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 26 November, on the 1006th day of the full-scale war, our editorial office recorded:

2547
Fake
761
Manipulation
739
Message
536
Disclosure
Русскій фейк, іді на***!

Disclosure Cybercriminals are sending dangerous emails that mention the Operational Command "South"

The Government Computer Emergency Response Team of Ukraine, CERT-UA, has warned of a new cyber attack in which criminals are sending the file "Report_050722_4.ppt", which contains a thumbnail image that mentions the operational command "South." If you open the document, it will open the AgentTesla malware on your computer and steal your information. CERT-UA noted that the attack could be directed against state organizations in Ukraine.    

Manipulation Russia has expanded the geography of hostilities through the supply of HIMARS to Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Serhiy Lavrov said that due to the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine, Russia changed the offensive's objectives on Ukrainian territories, expanded the geography of hostilities, and decided not to limit itself to the capture of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. In particular, he mentioned HIMARS, saying that because of this weapon, Russia should "move away from the current line" of the front.

In fact, the fighting is currently taking place in those regions of Ukraine that the Russian military attacked back in February-March 2022, except for the Kyiv region. It's about Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions. Therefore, theses about the "expansion of geography" through HIMARS is a manipulation, which is part of the message that the supply of weapons by the West seems to indicate the desire of Western countries to "continue the war in Ukraine for their benefits." In this way, Russia tries to demonize the "collective West" and present itself in a "positive" context, saying that it is "defending itself, not attacking."    

Fake Centers of "black transplantology" work in Ukraine

Russian media spread information that "black transplantology" centers allegedly operate in Ukraine, dealing with illegal human organ transplantation.

For the past eight years, Russian propaganda has constantly been promoting the message that Ukraine is a "supplier of spare parts for Americans and Europeans." It has turned into a center of illegal transplantology and organ trafficking. For example, in the spring of 2022, Russian propaganda launched a fake that the Ukrainian military allegedly "trades the organs of dead and wounded Ukrainian soldiers." Later, they tried attributing involvement in "black transplantology" to Juliia "Taira" Paievska. Media Detector has already refuted these fakes before. It is a lie that has no facts behind it. According to the Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center, the existence of "black transplantology" centers in Ukraine is impossible. "In 2020, the director of the National Institute of Surgery and Transplantology, named after O.O. Shalimov, Oleksandr Usenko said that not just one or two people should be involved in a transplant operation, but more than 150 professional and experienced doctors. In addition, appropriate high-tech support and conditions for storage and preservation of organs should be equipped, says the KAC. To do a transplant, you need to know the donor and the patient in advance, do many tests, perform complex operations, fulfill the conditions for transporting organs, etc. It is impossible to do this in the field."    

Manipulation Residents of Germany are demanding the launch of Nord Stream 2 by the authorities

Russian media spread information that the Germans are demanding the launch of Nord Stream 2 by the German authorities. Russian propagandists note that the demands of German citizens are caused by alleged fears after Vladimir Putin's statement that the freezing of the gas pipeline took place at the initiative of the German side. This article consists of comments on a German newspaper Die Welt report.

In fact, it is manipulation and one of the tactics of Russian propaganda - to publish comments under foreign publications articles for society's " opinion. " In 2021, Cardiff University's Institute for Crime and Security Research investigated this operation of the influence of Russian propaganda and concluded that the comments of readers who published pro-Kremlin content showed signs of "inauthenticity and coordination." So, the work of the commentators is organized and supervised. This study shows that Russia uses provocative pro-Russian or anti-Western comments in response to articles in Western media, including Die Welt, for its propaganda. "Then these comments are used by many Russian-language mass media, which take them as a basis for materials about politically controversial events. "Marginal mass media" and websites with experience spreading disinformation and propaganda also write about them. This influence operation was uncovered as part of an investigation into online activity amid tensions between Ukraine and Russia in early 2021. But researchers believe that the use of this tactic has been spreading since 2018," the Institute said.    

Fake Ukrainian refugees blocked the road and started a fight in Italy

Russian media spread information that Ukrainian refugees allegedly staged a protest and blocked the road in Italy, which caused dissatisfaction among local motorists, which is why the fight began. In the video published by Russian propagandists, drivers push protesters in yellow vests off the road, take away posters and throw them behind roadblocks.

In fact, Ukrainians had nothing to do with this action, and local eco-activists organized it from Extinction Rebellion. According to StopFake, this video was published by Italian and British media a month before Russian media distributed it. "Activists of the socio-political movement Extinction Rebellion fight non-violently against climate change and the loss of biodiversity. Climate activists usually block bridges or highways during protests, as they did in Italy on June 14. This time Extinction Rebellion activists blocked the Great Ring Road of Rome (Grande Raccordo Annulare di Roma). It became the cause of fighting. The outraged drivers began to beat the protesters in response," the fact-checkers said and added that the Italian mass media and law enforcement officers did not find any facts proving Extinction Rebellion's connection with Ukraine.    

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.