This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that people in the West lack the opportunity to succeed because local elites prevent it. Like, the prices for education, health care and childcare are “too high”. The authors of the messages refer to the material of the American Enterprise Institute, which also published a graph in the material, which allegedly shows that the West influences the economy badly. The graph shows the fall in prices for computer equipment, toys, televisions in the United States. On the other hand, one can notice an increase in prices for medicine, education, etc. Consequently, the authors conclude that “Western” elites create conditions under which it is “impossible for ordinary people to succeed”. This is manipulation.

The fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project investigated the case, they found out that the graph belongs to the economist Mark Perry. By it, he demonstrates the difference in pricing in selected areas, which is explained by the presence or absence of state influence. The material accompanying the chart does not say that the authorities are trying to restrict ordinary citizens from receiving services. That is, the propagandists distorted the context of the material and made up profitable graphics data.

In the article, the author mentions that this chart has been updated regularly over the past few years. It really notices the rise in prices in the field of medicine, education, etc. There is also a depreciation in technology, software, clothing. Perry attributes this to the impact of globalization: the more competition in the international arena, the lower the price of a product. Therefore, the cost of toys, equipment, and computer technology is cheaper. At the same time , the greater the degree of state participation in the provision of a good or service, the more the price rises over time. However, it is not about the fact that the Western leadership limits services for its citizens, the economist talks about general market trends and how high competition generates low prices for products and vice versa.

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that after agreements with Poland on a simplified regime for checking the export of agricultural products, timber, black soil and minerals will be exported from Ukraine. The authors of the messages add that Ukraine is “paying for help from the West”.

The case was noticed by the specialists of the VoxCheck project, who say that there is no confirmation that after the ban on the export of timber, it was exported from Ukraine. In addition, the West is helping Ukraine as a partner, not as a debtor for the provided weapons.

On March 3, 2023 Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solskyi and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland Henryk Kowalczyk agreed on simplified procedures for the passage of goods before export. In particular, this applies to Ukrainian grain and oil.

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that Ukraine is allegedly violating the Geneva Conventions by sending soldiers who have returned from captivity to the front lines. Like, the leadership of Ukraine is indifferent to the military, so they do everything as they want.

The specialists of the VoxCheck project investigated the case and determined that such a thesis is unfounded. In international humanitarian law, there is indeed an option of the exchange of prisoners, according to which a former prisoner of war is obliged not to return to military service. However, this is one of the options, so there is no evidence that Russia and Ukraine agreed on just such a release from captivity, because there are other formats for the exchange of prisoners.

There is no single rule in international law that all former prisoners of war must refuse to take part in hostilities. According to Jeroen van den Boogaard, researcher, consultant on international law in the Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, international humanitarian law provides for 4 options for the release of prisoners of war before the end of hostilities:

conditional early release of prisoners fit for service. Typically, the dismissal comes in exchange for a commitment not to use arms again in the same conflict; however, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) claims that the practice of such dismissal has been significantly reduced since 1949, and many states today prohibit their military from agreeing to parole;

the release of captives fit for service who were held captive for a particularly long period; such an exchange could be arranged using intermediaries such as a neutral state or the ICRC;

the release of wounded or sick prisoners of war who will benefit from treatment in a neutral state;

the release of prisoners of war who, for health reasons, are unlikely to be able to continue to participate in hostilities.

It is not known for certain which of these options Russia and Ukraine chose. The Ukrainian bodies involved in the exchange of prisoners of war did not report that the dismissed fighters would not be able to return to duty again, and did not disclose all the details of negotiations with Russia. Former prisoners also cannot publicly talk about all the details. At the same time, there is confirmation that in Ukraine there is no ban on the return of former prisoners to military service.

Such a “manual” is distributed on the telegram channels of the Russian segment and propaganda media. The reports say that Ukrainian journalists were allegedly provided with “manuals” on how to properly cover the events in the Bakhmut direction. Among the above “recommendations” it is forbidden to “express doubts about the victory of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Bakhmut direction” and “speak positively about the enemy”.

