This message is spreading in pro-Russian anonymous telegram channels.

To promote the message, they use quotes from a Russian scientist who believes that in order for the West to stop providing weapons to Ukraine, Russia must demonstrate “nuclear power and nuclear deterrence.” The main attention supposedly should be given to intimidation of states that have common borders with Russia - Poland, the Baltic countries, Romania and Bulgaria. According to the Russians, "the fear of a devastating nuclear retaliation must be constantly present in the opinions of the leaders of NATO states." Propagandists justify the use of brute force as a determining factor in international relations.

Russian media write about this with reference to an article in The Economist. They said, Kyiv was advised to "cool down" in the Kherson direction.

The Economist did publish an article called "Stay cool on Kherson". The authors talk about why the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kherson region should act with caution and explain that the Russians managed to capture Mariupol, Severodonetsk and other cities because they were not afraid to destroy them. Instead, the Ukrainian army is trying to avoid the destruction of Ukrainian cities. Propagandists manipulate the translation of the phrase "stay cool". It can be translated as "cool down", but given the text of the article, it is more about "keeping calm". The authors of the article analyze the advantages and disadvantages of both armies in the context of the battle for the Kherson region. However, Russian propaganda manipulates by emphasizing the advantages of the Russian army, and diverts attention from the fact that the authors of the article believe that the Ukrainian army will have better positions in this battle.

Anonymous Telegram channels and Russian media are spreading the news that allegedly the six largest European countries have not made new "war promises" to Ukraine for the first time since the beginning of the "special operation". They said that military aid could weaken precisely when Kyiv announced a counteroffensive. Allegedly, this is stated in an article by Politico.

As StopFake writes, the Politico article does not contain any information that European countries have abandoned their promises. The article deals with two problems: the reduction of weapons stocks at the moment in those countries that have actively helped Ukraine since the beginning of the war, as well as the delay in the supply of weapons from Germany and France. The article emphasizes that Germany and France should better fulfill their promises and help more actively.

Anonymous telegram channels and Russian media "quote" an interview with Deputy Head of the National Bank of Ukraine Serhii Nikolaichuk to Rabbit Hole. They say that the stocks were transferred for storage "until the situation normalizes," but now Kyiv is unlikely to be able to return them. It is not true.

Serhii Nikolaichuk did not say that either in this interview or in any other. There are no mentions of gold reserves in the Rabbit Hole interview. They are talking only about the problems and challenges of the Ukrainian economy during the war. The information was checked by the StopFake fact checkers. No amendments were made to the article on the export of gold and foreign exchange reserves.

According to the National Bank, as of August 1, monetary gold makes up only 6.7% of the gold and foreign exchange reserves. Most of the gold and foreign exchange reserves (54.9%) are securities, another 38.3% is in cash accounts. In general, the gold and foreign exchange reserves of Ukraine are a collection of reserves that are placed in different places and forms, so it is impossible to take the “entire stock” to Poland.