extensive weapons monitoring and tracking system with the help of the Western countries. There is no evidence to suggest, that the weapons sent to Ukraine "end up in the hands of terorrists". See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that at least 15% of Western weapons sent to Ukraine are illegally re-exported, that the weapons supplied by the West by Ukraine are actually useless, that US companies promote war in Ukraine to sell weapons, that by arming Ukrainians the West is triggering a conflict with Russia, or that Ukraine is paying for weapons with grain. | null |
1,272 | 06.07.2022 | Russia started the special operation to save the world from the global dictatorship of Evil | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-started-the-special-operation-to-save-the-world-from-the-global-dictatorship-of-evil | Katehon - English | Russia, Ukraine, EU | English | Now freedom is represented by Z. Z means belonging to the Russian World, which is carrying out the existential Special Operation to save itself and the world from the global dictatorship of evil. The Russian World means all who are opposed to the Western/Anglo-Zionist/Globalist/NATO/Nazi ideology and its fake and failed puppet-states, which exist only to ensure the prolongation of colonial oppression and buy overpriced US arms and parrot their propaganda. | Conspiracy theory used to justify the Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine.The Z operation in Ukraine is by no means a liberation for civilian population, not only by the conquest strategy that doesn’t spare civilian lives but rather targets them to create terror, but also on the severe repression and predation in occupied territories. In occupied Crimea the fierce repression against Tatars has ben going on since 2014. The Z special operation is presented in Russia by some public figures like Timofey Sergeytsev as a call for genocide.
The Nazi character of the globalist western “ideology” is a baseless myth.The EU condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and imposed the toughest restrictive measures on Russia. Read more about the EU response and support for Ukraine.Read also related cases: US Deep State drags the world to a war over Ukraine; NATO is criminal and terrorist organisation, Nations are ruled by the dictatorship of the global billionaires elite.
Read also EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Dictatorship, Invasion of Ukraine, WWII, Freedom of speech, Secret elites / global elites, Conspiracy theory |
1,273 | 06.07.2022 | The West is responsible for the death of civilians in Donbas and Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-is-responsible-for-the-death-of-civilians-in-donbas-and-ukraine | tlgrm.ru,tlgrm.ru,aif.ru,ren.tv,life.ru,tass.ru | Ukraine | Russian | The West must be aware of its responsibility for the death of civilians in the Donbas and Ukraine, regardless of how and what Zelenskyy and his team interpret. The Kyiv regime uses the weapons that the West supplies to Ukraine against the civilian population of Donbas and other parts of Ukraine as a means of intimidation, this is state terror. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of aggravating the situation in Ukraine and increasing civilian casualties.Some Western nations are sending weapons to Ukraine with the sole purpose of helping it repel the Russian aggression. Western weapons are expected to enable Ukraine to liberate its territories and restore its territorial integrity within the internationally recognised borders. Ukraine does not intend to move further into Russia within its internationally recognised borders.What really destabilises the situation and aggravates the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is Russia’s targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas, which has led to numerous victims among civilians. There is ample evidence of Russian military crimes in Ukraine in the town of Bucha, Mariupol, Kremenchuk, Kramatorsk, Odesa and other places.Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 11,152 civilian casualties in the country: 4,889 killed and 6,263 injured. by 4 July UN mission update, and 347 children have died and more than 646 were wounded, reports the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine (by 7 July).There is plenty of evidence of attacks on civilian targets: attacks on cultural properties; attacks on hospitals and medical care facilities; Mariupol theatre airstrike; Mariupol hospital airstrike; mass shelling of residential areas; bombing of Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Odesa etc.WHO records over 200 attacks on health care in Ukraine: health facilities and transport, including ambulances.Read OSCE Report on violations of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity commited in Ukraine since 24 February 2022.See other cases in our database: Accusations about Russian military war crimes are unacceptable: a lot of fakes on this topic; The Russian military does not strike civilian infrastructure.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Sergei Lavrov, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, war crimes, West |
1,274 | 06.07.2022 | Nazism is one of the highest European values | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nazism-is-one-of-the-highest-european-values | null | EU, Serbia, Ukraine | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
EU, Serbia, Ukraine | The European Union demands that Serbia respect "European values" if it wants to join the European Union. However, the European Union, along with the United States, generously helps the Nazi regime in Kyiv with money and weapons. This means that Nazism is one of the highest European values. | This claim is aimed at discrediting the EU/West as a whole in light of Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. It is consistent with recurring pro-Kremlin narratives about alleged Western aggressiveness towards Russia and its anti-Russian activities. The accusation of Nazism and building a link to Nazi Germany is one of the favourite techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets. Read our past analysis Nazi east, Nazi west, Nazi over the cuckoo's nest. The European Union was set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing the causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. Furthermore, the myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been a cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. Now it is used to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine.Nazi and Communist ideologies were banned by Ukrainian law in 2015. Far-right groups had a very limited presence during the protests and went on to obtain abysmal results in the 2014 presidential and parliamentary elections. During the 2019 election cycle, the far-right managed to sustain an even more tremendous failure; the highest-rated nationalist candidate, Ruslan Koshulynskyy, won 1.62% of the vote whereas Svoboda won 2.16% of the national vote, falling far short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament.See earlier disinformation cases claiming that the the EU is Hitler's 'New Europe', that the European Union justifies Nazism, that the The EU is a Nazi project, that the European Union has Nazi Roots and that the The EU continues the aggressive policies of Nazi. | null |
