Spilnota Detector Media
Detector Media collects and documents real-time chronicles of the Kremlin disinformation about the Russian invasion. Ukraine for decades has been suffering from Kremlin disinformation. Here we document all narratives, messages, and tactics, which Russia is using from February 17th, 2022. Reminder: the increasing of shelling and fighting by militants happened on the 17th of February 2022 on the territory of Ukraine. Russian propaganda blames Ukraine for these actions.

On 22 December, on the 1032th day of the full-scale war, our editorial office recorded:

2602
Fake
774
Manipulation
753
Message
541
Disclosure
Русскій фейк, іді на***!

Fake The UK is to give Ukraine fighter jets with crews

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that the UK is allegedly transferring fighter jets with military pilots to Ukraine. That is, they will lead the fighters, not the Ukrainian troops. The authors explain this by saying that Ukrainian pilots take a long time to learn, so they send “foreign mercenaries” to Ukraine. It is not true.

The VoxCheck project specialists took up this case and determined that the UK did not announce that it would provide fighters along with crews. That is, it is an invention of propagandists. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak previously announced that the British military would train Ukrainian fighter pilots. And already on May 15, 2023, the British government announced that it would begin training Ukrainian pilots in the summer. At the same time, Rishi Sunak explained that the UK does not plan to send fighter jets to Ukraine, it will only train the military. Consequently, the UK does not plan to transfer either fighters or crews to Ukraine.

By spreading this fake, the propagandists feed the narrative about the fight against the “collective event”. Allegedly, mercenaries sent by NATO are fighting on the side of Ukraine. Thus, the authors attribute their failures on the battlefield. Like, the whole world is fighting against them, and not just Ukraine.

Tactics and tools How Russian propaganda instrumentalizes religious issues for its own purposes

The Russian Orthodox Church categorically supports Russia’s war against Ukraine. The Russian Orthodox Church takes part in the deportation of Ukrainians from the temporarily occupied territories and raises funds to help the Russian army. Patriarch Kyrylo believes that the death of a Russian soldier in this war allows him to get rid of all sins. He is joyfully echoed by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is in canonical connection with the Russian Orthodox Church. Russian propaganda has repeatedly invoked religion to justify the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Long before 2014, the Kremlin used a dangerous weapon against Ukrainians - the soft power of religion. It is about the ability to influence through persuasion and argumentation, and not through coercion or violence. The Russian Orthodox Church is a form of soft power, and the strengthening of its religious supremacy serves the Kremlin's geopolitical goals.

Part of the Ukrainian clerics systematically plays along with the Russian propaganda machine. Let us remember the odious Pasha Mercedes, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who called the full-scale invasion of Russia “a war between America and Russia to the last Ukrainian”, rejoiced at the occupation of Kherson, and also spoke in unison with Russian propaganda, allegedly Russian troops “thrashed at those American laboratories in Kyiv and Odesa that the dust scattered from them ...".

Russian propaganda often depicts parishioners and clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) as martyrs for the truth, who are persecuted in Ukraine on religious grounds. Russia seeks to evoke strong feelings for the “suffering” believers (compassion, sympathy) and rage towards their “oppressors”. This tactic is often used by propagandists to divert attention from their own misconduct and to demonize opponents. For example, Russian propaganda compared President Zelenskyi and his “godless” policy towards the UOC with “manifestations of the devil”.

Russian propaganda is trying to discredit its “competitors” - the Orthodox Church of Ukraine: it labels them “schismatics” and in every possible way raises their authority. The policy of Ukraine towards the UOC is dictated by the Pentagon, which deliberately tries to breed all kinds of sects, cults, esoteric teachings of magicians, wizards and psychics, because these “religious subjects” are easy to control. For example, they can be forced to commit “terrorist acts” on the Crimean bridge or in Russia. This propaganda technique is designed to distract from the real situation, hide the true causes and consequences, and impose conspiracy theories.

All these propaganda techniques are designed to create the illusion of a religious civil conflict in Ukraine for both other states and Ukrainians, to split them along religious lines. Although in fact, all this is a well-directed performance in Moscow. The latest public opinion polls convincingly show that Ukrainians understand this: 78% of citizens believe that the state should interfere in one way or another in the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Among them, 54% believe that this religious institution should be completely banned in Ukraine.

Message The US seeks to provide Ukraine with the Iron Dome system to protect its weapons

This thesis was circulated in social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that the United States is ready to provide Ukraine with the Israeli Iron Dome system, just to protect its weapons. In particular, the Patriot anti-aircraft missile system. The authors refer to the material of the international television news channel PressTV.

The fact checkers of the VoxCheck project investigated this case and found out that, first of all, such information was not indicated in the material. The United States itself considered the Iron Dome program to strengthen Ukraine's air defenses. This was explained by the fact that the Patriot can shoot down ballistic and cruise missiles, aircraft, but is less effective in intercepting low-flying small drones. And the Iron Dome can handle such drones. And the material just said that US officials were considering providing Ukraine with a dome system, taking into account a number of features of its use.

The authors use the rhetoric of “protecting their own weapons” to hint at the low combat capability of the Ukrainian army. Allegedly, the United States wants to protect their weapons, and not Ukraine and Ukrainians. Thus, the authors expose the Ukrainian military as incompetent.