However, there is no such “a manual”. Hanna Maliar, a Ukrainian politician, public figure and Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, noted that “manuals” are not published for Ukrainian journalists, and that they are not real. The politician says that there is public information in the Ukrainian information space, so “you don’t need to transfer it in papers”. According to the politician, public information about current events is distributed daily in the Ukrainian information space, in particular, in the Bakhmut direction. Hanna Maliar cites the evening addresses of the President and daily publications from the Ministry of Defense or the General Staff as an example.

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say the UN has released a report discrediting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. The authors of the messages refer to the report for the period from August 1, 2022 to January 31, 2023. This is manipulation.

The fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project checked this thesis and found that the report refers to the situation with respect for human rights in Ukraine and in the territories occupied by Russia. During the investigation, the UN Commission recorded numerous war crimes committed by the army of the terrorist country. The UN report also identified specific war crimes, which include attacks on civilians and shelling of energy infrastructure facilities, deliberate killings, false imprisonment, torture, rape and other types of sexual violence, as well as the illegal transfer and deportation of children. However, the report did address issues of religious freedom.

Of the 38 pages of the report, several paragraphs were allocated to the topic of freedom of religion in Ukraine which took less than one page. That is why the thesis that the entire report is devoted to “discrimination against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate)” is manipulative. Moreover, in the report, in only one sentence, they suggested that the activities of the state against the UOC could be discriminatory, and did not claim this as a fait accompli.

Propagandists systematically spread manipulations about the UN report to hide their crimes from domestic audiences and show that Russia is not the aggressor and is not to blame for anything. For example, analysts of Detector Media analyzed a manipulation stating that the UN investigation “found no evidence of the genocide of Ukrainians” during the Russian-Ukrainian war. We explained the message that the so-called “evacuation” of Ukrainian children is “not a war crime”. They also found a message that allegedly the UN Security Council “does not care about the suffering of the inhabitants of Donbas”.

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The reports say that the Poles are exporting black soil from Ukraine by trucks. As proof, the authors add to the publication a video assembled from fragments of shooting the land fence and frames of the view of the road from the driver's cab. They also add to the reports that the first part of the video was filmed in the Kherson region, and the second one on the way to the Polish city of Mysłowice. In two parts of the video, one can allegedly see that one and the same truck is “taking out” black soil. It's a lie.

The case was noticed by the specialists of the VoxCheck project, who investigated that the video had been faked. At the same time, there is no evidence that the Poles are currently exporting black soil from Ukraine. Analysts refer to the refutation of the case by fact-checkers from AFP Polska. AFP showed the video to experts from the construction industry to identify the process of taking the land. The Polish building inspector explained that these are “works to remove the top layer of soil, which are the first stage of any construction”. This type of work could be done for a highway, warehouse, or other project. That is, the fake video shows not the removal of soil, but the removal of the top layer of ground to start construction.

Also, Polish fact-checkers found that the video allegedly shows one truck that carries black soil to Poland, but in fact, those were two different cars that are completely unrelated to each other.

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that supposedly French animators have produced the animated series “Ukraine Inc.” about Volodymyr Zelenskyi. The authors write that the cartoon depicts the “gloomy realities” of Ukraine. They say, in order to increase his own rating and accumulate financial capital, Zelenskyi, at the request of the West, launches a “military meat grinder” meaning he sends Ukrainians to their death. It is not true.

The specialists of the VoxCheck project investigated the case and found out that there is no evidence that the animated series was released by the so-called “French studio”. As the fact checkers explain, it is impossible to find a mention of a specific company on the network, and news about the series is distributed only in the social networks of the Russian segment.

The episodes of “Ukraine Inc.” are filled with clichés of Russian propaganda. Volodymyr Zelenskyi is portrayed as drug addicted and completely under the control of “Western curators” who direct him to sacrifice Ukrainians for the war with Russia. In the cartoon, they try to shift the responsibility for the numerous civilian casualties from Russia to Ukraine and the West.

Propagandists systematically spread fake stories about Ukrainian officials, in particular Zelenskyi, in order to discredit him. Thus, Russian propaganda uses the tactics of ridicule and tries to create the illusion that the leadership of Ukraine is despised in Europe. Previously, propagandists spread messages about fake graffiti with Zelenskyi in public places, fake magazine covers, etc.