1,275 | 06.07.2022 | Russia might soon liberate Kharkiv as part of Ukraine’s denazification | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-might-soon-liberate-kharkiv-as-part-of-ukraines-denazification | null | Russia, Ukraine | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Russia, Ukraine | Russian troops continue advancing in Ukraine. Soon they are likely to reach a decisive victory over the Ukrainian troops and move the frontline further to the West. Possibly, Kharkiv will be liberated as a priority. The strategic character of the Russian special operation on the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine is proven by daily missile attacks in Ukraine's southern and western regions.Ukraine tries to delay the advancement of the Russian troops thanks to senseless mobilisation, terroristic use of civilians as human shields, and regular shelling of Donbas localities. | This article offers an absurd interpretation of the Russian unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine with the use of the classic disinformation narrative about de-Nazification. It refers to the capture of Ukrainian sovereign territory as a “liberation”.Russia's unjustified military invasion of Ukraine is a clear violation of international law. The Ukrainian Army and volunteers are fighting Russian troops to defend their country from unprovoked Russian military aggression. Russian President Putin launched a new invasion, calling it a "special military operation" against Ukraine on 24 February 2022 citing NATO’s military infrastructure approaching the Russian border as a pretext. Another pretext for the so-called operation is the “demilitarisation and denazification” of Ukraine according to official Russian statements.War crimes committed by the Russian army are currently being documented and established with irrefutable details. They cannot be explained by alleged provocations of the Ukrainian side. Ukraine organised as much as possible evacuation of the civilians in the Donbas region while Russia tried to prevent it with the bombing of the railway station of Kramatorsk. Moreover, on several occasions Russian forces bombed humanitarian corridors making the evacuation of civilians difficult.Human rights organisations and the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented how the invasion of Ukraine was carried out through indiscriminate attacks and strikes on civilian targets such as houses, hospitals, schools and kindergartens.On 2 June 2022, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 9,197 civilian casualties in the country: 4,183 killed and 5,014 injured. Read more disinformation cases about the Russian unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 06 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | null |
1,276 | 06.07.2022 | Russia was forced to launch a special operation in Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-was-forced-to-launch-a-special-operation-in-ukraine | geworld.ge | Ukraine, Russia | Georgian | Russia was forced to launch a special operation in Ukraine because of the spread of neo-Nazism in Ukraine, the operation of biolabs on its territory which implemented US military-biological programs, and because of the Kyiv authorities planning to create nuclear weapons and integrate into NATO, which posed a threat not only to Russia, but also to the world. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets justifying the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is not a "special operation" but an all-out war against a sovereign state. Russia has been coming up with different explanations and pretexts for its aggression. It was Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine appeared during the Euromaidan protests in late 2013 - early 2014, when the then-president Viktor Yanukovych was toppled and later fled to Russia. The Kremlin has been using this myth since then to discredit Kyiv’s shift towards Euro-Atlantic policy. Contrary to what this disinformation narrative affirms, in 2015, Ukraine issued a ban on Nazi and Communist ideologies. On top of that, far-right groups had a very limited presence during the protests and have suffered defeats in every national election after that.This false myth of Nazi Ukraine is a clear propaganda narrative that became a cornerstone in pro-Kremlin disinformation and served as one of the pretexts behind Russia's unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Learn more about the reasons behind the Kremlin's obsession with framing Ukraine as a Nazi state in the EUvsDisinfo analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".Ukraine’s alleged involvement in the production of chemical and biological weapons was one of the pretexts for Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.There are no US biological warfare laboratories in Ukraine. Ukraine is one of the states cooperating with the US Department of Defence's Biological Threat Reduction Programme (BTRP): the goal of the BTRP is to safeguard global health by preventing and containing the outbreak of infectious diseases and establishing high international standards in biological security.The US Department of State has stated that "The US does not own or operate any chemical or biological laboratories in Ukraine, it is in full compliance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and Biological Weapons Convention." Read more about this topic here.Ukraine has been a nuclear-free country since 1994 when the Budapest memorandum was signed. It did not have any plans to develop nuclear weapons.As for Ukraine’s NATO integration, NATO did not give Kyiv an exact timing for its possible membership, which means that the alliance did not want to turn Ukraine into an allegedly anti-Russian state.Russia, on its side, was not entitled to interfere in relations between NATO and Ukraine because the Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation signed in 1997 in Paris bans the signatories’ interference in each other’s actions.By attacking Ukraine under the pretext of its possible membership of NATO, Moscow infringed on Kyiv's sovereign right to apply for or join any organisations that do not violate international law. Ukraine’s possible membership of NATO depends solely on decisions to be made by Ukraine on the one hand and NATO member states on the other hand. Russia’s aggression poses the gravest threat to Euro-Atlantic security in decades, shattering peace in Europe and reinforcing the need for NATO to ensure that its deterrence and defence posture is credible and effective. | Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Nazi/Fascist, laboratory, Biological weapons, NATO, Nuclear issues |
1,277 | 05.07.2022 | The West established a neo-Nazi regime in Ukraine to drag Ukraine into NATO | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-established-a-neo-nazi-regime-in-ukraine-to-drag-ukraine-into-nato | null | Ukraine | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine | There were also excuses when the West tried to criminally drag Ukraine into NATO by establishing a neo-Nazi regime there. | This is a recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation claim about Nazi/fascist Ukraine. In this cas as a adaption linking it with a claim that the West established a Neo-Nazi-regim in Ukraine to drag Ukraine into NATO. All claims are presented without any evidence.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. Far-right groups enjoyed a very limited presence during the Euromaidan itself and had poor results in the 2014 presidential and parliamentary elections. In the 2019 election, far-right candidates scored very low (1-2%) and fell short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. The country is not controlled by the US, EU or any other foreign organisation or government. Both the EU and the US respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The West does not want to use Ukraine in the war against Russia.See similar disinformation cases in our database: the 2014 coup turned Ukraine into a Nazi state; there was a putsch in Ukraine and today the country is a totalitarian state. | null |
1,278 | 05.07.2022 | Ukraine is a failed, Moloch-like state | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-is-a-failed-moloch-like-state | RIA | Ukraine | Russian | Each day brings new evidence that Ukraine is a failed state. The failure of the Ukrainian state project is the fault of its political elites. Silly, unprofessional, and despicable towards citizens, they placed these qualities in the foundation of the state. Hence, it is no surprise that Ukraine has turned into Moloch which is destroying its own people. And this is done to please the West's geopolitical interests. | This is a classic example of a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative discrediting Ukrainian statehood. Ukraine is presented as a failed state and compared to Moloch, a demon associated in biblical sources with the practice of child sacrifice. Furthermore, Ukraine is depicted as a non-sovereign entity which follows the West’s orders.Pro-Kremlin media outlets often cast doubts on Ukrainian statehood and claim that Ukraine either does not exist as a state or is going to tumble down very soon. In reality, present-day Ukraine has been on the world map since 1991 when the Soviet Union disintegrated. It has elected six presidents since then and changed parties in government several times which illustrates political diversity and democratic dynamics even during economic hardship in the wake of Russian aggression in 2014. Ukraine's Western partners have been providing it with financial and technical assistance.Ukraine is a sovereign country with its own national interests. It is not controlled by any western government or organisation. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost the whole world with Russia as the key exception.See similar disinformation cases that target Ukraine: that Ukraine became an American colony since the coup; that Ukraine does not exist as a state; that Ukraine will be split up; that Ukraine is a quasi-state with a failed economy; or that collapse of Ukraine resulting in the loss of territories may soon happen. | Ukrainian statehood, Sovereignty |