Fake China will support Russia in case of threat of World War III, Xi Jinping says

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The reports say that Xi Jinping declared his readiness to support Russia “in the course” of World War III. They say that the whole world helps Ukraine, but no one helps Russia. It needs help too. The authors add that Xi Jinping is sure how Russia will lead the “world order”. It's a lie.

Analysts of the VoxCheck project analyzed the case and found out that the quote was just made up. Xi Jinping didn't say that. Fact checkers verified the information using a Google search for keywords about support for Russia and World War III. They did not find such information in any authoritative publications.

Such a fake is part of the conspiracy theory that the Third World War is already ongoing or is about to begin. This is beneficial to Russian propaganda, in particular, to explain the duration and failures of the Russian army on the territory of Ukraine. Like, Russia is at war not only with Ukraine, but also with the “collective West”.

Fake The 92nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine resells ambulances

Telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric distribute ads from the Ukrainian website OLX allegedly selling ambulances. The authors claim that the 92nd brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is engaged in the illegal sale of cars. They also add that the military first collects money for these vehicles, and then they resell them and thus earn money. That is, they are cashing in on the Ukrainians. Information about the collection for the brigade (and its results) is added to the publications and the cars are compared with the announcements on the OLX website. It is not true.

The fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project managed to analyze the case, explaining that the 92nd brigade does not sell ambulances that they received from fundraising. The brands and type of cars in the photo with the collection are different from those exhibited at OLX. Fact-checkers studied the social networks of volunteers who carry out meetings specifically for the 92nd brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The pages publish the call to the meeting, their results, etc. The cars that are in the posts with the collection and are sold on OLX are different. They differ in brand and appearance. Actually fact-checkers also investigated the OLX site for the sale of cars. They noted that the cars have civilian Ukrainian and European numbers. At the same time, vehicles registered with a military unit have black military numbers. This can be seen in the fundraising publications for the 92nd Brigade.

That is, the propagandists did not provide any evidence that the Ukrainian troops are reselling cars for which they used to raise funds. The authors used random ads from the OLX platform, although these vehicles have nothing to do with the 92nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Message Ukrainian troops destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant as there was no explosion from inside it

This thesis was circulated in social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that it was actually the Kakhovka HPP that suffered at the hands of the Ukrainian military. Like, they destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant with their missiles. The propagandists also attach photo evidence of the surviving power plant from the turbine hall of the Kakhovka HPP. According to the conclusions of the authors, this proves that the alleged explosion occurred from outside. They also add that international organizations are aware of this, but are silent in favor of Ukraine.

The fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project worked on the case, and found out that the circulated photo shows only a part of the surviving machine room of the Kakhovka HPP. The other part is completely destroyed. This does not prove that the Kakhovka HPP was destroyed from outside. Fact-checkers showed a photo of the turbine hall before the destruction of the hydroelectric power station and found out that it is much larger than the propagandists showed. In addition, the thesis about the destruction of the hydroelectric power plant by Ukrainians is not true. Earlier, the chief project engineer of the Ukrhydroproject Institute, Mykola Kalinin, explained that the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant was indeed designed and built so that it could withstand a blow from outside. He further emphasized that the dam was built so that it could withstand any blow from the outside, but not from the inside. He thinks it was several simultaneous explosions from within. That is, the hydroelectric power station was mined from the inside of the building itself and the entire complex.

Russian troops seized the Kakhovka HPP on February 24, 2022 and used the station as a military facility. Ukrainian troops did not have direct access to the dam. The New York Times also provides evidence of the destruction of Russia's hydroelectric power plant. This is indicated by the access to the dam by the Russian military and the presence of engineering drawings of the hydroelectric power plant from the Soviet times of the construction of the structure.

Message Ukraine commits war crimes because it “transferred” the war to Ukrainian cities

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say Ukraine is actually committing war crimes by taking the war to the cities. Like, there are more people in cities, and they suffer from the fact that the military builds fortifications, “military bases in hospitals”, etc. According to the authors, the Ukrainian Defense Forces deliberately do not evacuate people from cities so that Ukrainian civilians would die.

The fact checkers of the VoxCheck project took up this case and determined that these theses are not true. They explained that Ukraine does not commit war crimes and did not “transfer” the war to Ukrainian cities since it is Russia that has been committing war crimes on the territory of Ukraine since 2014, shelling peaceful cities and terrorizing civilians. And after the start of a full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian authorities constantly organize evacuations from the front-line territories. The Russians are shelling Ukrainian territories, cities and villages, respectively, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are protecting civilians from the invaders.

It is clear that the military can equip the territory of the city for the needs of protection, without violating basic human rights and international law. Therefore, the allegation about the construction of military fortifications (or any fortifications in cities or villages) and violation of the rules of warfare is unfounded. On the contrary, it helps protect people from Russian shelling. With this message propagandists transfer responsibility from the aggressor to the victim as if the Ukrainian troops are to blame for the fact that Ukraine is shelled daily and they must defend themselves.

Orest Slyvenko, Artur Koldomasov, Vitalii Mykhailiv, Oleksandra Kotenko, Oleksandr Siedin, Kostiantyn Zadyraka, and Oleksiy Pivtorak are collaborating on this chronicle. Lesia Bidochko serves as the project coordinator, while Ksenia Ilyuk is the author of the project.