Propagandists are spreading information on anonymous pro-Russian Ukrainian and later Baltic pro-Russian Telegram channels about a comment made by the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, for the British Channel 4. The claim is that he supposedly distanced himself from being the first openly gay president. According to the propaganda, when reminded by the Channel 4 host about this, he allegedly said that he “was gay a long time ago” and that he “is no longer”. Propagandists argue that the politician “cannot decide on his orientation”. However, this is manipulation.

Rinkēvičs made a comment for Channel 4 in response to recent decrees by US President Donald Trump recognizing only two genders. The host's question began with a reminder that the politician is the first openly gay president. The Latvian president indeed responded with the phrase “That was a long time ago”, but in fact, he was referring to how much time had passed since his election, not a change in his sexual orientation. This is another example of how propagandists distort the context and original meaning of material through deliberate mistranslation.

Russia spreads such disinformation for several reasons. Firstly, it aims to reduce trust in politicians who support LGBT+ rights. This is done to undermine their authority both domestically and internationally. By using socially sensitive topics like LGBT+ rights, Russia tries to escalate internal disputes in democratic countries. The spread of such messages distracts public attention from other important issues, such as Russia's aggression against Ukraine, economic instability, or human rights violations within Russia itself. Disinformation helps to create an image of the ‘immoral West’, which contrasts with the officially declared ‘traditional’ Russian values.

Propagandists are spreading a story on anonymous Telegram channels about a ‘Ukrainian waiter’ at a Polish restaurant who allegedly added his semen to customers' dishes. It is claimed that this was reported by the leading Polish publication Rzeczpospolita. However, this is a fake.

Experts from the publication Farwater.Skhid have drawn attention to the issue. They discovered that propagandists used a manipulated screenshot, supposedly taken from the publication. The falsification involved altering the headline, section, and illustrations, though stock images were retained in the photo. The unnatural structure of the categorization and the use of stock images prove the manipulation. The analysis also shows that this information was spread exclusively through propagandist Telegram channels and is absent from the pages of Rzeczpospolita.

The main goal of this disinformation is to discredit Ukrainian refugees by creating the impression that they are immoral and dangerous. This is aimed at reducing support for Ukrainians in Poland, provoking public outrage, and undermining trust in policies of openness towards migrants. Propagandists also seek to divide Polish-Ukrainian relations, as such provocative stories emotionally impact the audience. These actions are yet another example of Russia's informational aggression aimed at destabilizing societies that support Ukraine.

Propagandists are spreading information on social media, particularly on TikTok, claiming that the expenditures for the National Police of Ukraine allegedly exceed the funding for the Armed Forces of Ukraine by four times. However, this is a fake.

According to the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, their experts have clarified that in 2025, the state budget allocations for the Ministry of Defense total 1.6 trillion UAH, of which about 1 trillion UAH is allocated for the support of the Armed Forces. In comparison, the Ministry of Internal Affairs receives 438.3 billion UAH, of which 104.7 billion UAH is allocated to the National Police. Thus, the funding for the Armed Forces exceeds the expenses for the Ministry of Internal Affairs by 4 times and for the police by 15 times.

This disinformation is created to discredit the Ukrainian government and divert attention from the real priorities of the budget. Manipulating such figures aims to undermine public trust in the authorities, create internal conflicts, and discredit the government's efforts in countering Russian aggression. The spread of such messages is also aimed at inciting discontent among the military and the civilian population, which plays into the hands of enemy propaganda. Ukraine continues to allocate primary resources to support defense and ensure the army’s needs.

A study conducted by the Allensbach Institute on behalf of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation raises concerns about the influence of propaganda on public opinion ahead of elections in Germany. The research revealed that TikTok users and youth in Germany are significantly less critical of Russia and China than the general population. This is reported by Euronews.

Specifically, these users are more likely to doubt the spread of disinformation by Russia, view the Chinese political system as superior to democracy, and question Western narratives about global events. For instance, 78% of Germans overall consider Russia's war against Ukraine to be illegal, but this figure drops to 66% among TikTok users. Additionally, 30% believe the authoritarian Chinese system is more efficient than Western democracy. The influence of disinformation is a growing concern due to its ability to shape political preferences.

Russia actively uses TikTok as a tool for spreading its propaganda for several key reasons. TikTok is popular among young people, who are more vulnerable to emotional and simplified messages, especially when information is presented in an entertaining format. As a result, short videos with vivid visuals and music can easily evoke emotions, fostering the acceptance of manipulative narratives. TikTok's algorithms facilitate the rapid spread of videos, allowing propagandist content to reach a large number of users in a short time. Russian structures often create numerous accounts or use bots to promote disinformation, masking it as user-generated content. TikTok sometimes struggles to react quickly to the spread of fake news, which enables Russian propaganda to reach its audience.

Russian occupiers in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine systematically use propaganda to manipulate the consciousness of children, creating conditions for the spread of pro-Russian sentiments. Specifically, on the propaganda channel Luhansk 24, specially created children's programs are broadcast, aimed at distorting reality and imposing anti-Ukrainian narratives. This was reported by the Center for National Resistance.

Through game shows, contests, and informational programs, children are encouraged to support the occupiers' aggressive policies, using psychological pressure tactics. Programs that could foster creativity and humanitarian values instead instill support for violence, distorted historical facts, and propagandist clichés.

The goal of these actions is the destruction of Ukrainian identity in the younger generation and its integration into the aggressor's system. In addition to the destructive impact on national consciousness, this is an attempt to involve children in the occupiers' paradigm, forming a sense of alienation from their native culture and state.

The Center for National Resistance emphasizes that manipulating children in this way is a direct violation of international humanitarian law norms, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. These actions are considered war crimes, for which responsible individuals must be held accountable. Ukraine continues to actively collaborate with international organizations to document these crimes and ensure that the perpetrators are punished. At the same time, the state works to support affected children and their families to overcome the psychological and ideological pressures they have endured.