1,279 | 05.07.2022 | West uses Ukrainians as expendable material in geopolitical game to contain Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/west-uses-ukrainians-as-expendable-material-in-geopolitical-game-to-contain-russia | news.am,news.am,eadaily.com,ren.tv,news-24.ru | Ukraine | Armenian, Russian | The West cynically uses millions of Ukrainians as expendable material in its geopolitical games and attempts to contain Russia. In the “American” world the rights of everyone else are simply trampled. | Recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative, challenging Ukraine's statehood and trying to blame the West for the Russian invasion of Ukraine by painting Ukraine as a puppet of the West.Ukraine is a sovereign state with a democratically elected government and its own foreign and security policy. The country is not controlled by the US, EU or any other foreign organisation or government. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by most of the world but have been violated by Russia since 2014. The West does not want to use Ukraine in the war against Russia. It is Russia that undertook a well-documented act of aggression, ongoing since February 2014. Furthermore, it was Russian President Vladimir Putin who launched an invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 calling it a special military operation.Western countries are only supporting with military and financial aid to Ukraine for the country’s efficient self-defence against the unprovoked Russian invasion.It is Russia which wants to impose its hegemony in the region. According to Ukrainian intelligence data, Russia had been planning to occupy Ukraine in several days’ time, install a pro-Russian government in Kyiv and turn the country into a semi-colony. This plan was later confirmed by Russia itself when RIA Novosti state-Russian news agency published an article describing nearly the same scenario. The article titled “What Russia should do with Ukraine” called for the eradication of Ukrainian culture and everything related to it. This process was referred to as de-Ukrainisation. The author also revealed the Kremlin’s plans to divide Ukraine into several entities and subjugate them to itself. The word “Ukraine” should be absent in their names. In addition, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently compared himself to Tsar Peter the Great, who the Russian president said had not conquered any Swedish lands but had returned what was Russia’s. By saying it, Putin tried to legitimise the war of aggression against Ukraine.Read more disinformation cases about the war in Ukraine. | West, Vladimir Putin, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Imperialism/colonialism |
1,280 | 05.07.2022 | West continues to supply weapons to Kyiv to prolong the conflict | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/west-continues-to-supply-weapons-to-kyiv-to-prolong-the-conflict | tlgrm.ru,tass.ru,News Rambler | Ukraine | Russian | The collective West wants to prolong the conflict in Ukraine, so it continues to carry out large-scale arms supplies to Kyiv. More than 28,000 tons of military cargo had already been delivered to Ukraine. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of aggravating the situation in Ukraine. The claims are presented as justification for the ongoing Russian military invasion against Ukraine.Russia's military invasion of Ukraine is a clear violation of international law. The Ukrainian Army and volunteers are fighting with Russian troops to defend their country from unprovoked Russian military aggression. The Western countries are providing Ukraine with military, economic, and humanitarian support.Some Western nations are sending weapons to Ukraine with the sole purpose of helping it repel the Russian aggression. Western weapons are expected to enable Ukraine to liberate its territories and restore its territorial integrity within the internationally recognised borders. Ukraine does not intend to move further into Russia within its internationally recognised borders.Read more disinformation cases claiming that Peaceful settlement in Ukraine is off the table for Western countries; US arms deliveries to Ukraine delay peaceful settlement; EU, Europe, NATO hamper peaceful solution in Ukraine.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | West, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Sergey Shoigu, Military |
1,281 | 05.07.2022 | Special operation aims to protect the people from the Ukrainian neo-Nazi genocide | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/special-operation-aims-to-protect-the-people-from-the-ukrainian-neo-nazi-genocide | livenews.am | Ukraine | Armenian | The goals of the special operation are to ensure the protection of people from the expected genocide by the Ukrainian neo-Nazi regime, to demilitarise the territory of Ukraine, to achieve its neutral position, which should be included in the Constitution. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, actively trying to legitimise Russia’s aggression by claiming that neo-Nazi Ukraine subjected the country's Russian-speaking population to "genocide".There is no evidence to support the claims of genocide by Ukraine. The Ukrainian authorities did not systematically exterminate or abuse the people living in the conflict zone. It was not an internal civil conflict but a well-documented act of aggression by the Russian armed forces, ongoing since February 2014. Articles 10 and 11 of the Constitution guarantee the free development of the languages and cultures of Ukraine’s ethnic minorities, including Russian-speakers.No evidence has been provided that ethnic Russians were facing systemic persecution at the hands of the Ukrainian authorities, much less the danger of annihilation on grounds of nationality, ethnicity, or cultural belonging. This has been confirmed by reports issued by the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE. For an overview of the Kremlin's deployment of the "genocide" narrative regarding Ukraine, see further debunking by EUvsDisinfo, Euromaidan Press, and POLYGRAPH.info.This false myth of Nazi Ukraine is a clear propaganda narrative that became a cornerstone in pro-Kremlin disinformation. Learn more about the reasons behind the Kremlin's obsession with framing Ukraine as a Nazi state in the EUvsDisinfo analysis titled "Nazi east, Nazi west, Nazi over the cuckoo's nest" and "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".Read more disinformation narratives about Ukraine allegedly perpetrating genocide against Russians.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Nikolay Patrushev, Nazi/Fascist, Genocide |
1,282 | 05.07.2022 | Poland in the final phase of annexing Ukrainian territories | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-in-the-final-phase-of-annexing-ukrainian-territories | News Front - German,fr.news-front.info | Poland, Ukraine | German, French | The lands of Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk (the Polish city of Stanislav), Volyn and Rivne regions have always been perceived in Poland as part of its historically unfairly rejected heritage. About 80 years of managing them from Kyiv did not change the views of Polish society at all.The Polish army has enough strength to establish control over the west of Ukraine. Moreover, the Verkhovna Rada itself has already prepared a number of bills regulating the new status of Polish citizens in Ukraine, which will allow them to hold public office and even apply for the position of constitutional judges. Thus, Poland is already actively creating a managerial apparatus, not yet physically located in Ukraine. At the same time, the formation of a large police contingent is actively underway, which includes the National Police of Ukraine. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders, fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.This narrative exploits difficult issues in Polish-Ukrainian history, without any factual basis.Poland was the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence, in 1991. