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 09 May, on the 805th day of the full-scale war, our editorial office recorded:

2133
Fake
691
Manipulation
647
Message
435
Disclosure
Русскій фейк, іді на***!

Fake The Ukrainian military takes “combat chemicals” to effectively carry out tasks at the front

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric disseminate information that the Ukrainian military is allegedly fighting under the influence of “combat chemicals” obtained in the form of chocolates and injections. Russian military officers report that it is psychotropic drugs that are behind the courage of the Ukrainian military and therefore they are not afraid of death. It is not true.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project. Russian propaganda has been systematically spreading fake news about drug addiction among Ukrainians since 2014. Russian propagandists have repeatedly stated that psychotropic substances were added to the food of Euromaidan participants and that they were used by ATO participants. Russian propaganda also accused the Ukrainian military of using drugs at the end of March 2022, when the Russians, under pressure from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, left the north of Ukraine. After the start of the counteroffensive, these topics re-emerged in the Russian information space.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to demonize the Ukrainian military and sow fear among Ukrainians about them. Also, Russian propagandists seek to justify Russian aggression - they say, Ukrainians need to be saved from aggressive Ukrainian fighters and the failures of the Russian military on the battlefield. Previously, we refuted the fake that the United States supplies drugs to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Fake “This time there won’t be enough candies for everyone”, the German publication Titanic published a cover with Zelenskyi

Russian information resources, broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric, are distributing the cover of the supposedly German satirical publication Titanic, which depicts the President of Ukraine and people wearing Zelenskyi masks, with the headline “This time there won’t be enough candies for everyone”. This is a hint that the world's attention is focused on Israel, and not on the war in Ukraine. It's fake.

The case was examined by the fact-checkers from the Center for Countering Disinformation. They determined that there was no actual issue of Titanic magazine with such a cover. On the publication's website one can find the latest issue for October, number 10, with a different cover. On the cover, which is distributed by Russian propaganda, the number is indicated - 11, the magazine itself is published once a month, so this is another confirmation that it is fake.

Thus, Russian propagandists are trying to promote the message that the West is tired of the war in Ukraine and has reduced support and will supply less weapons. All this is to sow panic among Ukrainians. Previously, we refuted the fake that the French magazine Charlie Hebdo dedicated its cover to the Hamas movement.

Fake In Ukraine, it is prohibited to communicate with Ukrainians in temporarily occupied territories

Russian media, broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric, are disseminating information that in Kyiv it is forbidden to communicate with residents of the temporarily occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region. Russian propaganda in this news refers to the so-called “representative of the local administration” of the Zaporizhzhia region, collaborator Volodymyr Rohov. Rohov claims that the “Zelenskyi regime” allegedly “imposes sanctions against people who communicate with those already living in Russia”. This is allegedly due to the fact that Kyiv “is afraid that the residents of Ukraine will understand that the Cossacks in Russia live better than they do”. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the fact-checker of the StopFake project. In Ukraine there are no sanctions on communication with residents of temporarily occupied territories (TOT). Information about the ban is the invention of Rohov’s collaborators. Interference in communication is poor communication on the TOT and lack of security guarantees. All this is a consequence of the Russian invasion.

Also, the Ministry for the Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine published rules for life under occupation, among which Ukrainians are advised not to lose contact with family and friends in the free territories under any circumstances.

Thus, Russian propagandists are trying to create the illusion that in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia, life is allegedly becoming better than it was under Ukraine, with high salaries and low prices. They also seek to show that Ukrainians are allegedly not interested in liberating the occupied territories. Previously, we talked about how Russia blurs reality with the help of a newspeak: new regions of Russia.

Disclosure Russian bots are spreading panic online about rising costs of living in Ukraine

In the Ukrainian segment of social networks, Russian robots spread information that prices in Ukraine are constantly being raised and they are profiting from Ukrainians. Allegedly, prices are rising and people will soon begin to starve. It is not true.

As the fact-checkers at the Center for Strategic Communications note, such comments about price increases in Ukraine are written by Russian bots commissioned by the Russian Digital Army group. They pretend to be Ukrainians and spread messages that Ukrainians will soon starve.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to destabilize the situation in Ukraine, cause panic among Ukrainians and distrust of the authorities. In fact, prices in Ukraine are rising due to the war that Russia started, but Ukrainians work and donate to the army. Earlier, Detector Media reported on the message that people in the country are starving and must stand in line for free lunches.

Fake Imam of the Grand Mosque of Paris thanks Ukraine for weapons for Hamas

Pro-Kremlin telegram channels are disseminating information that the Imam of the Grand Mosque of Paris allegedly thanked Ukraine for weapons for Hamas to attack Israel. An article allegedly appeared about this in the French publication RFI, Russian propaganda refers to it and seems to cite screenshots from it. It's fake.

The case was examined by the fact-checkers from the Center for Countering Disinformation. There is no article with similar content on the resources of the French publication RFI. Ukraine does not resell weapons from Western partners to Hamas militants.

Russian propaganda systematically promotes the narrative that Ukraine resells the weapons provided to it by the West. Thus, Russian propagandists seek to discredit Ukraine and reduce the support of Western partners. Previously, Detector Media refuted the fake news that Ukraine is selling weapons to Hamas.

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.