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 Fascist crosses are depicted on Ukrainian armored vehicles

Information about this along with a photo, which allegedly proves the fact that Ukrainian vehicles are depicted with fascist symbols, is being distributed in social networks and Russian media.

Propagandists claim that fascist crosses are depicted on armored vehicles used by the Ukrainian army. However, the sign that can be seen in the photo has nothing to do with Nazism or fascism. The photo published on social networks shows a soldier standing against the background of an armored car. The presence of the Ukrainian flag allows us to assume that this is military machinery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

A symbol in the form of a cross is visible on the car door. Lithuanian fact-checkers drew attention to the fake in the networks. Most likely, the emblem of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, approved in 2009 by the decree of the ex-President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko, is depicted on the door of the armored car. It is a straight equilateral cross with crimson branches, in the center of which there is an image of the Princely State Emblem of Volodymyr the Great in a round blue medallion.

By spreading such fakes, Russian propaganda once again wants to nourish the narrative that Ukrainians are Nazis.

Message Investigation team issues flawed verdict on MH17 crash as no Russian experts involved in such investigation

This statement is spread online by Russian propaganda media. They say that the investigation of the MH17 crash was conducted according to one possible scenario that was beneficial to the Ukrainian side.

In the reports, the propagandists add that this happened due to the fact that representatives of the Ukrainian side were included in the joint investigation team, while Russian forensic experts and other specialists were excluded. That is why in Russia they are convinced that the verdict has many shortcomings, gaps and hidden facts. In fact, according to the EU vs Disinfo project analysts, the verdict of the Hague court, published on November 17, 2022, was based on strong evidence, and alternative scenarios were evaluated and excluded based on the evidence.

The Court in its decision noted that it is certain that MH17 was hit by a “Buk” missile fired from a farm field near Pervomaisk in Ukraine. This field was located on Russian-controlled territory. “This is clear from photographs of a smoke trail in the sky, statements by a protected witness, satellite images, intercepted telephone conversations and data on broadcast, photographs and video of delivery and dispatch of the “Buk”. Investigations in the Netherlands and abroad found no evidence of falsification. Alternative scenarios, such as that the “Buk” missile was fired from another location, are excluded based on the evidence provided”, the court said in its verdict.

Also, EU High Representative Josep Borrell called the verdict “an important first step towards truth and accountability”. He also stressed that "the EU once again calls on Russia to recognize its responsibility for this tragedy". However, Russia, spreading the theses that the investigation team worked poorly, seeks to cast doubt on the results of the investigation and, in the end, once again justify itself.

Fake Josep Borrell says Europeans need to freeze to death for democratic ideals

This is the thesis that pro-Russian users share in social networks. It was also distributed by a number of pro-Kremlin propaganda media. Reports say EU High Representative Josep Borrell has called on all Europeans to turn off the heating in their homes.

Like, the Europeans were actually asked to freeze to death so that “democratic ideals” would not suffer. “We are faced with a choice between freedom and comfort. We talked a lot about the willingness to die for the ideals of democracy, it's time to prove it”, propagandists quote Borrell. And they add that, allegedly, according to him, the temperature in apartments above +18 degrees is a crime against European values.

However, this is not true. EU vs Disinfo analysts found that EU High Representative Josep Borrell did not make such a statement. It spread from the @lastoppo telegram channel of political and satirical content, the information about which indicates that satirical and false information is published on the channel. However, Russian propagandists picked up this fake and decided to pass it off as the truth.

At the same time, several EU governments have indeed urged their citizens to lower their heating temperatures in order to reduce gas dependence on Russia. However, it does not mean that people are encouraged to freeze to death for the sake of the ideals of democracy. In fact, Russia is systematically spreading the thesis that the Europeans will not survive the coming winter because of the sanctions imposed against Russia. In this way, propagandists nourish two Russian narratives: about a decaying Europe and about sanctions that allegedly harm the EU more than Russia.

Also, due to such theses, Russia intimidates Europeans and creates the appearance that without the help of Russia itself, European governments cannot provide comfort and protection for their citizens.