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighbouring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine's territorial integrity.Instead, Poland is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland; it is allowing millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war access to the labour market and to health and social benefits. Moreover Poland is also activly supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.On 12 March 2022 the Polish parliament passed an act on assistance for Ukrainian nationals in connection with Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The special purpose act, in addition to regulating a number of issues related to the refugee’s stay in Poland, allows for favorable tax treatment of humanitarian aid expenditures incurred by corporations.In return, Ukrainian President Zelensky intends to submit a draft bill to the Verkhovna Rada on the status and assistance to Polish citizens in Ukraine, which is similar to the one, which has recently been endorsed by the Sejm of Poland in relation to Ukrainians.The pro-Kremlin claim that Poland is assimilating Ukrainian territories is manipulation and misrepresentation of this gesture.Read also related cases: Poland is actively assimilating the Ukrainian territory , The Kyiv junta has already agreed to the annexation by Poland , Poland intends to impose control over western Ukraine with the blessing of Washington , Poland will "bite off" Western Ukrainian lands at the first opportunity , Poland wants to occupy parts of Ukraine , Poland threatens the territorial integrity of Ukraine , Some in Poland see Western Ukraine as part of Poland , Poland will try to gain full military control in Ukrainian territories under the guise of protecting the Polish population from Russia | illegal annexation, WWII, Lviv, Ukraine |
1,283 | 04.07.2022 | The West meant to build a Nazi state in place of Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-meant-to-build-a-nazi-state-in-place-of-ukraine | null | Ukraine, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, Russia | The West has supported a coup d'état in Ukraine. They decided to replace the Kyivan Rus with Bandera and to build a real Nazi state on this foundation. Russia, a distinct civilisation with no nationalism, cannot lose the special military operation in Ukraine. Its goal is to protect people, who have been under genocide from the Kyiv regime for the past eight years. | This is part of a disinformation campaign aiming to justify Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine which is labelled as "special military operation". It contains recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Euromaidan, war in Ukraine, and "genocide" in Ukraine. It is also consistent with disinformation narratives about ‘Nazi’ Ukraine and it being a non-sovereign, West-ruled country.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been actively used by pro-Kremlin outlets as one of the favorite tropes for years to denigrate Ukraine. The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine appeared during the Euromaidan protests in late 2013 - early 2014, falsely presented in pro-Kremlin sources as a coup, when the then-president Viktor Yanukovych was toppled and later fled to Russia. The Kremlin has been using this myth since then to discredit Kyiv’s shift towards Euro-Atlantic policy.The war in Eastern Ukraine was a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces, but not a punitive military operation of the Ukrainian authorities. Russia was supporting its proxies with weapons, its active-duty soldiers served there and its top military commanders visited the war zone to coordinate joint efforts with the separatists. Despite all this Russia officially denied its military presence in Donbas for the past 8 years.There is no evidence that ethnic Russians were facing persecution at the hands of the Ukrainian authorities, much less the danger of annihilation on grounds of nationality, ethnicity, or cultural belonging. This has been confirmed by reports issued by the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE. For an overview of the Kremlin's deployment of the "genocide" narrative regarding Ukraine, see further debunking by EUvsDisinfo, Euromaidan Press, and POLYGRAPH.info.Read our recent articles on 7 myths of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, and Kremlin fabricated pretexts for the further invasion of Ukraine. For the background, see vol. 1 and vol. 2 of the series "What he said and what it really means".Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 24 May 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | null |
1,284 | 04.07.2022 | The West and Kyiv exterminated Russians in Ukraine and built a Nazi state | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-and-kyiv-exterminated-russians-in-ukraine-and-built-a-nazi-state | misrnews.com,akhbarak.net,newnews4.com,arabic.rt.com,elayem.news,lebanon24.com,sahafatak.net,nabd.com,hawamer.com,kachaf.com,msdernet.xyzShow more | Ukraine, Russia | Arabic | The West supported the coup in Ukraine, and then decided to transform the genetic makeup there. Kyiv replaced Russians with Bandera elements, and built a real Nazi state on this basis. | This is part of a disinformation campaign aiming to justify Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, which it has labeled a "special military operation". It contains recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Euromaidan, war in Ukraine, and a "genocide" in Ukraine. It is also consistent with disinformation narratives about ‘Nazi’ Ukraine.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been actively used by the pro-Kremlin outlets as one of the favorite tropes for years to denigrate Ukraine. The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine appeared during the Euromaidan protests in late 2013 - early 2014, falsely presented in pro-Kremlin sources as a coup, when the then-president Viktor Yanukovych was toppled and later fled to Russia. The Kremlin has been using this myth since then to discredit Kyiv’s shift towards Euro-Atlantic policy.There has not been any replacement of Russians or any other national minorities in Ukraine. The rights of Russian-speaking citizens are guaranteed by the Ukrainian constitution and legislation. Articles 10 and 11 of the Constitution guarantee the free development of the languages and cultures of Ukraine’s ethnic minorities, including Russian-speakers.There is no evidence that ethnic Russians were facing persecution at the hands of the Ukrainian authorities, much less the danger of annihilation on grounds of nationality, ethnicity, or cultural belonging. This has been confirmed by reports issued by the Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the OSCE. For an overview of the Kremlin's deployment of the "genocide" narrative regarding Ukraine, see further debunking by EUvsDisinfo, Euromaidan Press, and POLYGRAPH.info.Read our recent articles on 7 myths of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, and Kremlin fabricated pretexts for the further invasion of Ukraine. For the background, see vol. 1 and vol. 2 of the series "What he said and what it really means".Technical remark: This disinformation was published via RT Arabic on 4 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | West, Nazi/Fascist, Invasion of Ukraine, Ethnic Russians, Russophobia, Anti-Russian |
1,285 | 04.07.2022 | Russia found evidence that OSCE observers worked for the Ukrainian special services | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-found-evidence-that-osce-observers-worked-for-the-ukrainian-special-services | geworld.ge | Ukraine, Russia | Georgian | Russian troops found evidence proving OSCE observers worked for the Ukrainian special services.The [OSCE] mission staff conducted intelligence activities in the interests of the Ukrainian special services, as well as the special services of NATO countries. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation about the OSCE and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.There is no basis to claim that the OSCE observers worked for the Ukrainian special services. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) was deployed on 21 March 2014, following a request to the OSCE by Ukraine’s government and a consensus decision by all 57 OSCE participating States. The SMM was an unarmed, civilian mission, present on the ground 24/7 in all regions of Ukraine. Its main tasks were to observe and report in an impartial and objective way on the situation in Ukraine; and to facilitate dialogue among all parties to the crisis.The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission mandate expired on 31 March 2022, it was not extended as Russia had refused to support a consensus decision.Pro-Kremlin media also accused the OSCE of being biased towards Ukraine in the past. See similar disinformation cases claiming that the OSCE is a criminal organisation in favour of war in Donbas, that the OSCE's reports on Donbas do not correspond to reality, that the OSCE mission ignored wounding of three children in Donetsk, that Europe tells the OSCE observers when to ignore shelling in Donbas. | OSCE, NATO, Secret services, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine |
