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 08 October, on the 957th day of the full-scale war, our editorial office recorded:

2439
Fake
737
Manipulation
719
Message
520
Disclosure
Русскій фейк, іді на***!

Fake In Khmelnytskyi region, as a result of Russian shelling chemicals leaked

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. On May 13, the Russians attacked Khmelnytskyi with drones and the bombardment resulted in the release of harmful chemicals into the city. It is not true.

The press service of the city council of Khmelnytskyi denied this information. They explained that not a single chemical leak had occurred. The Russians attacked Khmelnytskyi on May 13 and damaged critical infrastructure. In general, the Russians damaged educational and medical institutions, administrative buildings, industrial facilities, multi-storey and individual residential buildings.

The city council of Khmelnytskyi believes that such fakes are designed to destabilize the mood of Ukrainians and intimidate them. At the same time, analysts of Detector Media have previously analyzed cases related to allegedly polluted cities in Ukraine. For example, we refuted the fake about “contaminated Kherson water”.

Fake In Ternopil region, ammunition with uranium exploded

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that during an air raid on May 13 around 10:35 p.m., explosions were heard in a warehouse in Ternopil. The authors of the reports add that the Russians got into the train, where there is ammunition with uranium. That is, the fire was dangerous, because uranium can emit radiation. It is not true.

Espresso journalists spoke with the head of the Ternopil regional administration, Volodymyr Trush, who said that no ammunition was detonated during rocket attacks. In addition, there is no enriched or depleted uranium in Ternopil. Volodymyr Trush also confirmed that there is a stable ecological situation in Ternopil. He explained that in the conditions of war in the city, the level of radiation is measured twice a day. So, the indicators have not changed and do not exceed the norm. That is, the city is clean and there is no danger.

By spreading this fake, the authors seek to destabilize the mood of Ukrainians and once again intimidate them with “nuclear bombing” of Russia. Let us remind you that earlier analysts of Detector Media also analyzed the case related to “nuclear weapons” in Ukraine. We analyzed the message where the propagandists claimed that the Ukrainian military was using banned weapons with a high content of uranium.

Tactics and tools How Russian propaganda uses out-of-context tactics

Out-of-context is a conscious or unconscious mistake in which a certain passage of text is taken out of it and often takes on a completely different meaning, out of context. In propaganda, this technique is often used to manipulate the words of famous people, in particular politicians or the military.

Russian propaganda constantly uses words and phrases taken out of context to discredit Ukraine in various ways. So, in June 2022, disinformers dispersed the message, supposedly the then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that “the world is tired of Ukraine”. In fact, the head of the British government warned against a possible “slight Ukraine fatigue” that has begun to appear in the world. Johnson also stressed that it would be a “disaster” if Russian President Volodymyr Putin succeeded in Ukraine.

Propagandists recently circulated a distorted speech by US Chief General in Europe Christopher Cavoli, where he allegedly said that the Russian military allegedly “has not been affected negatively” in the war, and Western media seem to distort information about the “degradation” of Russian troops. In fact, the general stated only about Russian patrols in the Atlantic Ocean, that it was precisely this part of their troops that the war had not affected.

Russian disinformers spread a manipulative message that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi carries a pistol with him to shoot himself in case of danger. In fact, Zelenskyi has a gun exclusively for self-defense.

The fantasy of Russian propaganda sometimes leads to curious cases. So, in June 2022, propagandists took the words of the wife of the President of Ukraine Olena Zelenska out of context and distorted them so that their 9-year-old son Kyrylo is allegedly a military adviser to the President. In fact, Olena Zelenska told the British newspaper Daily Mail how she communicates with her children on the topic of the war and how the reaction of her eldest daughter Oleksandra and her youngest son Kyrylo differ. This was done in order to ridicule Volodymyr Zelenskyi, show his alleged incompetence and reduce the authority of the President in the international arena.

Manipulation Kyryl Budanov urged to “kill Russians like Hitler did in his time”

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The reports say that the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyryl Budanov, called for “killing Russians”, just like Hitler did in his time. Like, Ukrainian officials are lobbying for the idea of killing Russians on a national basis. The authors of the messages refer to the statement of the first deputy head of the international committee of the Council of Federations of Russia, Volodymyr Dzhabarov. This is manipulation.

The specialists of the StopFake project took up the case and determined that Kyryl Budanov did not say such things, and his words were taken out of context. The reason for creating this manipulation was an interview for Yahoo News, where the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate spoke about the Russian army and their war crimes. He explained that punishment for such people cannot be avoided. He also said that the Ukrainian army is destroying the Russians and will destroy them until the complete victory of Ukraine. That is, Kyryl Budanov did not call for the killing of all “Russians” on a national basis. He mentioned only those Russians who hosted or are participating in the war against Ukraine and commit war crimes by killing Ukrainian civilians.

By spreading such manipulation, propagandists seek to once again feed the narrative about the existence of Ukrainian Nazis. Therefore, the Russians whitewash themselves and justify the wide-scale war and the daily war crimes committed by the Russians. Like, the goal of Ukraine is to destroy the Russians, so they are defending themselves.

Manipulation Greece opposed the supply of weapons to the Ukrainian army

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Official protests were held in Athens on May 7 against the war in Ukraine, including against the supply of weapons to the Ukrainian army. The authors of the messages add that this rally in support of Russia was initiated by NATO itself. This is manipulation.

The fact-checkers of the StopFake project drew attention to the case, and they found that anti-war rallies were indeed held in Athens, consisting of several dozen people and during which the participants chanted pro-Kremlin slogans. However, this rally was not held with the participation of the current authorities of Greece and, accordingly, it does not reflect the official position of Greece regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war. As the fact-checkers explained, the rally was initiated by Russian forces, Greek communists and left-wing parties that do not have political weight in their own country. At the same time, the Greek authorities support Ukraine in confronting Russian aggression, even the country's defense minister noted that Greece “will provide military assistance to Ukraine as much as necessary”.

By spreading such manipulation, the propagandists are trying to convince everyone that Ukraine should allegedly not be supplied with weapons, because, first of all, the Europeans are against it. Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to reduce military aid to Ukraine.

Fake Ukrainian refugees in Estonia are forced to join the local army

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that the Estonian authorities are forcing Ukrainian refugees to join the local army, threatening deportation. Like, if the Ukrainian refugees do not stand up in defense of Estonia, they will be returned back to Ukraine. The authors allegedly refer to the statement of the Embassy of Ukraine in Estonia - this is not true.

The case was noticed by the experts of the StopFake project, who determined that Ukrainian refugees in Estonia are not mobilized or sent to the front. The propagandists simply came up with such information. Fact-checkers turned to the Ukrainian Embassy in Estonia for comment, where they were also told that the information about the mobilization of Ukrainian refugees into the Estonian army is not true. In addition, analysts checked a special website in Estonia created for Ukrainian refugees. Among the published information, they did not find any evidence of mobilization into the Estonian army.

By spreading such a fake, propagandists want to undermine the authority of Ukraine's brother countries. Allegedly, they really use the Ukrainians, for example, by mobilizing them into their own army. Thus, Russian propaganda demonizes Ukrainian partners and seeks to cause mistrust towards them.

We recall that earlier we refuted a fake, which also had the goal of defiling the vision of Ukrainian partners and exposing them with bad intentions. We are talking about the case that the Polish authorities allegedly would use Ukrainians as cheap labor in order to subsequently provide a good life for the Poles.

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.