Fake Zelensky and the West did everything possible to bring about a famine in Ukraine, and now they are begging Russia for help

Messages of such content were shared by the Russian propaganda media. Like, “the head of the Ukrainian junta, Mr. Zelenskyi”, during the G20 demanded guarantees of food security for Ukraine. Like, Kyiv does not want to be responsible for the fact that there is not enough food in Ukraine, because, according to propagandists, it was necessary to immediately stop the export of grain across the country's borders if Ukraine does not have enough food. The reports added that Russia, in turn, would certainly help Ukraine with food, but only within those territories that it allegedly recognized as its own - in the temporarily occupied territories.

Analysts of the EU vs Disinfo project drew attention to the case. On November 15, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi spoke at the G20 summit and said that Ukraine had taken part in the World Food Security Program and launched the Grain from Ukraine initiative to help countries facing famine. He did not ask for help from Russia and did not declare a famine in Ukraine in 2022/2023. However, he mentioned the energy security plan, because Russia is methodically destroying the Ukrainian energy infrastructure before winter.

“You can see what the Russian terror is aimed at now. This is an attempt to turn the cold into a weapon. A weapon against millions of people”, Zelenskyi said. In fact, the fact that Ukraine could potentially have a problem with food is not the fault of the Ukrainian authorities or the West, but of Russia, which started a war on the territory of Ukraine, stole Ukrainian grain and vegetables from the temporarily occupied territories, and so on.

The problem due to the lack of Ukrainian grain may also arise in other countries, and Russia is also to blame for this. However, it is beneficial for Russia to promote the thesis that Zelenskyi and the leaders of the so-called Western countries are driving Ukraine and other states to a food crisis.

Like, it was they who with their policies brought people to troubles, because they do not care about the lives of ordinary Ukrainians and Europeans. From this angle, Russia is no longer an aggressor, but a savior of peoples, because it is ready to “help” and correct the mistakes of the leaders of other countries. This is a common tactic of propagandists: shifting responsibility for their actions to others.

Fake In Zhytomyr, during dismantling of the monument to Pushkin, a person perished

Such information was disseminated by pro-Russian users of social networks and Kremlin propaganda media. Reports said that an accident occurred during the dismantling of a monument to Russian poet Oleksandr Pushkin in Zhytomyr, Ukraine.

Like, one of the activists who advocated the removal of the monument, the bust of the monument fell on his head and the man died. Propagandists added vivid quotations to their texts. For example, they claimed that the bust "smashed the head of the leader of Russophobes like an egg". However, this is fake. Analysts of the Myth Detector project drew attention to the case.

In fact, the information about the injury and death of a person during the dismantling of the bust of Pushkin is untrue. From the photo and video materials released by various media, it is clear that no one was injured during the dismantling of the monument. Although the monument itself in Zhytomyr was indeed dismantled on November 11. The video of the incident was published by the press service of the Zhytomyr City Council on Facebook.

The video shows how local utilities remove the bronze bust and erase the name of the Russian writer from the pedestal. The video shows that the bust, transferred to the truck, is not damaged. And the person who participated in the dismantling descends from the stairs and pushes the stepladder to the side. The footage shows that the man was not hurt.

Fake German humanitarian aid is being resold by Ukrainians

Such information is spread on social networks and Russian propaganda media. Reports say that Ukrainian refugees in Germany have opened a second-hand shop there and are selling items that were given to them as humanitarian aid. As evidence, propagandists publish a video filmed by two women, whose voices are heard off-screen.

In the video, they discuss the opening of the Ukrainian second-hand store Sonnechko (The sun) “in the city center”, but do not specify which one. However, this is fake. Fact-checkers from StopFake drew attention to the information about the allegedly second-hand humanitarian aid. According to them, Ukrainians who have opened a second-hand store in Germany are selling things that they officially purchased in the UK. The clothes sold have nothing to do with the German government and any humanitarian and charitable organizations in this country.

However, Russian propaganda needs such a fake to once again discredit Ukrainian refugees and nourish the narrative that they are destroying Europe, cashing in on the assistance provided to them by the governments of partner countries.

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.