1,286 | 04.07.2022 | OSCE observers worked in the interests of the Ukrainian special services | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/osce-observers-worked-in-the-interests-of-the-ukrainian-special-services | tlgrm.ru,tlgrm.ru,vedomosti.ru,vz.ru | Ukraine | Russian | The special forces of the Russian Guard found documents in the Kherson region confirming the work of OSCE observers in the interests of the Ukrainian special services. | This is a recurring disinformation attempt from pro-Kremlin media to accuse the Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) of being biased towards Ukraine, and in this case of working for Ukrainian Special Services, and making accusations about Western belligerence against Russia.There is no basis to claim that the OSCE observers worked for the Ukrainian special services.In reality, SMM officials issued reports on a daily basis about the current situation in the war zone. One of the SMM’s main tasks was to observe and report in an impartial and objective way on the situation in Ukraine, and to facilitate dialogue among all parties to the crisis.The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) was deployed on 21 March 2014, following a request to the OSCE by Ukraine’s government and a consensus decision by all 57 OSCE participating States. The SMM is an unarmed, civilian mission, present on the ground 24/7 in all regions of Ukraine. Its main tasks are to observe and report in an impartial and objective way on the situation in Ukraine; and to facilitate dialogue among all parties to the crisis.Since its deployment in March 2014, the Mission issued 2432 daily reports and 242 spot reports.The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission mandate expired on 31 March 2022. No consensus was reached on the extension of the mandate. Russia blocks mandate extension of OSCE monitoring mission to Ukraine.See other examples of disinformation narratives about the supposed anti-Russian bias of international institutions- such as the OPCW, the World Anti-Doping Agency or the United Nations, which always falsely accuse Russia-, about the alleged Russophobia of the EU, and about “absurd” accusations against Russia as an attempt to demonise it. | War in Ukraine, OSCE, Invasion of Ukraine, International, Intelligence services |
1,287 | 03.07.2022 | Kyiv carrying out a genocidal policy towards the people of Donbas | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyiv-carrying-out-a-genocidal-policy-towards-the-people-of-donbas | lantidiplomatico.it | Ukraine, Russia | Italian | Kyiv was carrying out a genocidal policy towards the people of Donbas, initiated after the 2014 fascist coup, trying to deliberately anihilate all things Russian. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the war in Ukraine, portraying the Ukrainian leadership as pathologically Russophobic and bent on subjecting the country's Russian-speaking population to “genocide”. This is part of a disinformation campaign aiming to justify Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.There is no evidence Ukraine had plans to attack the non-government-controlled areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Contrary to this, on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine, which he called a special military operation citing NATO’s military infrastructure approaching the Russian border as a pretext. Another pretext for the so-called operation is the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine.The EU condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine and imposed the toughest restrictive measures on Russia. Read more about the EU response and support for Ukraine.See also the Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War and The Chilling Background to the Kremlin's "No War" trope.Read similar cases claiming that West has turned a blind eye to the genocide in Ukraine and that Russia is protecting people from mockery and genocide | Genocide, War in Ukraine, Donbas, Coup |
1,288 | 03.07.2022 | The West does not allow Ukraine to think and talk about peace | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-does-not-allow-ukraine-to-think-and-talk-about-peace | tlgrm.ru | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | The West is betting on the continuation of hostilities in Ukraine. Kyiv is not allowed to think and talk about peace. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of aggravating the situation in Ukraine and disrupting peace efforts.Recurring disinformation narrative about the Ukrainian statehood, trying once again to denigrate Ukraine as a non-sovereign puppet of the West and claiming that negotiations are under the Western control.Russia re-started its unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, despite multiple diplomatic attempts by Western leaders to avert the war.In reality, Western leaders have been repeatedly calling for talks and a peaceful solution to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, but Moscow has been ignoring these efforts. The West is not interested in war continuing at the heart of Europe.German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz and French President Emmanuel Macron have been especially active in diplomatic efforts with Russia, prior to its invasion of Ukraine.President Macron spent about 100 hours on phone with Putin discussing situation in Ukraine. He has consistently sought to engage directly with Russian president and has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in the conflict, including on an 80-minute phone call at the end of last month with the Russian leader and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz.By fully supporting Ukraine, the West does not interfere or deprive Ukrainians from peace talks. "Ukraine will decide political conditions for peace," French President Macron said.Pro-Kremlin media outlets often cast doubts on Ukrainian statehood and claim that Ukraine is not a real state and going to tumble down very soon. In reality, present-day Ukraine has been on the world map since 1991 when the Soviet Union disintegrated.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine has a functioning government and economy, it is a member of many international organisations (e.g. United Nations, Council of Europe), and a party to international agreements. The country is not controlled by any Western government or organisation. The EU, the UK and the US respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Moreover, Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost the whole world with Russia as the outstanding exception.Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity have been violated by continuous acts of aggression by Russian armed forces since 2014 culminating in a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022.Read more about the EU's response and support for Ukraine.See our guide to deciphering pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's war.See our account of the Kremlin's intention of the annihilation of Ukraine here. | Dmitry Peskov, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, West, Puppets, Sovereignty |
