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 23 December, on the 1033th day of the full-scale war, our editorial office recorded:

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

Fake The New European, British newspaper, dedicated its cover to Zelenskyi who is sitting on the lap of the Dalai Lama

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say British weekly newspaper The New European has published a cover purporting to show Volodymyr Zelenskyi sitting on the Dalai Lama's lap with a disgruntled British prime minister standing by. Also, on the cover there is the inscription: “How much money is a Briton willing to pay to end the “Ukrainian crisis””. This is not true.

The fact-checkers of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council drew attention to the case, and determined that such a cover does not exist. Fact-checkers went to the official website of the publication and found that the indicated number of the newspaper on the fake cover (No. 337) had not even been published yet. Now on the official website there is only a newspaper under the number 336.

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.

For example, earlier analysts of Detector Media refuted the fake about another cover with the image of Zelenskyi who was numb from the evil Jesus and Putin.

Fake The Orthodox Church of Ukraine “does not recognize” the church rites of the UOC-MP

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine refuses to recognize the church rituals of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. Like, even burials according to the customs of the UOC-MP are no longer recognized. As proof, the authors of the messages add a photo of the announcement posted in front of the cemetery. It states that the costs associated with reburial, according to the new requirements of the church, must be borne by the relatives of the deceased. It is not true.

The case was taken up by the fact-checkers of the project “Beyond the News”, who found out that there was no information from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine about objections to the rites of the UOC-MP. Therefore, as the fact-checkers say, the information on the “announcement” is not true. However, the fact-checkers were not able to see the signs of photoshop in the photo, so it is likely that the unknown person actually made an “announcement” and photographed it against the background of the cemetery.

At the same time, analysts note that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine does recognize the rites of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, while the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate denies the sacraments of the OCU. The Metropolitan of the Russian Church, in particular, recommends rebaptizing those people who “have not been baptized in a real Orthodox Church”.

Fake Dmytro Kuleba “forbade” Russian and Belarusian female tennis players from defeating Ukrainian women

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that Dmytro Kuleba is “afraid” of the victory of Russian and Belarusian tennis players at Wimbledon, as the tournament authorities recently lifted the ban on the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes. Like, Dmytro Kuleba “banned” Russian and Belarusian female tennis players from defeating Ukrainian women. As evidence, the authors of the messages refer to the material of the British edition of Express. It is not true.

The experts of the StopFake project drew attention to the case and found that this quote was invented. In a commentary to Express, Kuleba noted that the admission of Russian and Belarusian tennis players to Wimbledon would be a victory for Russian propaganda and a sign that the West “can be shaken”.

Tennis players from Russia and Belarus will be able to play at the Wimbledon tournament in 2023. The decision to admit athletes was made by the organizer of the tournament, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC). At the same time, only neutral athletes will be allowed to compete in the tournament, and only those who do not receive any state funding from Russia or Belarus. First of all, athletes should not support Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to the BBC, the players and their team members will sign an appropriate declaration with the specified conditions of participation. Violation of the declaration entails a fine or disqualification.

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.