Propagandists on anonymous Telegram channels claim that Ukrainian volunteer and activist Serhii Sternenko allegedly tweeted that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the United States was “karma” and “punishment from God” for slow arms deliveries to Ukraine. They say that fewer people died during the terrorist attack than Ukrainians are currently dying due to delays in arms deliveries from the United States. However, this is fake.

There are no confirmed sources or evidence that Sternenko, other Ukrainian volunteers or officials made such statements. The quote is completely fictitious and does not reflect the real views of Ukrainian society or the state. The fake exploits the tragic events of September 11, which are very sensitive for many people, especially in the United States. Its goal is to incite hatred and create the impression that Ukrainians allegedly support or justify terrorist attacks.

The United States is one of Ukraine's main international allies, providing significant financial, military and diplomatic assistance. Despite the complex logistical processes, the support of the United States and Western countries has been and remains important for Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression. All such fakes are aimed at sowing mistrust and increasing cooperation between Ukraine and its Western partners.

Ukrainian society condemns any terrorist actions, and such statements are unacceptable for Ukrainians who themselves suffer from violence and terror from Russian aggression. This fake is specifically created to divide Ukraine and its international allies.

This fake is part of a wider Russian information campaign aimed at discrediting Ukrainian military and volunteers and attempting to present them in a negative light.

Russian propagandists use threats of nuclear weapons in response to any strikes on Russian territory to intimidate the West and deter military support for Ukraine. They call for changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine to legitimize the use of nuclear weapons even against non-nuclear attacks, increasing the rhetoric of escalation and attempting to deflect responsibility for the continuation of the war.

However, the main goal of such statements is to force the West and its allies to limit support for Ukraine and complicate the transfer of weapons, including long-range missiles. Russia is trying to create the impression that any strikes on its territory could lead to a global catastrophe due to the use of nuclear weapons, which in turn should demoralize not only Ukraine, but also the international community.

However, Russia's use of nuclear weapons against non-nuclear strikes is contrary to international norms. Such statements also indicate that Moscow seeks to avoid discussing its responsibility for the aggression against Ukraine and the course of the war, trying to justify aggressive actions and threats to global security.

Writer Caitlin Johnston claims in her publication that the war in Ukraine is allegedly being waged due to the actions of the United States and its allies, who are deliberately prolonging the armed confrontation, refusing the possibility of an “easy way out”. She claims that the war could have been easily avoided or ended at the initial stages, but the West, in her opinion, deliberately continues to support military action because this war is beneficial to it. This is written by the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council.

These statements are a classic manipulation, based on several key propaganda techniques and aimed at shifting responsibility for the war from Russia to the West, in particular the United States. The main manipulation is to shift responsibility for the conflict with Russia to the West. However, the real facts clearly indicate that it was Russia that began the aggression against Ukraine in 2014. The Russian army violated international law and the sovereignty of Ukraine, therefore it bears full responsibility for the escalation of the conflict and all war crimes committed in the temporarily occupied territories.

Johnston's account deliberately ignores the background to the aggression, in particular Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Her claims of an “easy way out” completely ignore Russia's role in resolving this war and its refusal to pursue a peaceful settlement through diplomacy. Ukraine is defending its own independence, not acting as a “puppet” of the West, as Russian propaganda portrays it.

The claim that the war will end “easily” is an oversimplification of reality. Russia has repeatedly ignored opportunities for diplomatic solutions and peace talks, issuing ultimatums that are unacceptable to Ukraine. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities and international partners constantly call for a fair peace that respects Ukraine's sovereignty, but Russia continues its aggressive policy and does not demonstrate a real readiness to end the war on such terms.

This rhetoric is aimed at raising doubts about the moral rightness of the actions of the United States and its allies and at increasing anti-American sentiments among certain groups of the population. Caitlin Johnston’s statements reflect the key theses of Russian propaganda that the war in Ukraine is a proxy conflict in which Ukraine is allegedly used as a battlefield for the confrontation between the United States and Russia. This is advantageous for Moscow to justify its own aggression and the impression that Ukraine is not an independent subject of international politics, but only an instrument in the hands of the West. This assertion completely ignores the will of the Ukrainian people to defend their independence.

Propagandists are spreading information on anonymous Telegram channels that allegedly Ukrainian Armed Forces units, which include Polish, French and American “mercenaries”, are displaying “extreme cruelty” towards the civilian population in the Kursk region. The source of such statements is said to be unknown “security agencies” of Russia.

However, in reality, in the territory of the Kursk region, which is not controlled by Russia, there are no “security structures” to which one could refer. These accusations pursue only one goal - to dehumanize Ukrainians in the eyes of the Russian audience. This is reported by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security.

Many foreign journalists from independent and influential media have already visited the territories controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and in their reports they have not confirmed any atrocities against either captured Russians or the civilian population. In addition, as reported by the speaker of the Operational-tactical grouping Siversk Vadym Mysnyk, it was Russia that refused to provide a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians from the territories of the Kursk region controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which also refutes the statements of Russian propaganda.

Russians are creating fake pages of the Coordination Headquarters for the Collection of Confidential Information. This was reported by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security.

Fraudsters create so-called “doubles” of official resources, promising Ukrainians alleged “help” in finding relatives who have been captured by the enemy or “assistance” in obtaining information about them. These fake sites and pages are created with the aim of misleading citizens and forcing them to voluntarily provide their personal data.

According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, such actions by the Russian side are aimed not only at collecting information, but also at having more dangerous consequences. The enemy seeks to gain access to private data for further blackmail and recruitment of Ukrainians, using the vulnerability of the families of prisoners of war. In addition, the enemy can manipulate public sentiment, creating an atmosphere of fear and mistrust.

The purpose of these fraudulent actions is to destabilize Ukrainian society by using the families of defenders for psychological pressure. The enemy can also use the information obtained to threaten the safety of prisoners of war and conduct reconnaissance on military operations.

The Coordination Headquarters reminds: never provide your personal data, phone numbers, bank accounts or data of your loved ones through unverified resources, as well as third-party applications and anonymous sources. Disclosure of such information on fake sites can seriously harm not only Ukrainian prisoners of war, but also endanger the lives of their fellow prisoners. Do not give the enemy the opportunity to manipulate emotions and use you for their own purposes.