1,289 | 02.07.2022 | Poland plots to annex Western Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-plots-to-annex-western-ukraine | msdernet.xyz,ontime-news.net,medanps.com,nabd.com,arabic.rt.com,politica-eg.com,menkuwait.com | Poland, Ukraine | Arabic | Work is underway to create a Polish-controlled proxy state in western Ukraine, which would be "under the protection" of the Polish armed forces. At the same time, a project to form of a buffer zone in Central Ukraine is being considered, which, according to the Poles, will allow them to avoid an unwanted direct clash with Russia. The Polish authorities are convinced that the US and the UK will have to support this plan. According to Warsaw, with Russian forces advancing deep into Ukrainian territory, Washington and London are left with no choice but to show “unconditional support” to their ally who is ready to “resolutely defend Western interests in Ukraine.” | Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Ukrainian statehood, portraying Ukraine as a non-sovereign country, mixed with false claims about Polish imperial ambitions, as well as a conspiracy about the plans of Warsaw to establish a Polish ‘protectorate’ over the western Ukraine. There is no proof whatsoever of alleged covert plans of Warsaw to set up a 'Polish proxy state' in the Western part of Ukraine. Poland has no territorial claims upon Ukraine and actively supports Ukrainians seeking shelter in Poland during the war.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. The decisions are taken by the Ukrainian authorities: the President, the Verkhovna Rada, and the judiciary. Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected by almost the whole world with Russia as the key exception.Read more cases that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire; that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to them, and that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states.Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via RT Arabic on 03 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration, Sovereignty, Conspiracy theory |
1,290 | 01.07.2022 | Russian military hit a hangar full of weapons and ammunition in Kremenchuk | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russian-military-hit-a-hangar-full-of-weapons-and-ammunition-in-kremenchuk | geworld.ge | Ukraine, Russia | Georgian | The target of the Russian missile strike in Kremenchuk was a hangar with weapons and ammunition received from the US and European countries. The fire in the shopping center, which was not functioning, broke out due to detonations of ammunition stored in this hangar. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that Russian troops do not hit civilian objects during Moscow’s war of aggression in Ukraine.There is ample evidence that it was Russian pilots who struck the shopping mall in the city of Kremenchuk on 27 June 2022. 21 people were killed, 66 injured, including 26 people hospitalized. Ukraine’s Air Force Command established that X-22 missiles were fired from far-range Tu-22 M3 bombers in the skies over Russia. The bombers scrambled from an airfield in Russia’s Kaluga region and launched the missiles when they were flying over the Kursk region in Russia.Russia’s Defence Ministry itself admitted targeting the city of Kremenchuk with a high-precision strike, although it said that a military object was hit. According to it, Western weapons detonated in the warehouse, which caused a fire at a nearby shopping mall that was closed. It is not true, because there was no military object with Western weapons near the shopping mall.The Kremlin’s disinformation machine attempted to deny Russia’s fault in the bombing of a shopping mall in Kremenchuk, first calling it another “Bucha-like provocation” and then voicing various false claims. Read the full debunk at Myth Detector.The EU also condemned the Russian missile attack as another heinous act.Read more about the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, War crimes |
1,291 | 01.07.2022 | Russian forces did not fire at civilian objects in Odessa region | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russian-forces-did-not-fire-at-civilian-objects-in-odessa-region | de.news-front.info | Ukraine | German | Russian forces do not fire at civilian objects. The comment was given on the allegations that Russian forces had shelled residential buildings in Odessa.Earlier, the Odessa prosecutor's office had said that 19 people had been killed in a missile attack on a residential building.It was reminded that Russian troops do not attack civilian targets during a special operation, but target Army depots of the Ukrainian army, military enterprises and places where fighters gather.Russian forces do not target civilian targets and civilian infrastructure during the special military operation. At the same time, they work on warehouses, military ammunition, enterprises where military equipment is trained and repaired, ammunition is stored, places where mercenaries, including foreign mercenaries and nationalist elements, are concentrated and trained. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in order to deflect Russian responsibility. This claim was made in the context of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Numerous photos and videos from the scene of the shelling in Odessa region, as well as eyewitness accounts, refute the claim that the targetted residential buildings were "military targets". In the Odessa region, a missile attack was carried out overnight on the Belgorod-Dnistrovskiy district by Russian aviation Tu-22 aircraft, with three X-22 missiles hitting a residential building and two holiday resorts. There were at least 19 confirmed fatalities, including two children. Thirty-eight people were hospitalised, including six children and a pregnant woman. The first reports of Russian missiles hitting civilian targets in the Odessa region were published at around at 1 July at 2:00 AM. Later, as early as 6.20 AM, the first photos of the accident site were released by Ukraine's State Emergency Service. The photo shows a high-rise building significantly damaged on one side, with the ceilings of the floors destroyed. Videos that emerged later clearly show that one of the entrances to the building has been destroyed, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. Amateur video that emerged on the morning of 1 July also shows that the apartment building was punctured by a missile strike.The high-rise building that was hit by a Russian missile is a civilian residential complex. According to Odessa Oblast Administration spokesman Serhiy Bratchuk, 150-160 people lived in the nine-storey building. A video from the scene of the tragedy, taken after the body search was completed, shows the surviving residents of the building. Full debunk at StopFake (German); (Russian)The International Criminal Court has launched war crimes investigation over Russian invasion of Ukraine.According to multiple international media reports, Russian troops are regularly shelling and bombing residential areas, schools, kindergartens, hospitals, orphanages, churches and other civilian objects. They are also planting mines in cities. The Eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv has been the most damaged city in Ukraine.Russian troops are reportedly also using cluster bombs which are prohibited by the Convention on Cluster Munition, as well as thermobaric weapons, which may be subject to prohibition by the Protocol III of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons if used against civilian targets.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Invasion of Ukraine |
1,292 | 01.07.2022 | Claims that NATO is an exclusively defensive alliance are stupid and shameful | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/claims-that-nato-is-an-exclusively-defensive-alliance-are-stupid-and-shameful | news.am | EU, US | Armenian | NATO is constantly on the lookout for an external enemy that will keep the alliance alive. The meaning of NATO's existence was lost when the Warsaw Pact disappeared and the Soviet Union disappeared. Statements that NATO is an exclusively defensive alliance are stupid and shameful. NATO expanded five times in the post-Cold War years. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO, portraying it as a belligerent organisation. NATO is a defensive alliance with primary aims to maintain peace and safeguard the independence, security and territorial integrity of its members. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. NATO's official policy is that "the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia." Volountarily Central and Eastern European countries began seeking NATO membership in the early 1990s. This is an expression of free national political will. NATO actively sought to create a cooperative environment that was conducive to enlargement while simultaneously building special relations with Russia.Furthermore, the claim about NATO "expansion" misrepresents the process of NATO enlargement. NATO does not "expand" but considers the applications of candidate countries that want to join.The assertion that NATO has lost its raison d'être is unfounded. Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine is an example of a real Russian threat to the European continent. By own democratic decision Finland and Sweden decided to apply to NATO membership. This provides for a likely new enlargement of NATO with Finland and Sweden's accesstion to NATO.'The Russian Federation is the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area," NATO leaders stated in Madrid Summit Declaration.Read five Russian Myths debunked here.See similar cases in our database: The role of NATO is to increase the confrontation with Russia; NATO aims to destabilise Europe; Russophobic Baltic NATO-States responsible for turning defensive NATO-alliance into a confrontation with Russia; NATO is leading humanity to WWIII. | Sergei Lavrov, NATO, EU/NATO enlargement, Encircling Russia, Cold War, Anti-Russian |
1,293 | 01.07.2022 | Poland as NATO’s Eastern Flank is the offensive element aimed at capturing Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-as-natos-eastern-flank-is-the-offensive-element-aimed-at-capturing-russia | null | Poland, Russia, Germany, US | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Poland, Russia, Germany, US | Today, Poland does not have any type of conflicts with contemporary Russia similar to the problems it had with the Third Reich – there are no territorial disputes, no large concentration of the Russians in Poland and no Polish enclaves in Russia. The problems in bilateral relations appear when the Polish territory is used by the West to threaten Russia. Poland is presented as the “bastion of Western civilisation” and the Anglo-Saxon spearhead used to realise the dream of the international capital in conquering Russia and taking control over its resources. Poland will not receive anything even if this plan works. Poland is supposed to be NATO’s “Eastern Flank”, which is the offensive element aimed at capturing the enemy’s territory. After the Spanish summit, the Polish territory was qualified as the crush zone. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO.NATO is a defensive alliance with primary aims to maintain peace and safeguard the independence, security and territorial integrity of its members. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party.NATO's official policy is that "the Alliance does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to Russia." NATO didn't invade Georgia; NATO didn't invade Ukraine. Russia did.Central and Eastern European countries, Poland included, began seeking NATO membership in the early 1990s. NATO actively sought to create a cooperative environment that was conducive to enlargement while simultaneously building special relations with Russia.Furthermore, the claim about NATO "expansion" misrepresents the process of NATO enlargement. NATO does not "expand" but considers the applications of candidate countries that want to join. Decisions on membership are taken by consensus among all Allies.Since Russia began its aggressive actions against Ukraine, Russian officials have accused NATO of a series of threats and hostile actions.Read five Russian Myths debunked here.See similar cases in our database: The role of NATO is to increase the confrontation with Russia; NATO aims to destabilise Europe; Russophobic Baltic NATO-States responsible for turning defensive NATO-alliance into a confrontation with Russia. | null |
1,294 | 01.07.2022 | Finland has been dragged into a new Barbarossa operation against Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/plefinland-has-been-dragged-into-a-new-barbarossa-operation-against-russia | fr.news-front.info | Russia, Ukraine, Finland | French | Finland has decided officially to provide Ukraine with weapons to resist to Russian special operation.The reality is quite different: it is a new Operation Barbarossa against Russia.
The Ukrainian Armed forces are totally corrupt and the Finnish weapons are sold to Russia or to any country by corrupt [Western or Ukrainian] officers. Besides, Ukraine commited genocide in the Ukrainian territories they did not control. Finland is now an accomplice of genocide, since weapons are used to eliminate civilians. | Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique, using western marginal and extreme right wing outlets to legitimise disinformation, in this case picking and magnifying a claim made by a Finnish fringe outlet. Finnish fringe outlet, MV-Lehti, is a website that regularly attacks Russia’s critics, immigrants, Jews and the European Union. It involved itself in particular due to the Jessikka Aro case. In 2018, the website was involved in a trial with a judge issuing prison sentences and fines for the harassment and slandering of journalist Jessikka Aro.The claims in the article not consistent, if all weapons sent to Ukraine are sold on the black market including to Russia by corrupt officers, then they cannot be involved in a genocide against Ukrainians by its army or in a massive plan to conquer Russian territory in a modern Barbarossa operation [Nazi-Germany's 1941 attack on the USSR], on the contrary, it would help Russia in its attempt to defeat Ukraine.Claims of a genocide of Ukrainians by the Ukrainian army have also no grounds. The Ukrainian authorities did not systematically exterminate or abuse people living in the conflict zone. The claimed dead people – military and civilian alike - are a result of a war Russia started in Ukraine. It is not an internal civil conflict but a well-documented act of aggression by Russian armed forces, ongoing since February 2014. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine which has closely monitored the conflict had observed no such genocide.Claims of conquest of Russian territory by Ukraine are not backed by any facts. The claims that Ukraine was about to attack illegally occupied territories before the Russian invasion were also false.Read more about how Russian disinformation reuses Western figures to launder and legitimate disinformation: Using Western voices to spread disinformation. | Operation Barbarossa, fake news, Hate Speech, Invasion of Ukraine, Genocide |
1,295 | 01.07.2022 | Baltic limitrophes block Russian transit according to US and EU sanctions | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/baltic-limitrophes-block-russian-transit-according-to-us-and-eu-sanctions | tj.vesti.news | Russia, Lithuania, US, EU | Russian | The attempts of the Baltic limitrophes to block the Kaliningrad region, based on illegal US and EU anti-Russian sanctions, are equal to war announcement. Just a couple of wrong steps remain for Vilnius to start military actions.[... ] Thanks to shipments of NATO missiles, the West aims to prevent the liberation of the Nikolayev and Odessa regions by Russia rather than to open Ukrainian ports for exports of crops. | This article misrepresents the situation around the transit of Russian goods through Lithuania, and threatens it and other western countries with military actions. It distorts the facts around Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and contains recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Western aggressiveness towards Russia and about lost sovereignty / external control.The transit of goods between the Kaliningrad region and mainland Russia was interrupted because of the application of EU sanctions. The respective EU sanctions were adopted unanimously by all EU member states. The US is unrelated, contrary to the publication’s claim. As explained in more detail here, a set of EU sanctions, adopted back in mid-March 2022, kicked in on the 17th of June, prohibit the import and transit of certain iron and steel products originating from Russia. That said, the transit of passengers and non-sanctioned goods to and from the Kaliningrad region through Lithuania continues uninterrupted, and land transit between Kaliningrad and other parts of Russia has not been stopped.By referring to the Baltic states as “limitrophes” the publication spreads a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about non-sovereign Baltic countries. They and other European countries are frequently presented as “puppet-states” or colonies of Brussels, “Anglo-Saxons” or the United States, which allegedly fully controls the domestic and foreign policy of these countries.The article also completely distorts events in Ukraine by speaking about Russia’s intention to “liberate” the Ukrainian regions of Nikolayev and Odessa. Russia is not liberating Ukraine as it alleges, but carries out a brutal unprovoked aggression. Ukraine is a sovereign country which has a legitimate right to defend its territorial integrity from external aggression, and Western countries are providing Ukraine with economic, military, and humanitarian support.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Kharkiv is a Russian city, that Lithuanian decision to apply EU sanctions on the transit of goods to Kaliningrad is illegal, that Lithuania is a country with limited sovereignty, and that Lithuania exposed itself to Russia's nuclear strike.Technical remark: This disinformation was broadcast via Sputnik on 01 July 2022. Due to the EU decision to restrict the spread and dissemination of RT and Sputnik inside the EU, access to the link may not work inside the EU. | Kaliningrad, Anti-Russian, War in Ukraine, Sovereignty, Sanctions |
1,296 | 30.06.2022 | Poland wants to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-wants-to-create-a-puppet-proxy-state-in-western-ukraine | null | Poland, Ukraine, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Poland, Ukraine, Russia | In the emerging "critical" circumstances, Warsaw wants to go beyond the previously planned deployment of the Polish "peacekeepers" in Western Ukraine. Warsaw considers the creation of a Polish-controlled proxy state in the eastern borderlands, which will stay “under protection" of the Polish armed forces. It is possible that Warsaw also considers the creation of a “buffer zone” in central regions of Ukraine in order to avoid the undesirable direct clash with Russia. | Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. This is part of a pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about denying Ukraine's statehood and the disintegration of Ukraine. The claim is consistent with the recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative painting the post-2014 Ukrainian leadership as a Nazi/Fascist "junta," which allegedly came to power following a violent coup d'etat.Poland was the first country to recognise Ukraine’s independence in 1991. Poland, as well as the EU and the US, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Poland rejects any “imperial” ambitions toward other countries. Read more about the Eastern policy of Poland here.Poland is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland. It is allowing millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war access to the labour market and to health and social benefits. Moreover, Poland is also actively supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.On 12 March 2022, the Polish parliament passed an act on assistance for Ukrainian nationals in connection with Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The special purpose act, in addition to regulating a number of issues related to the refugee’s stay in Poland, allows for the favourable tax treatment of humanitarian aid expenditures incurred by corporations. In return, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy intends to submit a draft bill to the Verkhovna Rada on the status and assistance to Polish citizens in Ukraine, which is similar to the one, which has recently been endorsed by the Sejm of Poland in relation to Ukrainians.The pro-Kremlin outlet's claim that Ukraine would have already ceded the state sovereignty to Poland is manipulation and misrepresentation of these events.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.See earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland is actively assimilating the Ukrainian territory, that Poland intends to impose control over western Ukraine with the blessing of Washington, or that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia. | null |
1,297 | 30.06.2022 | The USA is raising imperialistic Poland as a new hyena for Europe | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-usa-is-raising-imperialistic-poland-as-a-new-hyena-for-europe | null | Poland, Ukraine, US, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Poland, Ukraine, US, Russia | The Americans are ready to fight not only against the Ukrainians – they persistently put pressure on the "young NATO members" such as Poland to push them towards direct involvement in the developments in Ukraine. The USA approves the absurd Polish fantasies about the new Rzeczpospolita [the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth], turning a blind eye to the inhuman and racist statements of the Polish elite and the spread of nationalist sentiments. In fact, the US is raising a new hyena for Europe. | This message is a part of the Kremlin’s widespread narrative about the US presence in Europe, alleging that the United States controls the foreign policy of EU member states, pushing them to a conflict with Russia.Poland, the USA and the other NATO members do not have any hostile plans toward Russia.The so-called "New Rzeczpospolita" project is a conspiracy theory that fits into the recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Polish imperial policies and aggressive plans towards Ukraine and Belarus. Poland fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine and Belarus, it does not have any territorial claims against its neighbours and it rejects any “imperial” ambitions towards other countries.See other cases of disinformation claiming that Vilnius and Warsaw planned to create a new Polish Empire on the ashes of Belarus; the US feeds Polish, Austrian, and Hungarian imperialistic ambitions and Polish authorities are obsessed with the idea of reconstruction of a modern Polish empire. | null |
1,298 | 30.06.2022 | Texas will vote to secede from the United States in 2023 | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/texas-will-vote-to-secede-from-the-united-states-in-2023 | ar.rtarabic.com,kachaf.com,arabic.rt.com,nabd.com,rtarab.com | US, Ukraine | Arabic | Texas could recognize the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics since there is a referendum scheduled in 2023 for the secession of the state from the United States. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about disintegration of the US. This claim was neither critically challenged nor counterbalanced in the article.There is no referendum scheduled in 2023 for Texas to secede from the United States despite some recurring calls for secession. While it is true that Texas Representative Kyle Biedermann introduced a bill that called for a "Texit" referendum in 2021, the bill ultimately failed and was rebuked by both Republican and Democrat representatives, with Republican state Representative Jeff Leach branding it a "disgrace" to Texas and the "very definition of seditious." | Sovereignty, Referendum |
1,299 | 29.06.2022 | Demonstrators in Brussels condemn NATO | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/demonstrators-in-brussels-condemn-nato | es.news-front.info | Belgium, Ukraine | Spanish | Demonstrators in a massive protest against high living costs in the heart of the EU yelled “Stop NATO!”. Dozens of thousands took part in the protest, and many linked the crisis with the West's policies on Russia. Besides expressing their anger for the rise of living costs in Belgium, many condemned the NATO alliance led by the US and its participation in the conflict of Ukraine. | The claim is false. The demonstration that took place in Brussels on 20 June 2022 was organised by labour unions to call the Belgian government to take action to tackle inflation and rise wages, and although it can’t be ruled out that some anti-NATO protesters could have taken part on it, the protest was ostensibly unrelated to the conflict in Ukraine. Attempts to link these demonstrations to a supposed anti-NATO sentiment are part of a wider disinformation campaign aiming to justify Russia’s unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. This false allegation was also picked by China’s Global Times in a now-deleted tweet (archived here), and refuted by Belgium’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the food crisis is associated primarily with the sanctions of the US and the West, that the actions of Western countries led to the blockade of grain supplies, that people in the UK have become so poor they might start eating each other, or that NATO’s policy of unleashing conflicts leads to huge losses and humanitarian catastrophes. | NATO, War in Ukraine, Protest, Economic difficulties |