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 25 December, on the 1035th day of the full-scale war, our editorial office recorded:

2605
Fake
776
Manipulation
755
Message
542
Disclosure
Русскій фейк, іді на***!

Disclosure Near Bakhmut, Russians are filming a staged video of the battles

This was reported in the Center for national resistance. On January 22, Russian propagandist Piehov shared a video allegedly filmed in the battles for Bilohorivka. The propagandist claims that he is “directly in Bilohorivka”. Like, the Russians are trying to break through the defense line “Siversk - Soledar - Bakhmut - Chasiv Yar”. In fact, the video was filmed in the temporarily occupied territory, on the outskirts of the village of Shypylivka, which is located almost eight kilometers from Bilohorivka, which is under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Moreover, the video shows how the Russians are fleeing from Ukrainian shelling.

On January 24, another Russian propagandist, Dambiyev, shared a video on his telegram channel, which allegedly recorded battles in the village of Krasna Hora near Bakhmut. However, this video is staged, it was filmed in Mariupol. This is evidenced by the results of the OSINT check of this video.

The situation in these sectors of the front is really difficult now, there are fights there. Probably, Russian propaganda, due to the spread of fake videos, is trying to demoralize Ukrainians and take credit for the next “achievements”.

Russian propaganda systematically uses fake videos to promote their interests. Previously, they distributed videos of how the Russian military shot sunflowers and boasted that it was a unit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; how the Russians allegedly detained “Ukrainian saboteurs” on Russian territory; how they “destroyed” the Ukrainian tank division, etc.

Manipulation In Ukraine, American Abrams tanks unsuitable for use in winter

Propaganda media and pro-Russian telegram channels spread the information that the US is not handing over the heavy Abrams tank to the Ukrainian Armed Forces because it cannot move in the snow. This is evidenced by the video, which shows how the Abrams tank unsuccessfully tries to climb a snowy hill. This is manipulation.

The video used by the propagandists does not give grounds to draw general conclusions about the possibility of using tanks in Ukraine. As the fact-checkers of The Insider project note, there are videos of winter exercises involving Abrams tanks in social networks, in particular in 2016 in Norway. The video shows how Abrams tanks move without problems in deep snow and icy roads, and when quickly descending from a snowy hill, one of them demonstrates an extreme driving technique - a controlled skid.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said at a briefing that so far, Abrams tanks have not been handed over to Ukraine because they are demanding to be maintained and need aviation fuel.

Thus, the propagandists are trying to convince the audience that any supply of Western weapons will in no way affect the military course of events. Propagandists are also trying to disrupt the supply of German Leopard tanks.

Manipulation In Kharkiv region, people do not receive humanitarian aid

Telegram channels spread messages that there is a problem with humanitarian support in the Kharkiv region. Allegedly, problems arise in different settlements after the de-occupation. Volunteers seem to be unable to deliver aid for various reasons. They also write that the Kharkiv regional military administration reported that they had received a large batch of humanitarian aid from the UN, but people did not receive anything. Like, the products hit the shelves of stores. This is manipulation.

On the website of the Kharkiv regional administration, information is published on the provision of humanitarian assistance to the population. In particular, over the past week (January 16-22), about fourteen thousand food packages were handed over to the communities of the region. The website of the Humanitarian coordinating center has a map for tracking humanitarian assistance to the population. As the Kharkiv anti-corruption center notes, there may indeed be problems with receiving humanitarian assistance in some settlements of the occupied territories. However, Russian propaganda distorts the real state of affairs, in particular, humanitarian aid from the UN. It contained mattresses, bed linen, solar lamps, dishes, hygiene products and other household items, and not food, as the propagandists claimed.

Thus, propagandists are trying to create the illusion that Ukraine not only does not help people in the de-occupied territories, but is more comfortable with “hell for civilians”. Like, people are allegedly arrested for organizing sporting events or baking bread during the occupation; or they do not issue humanitarian aid and punish others for receiving it from the occupiers.

Disclosure Fraudsters offer Ukrainians a one-time payment from the Red Cross

Messages are circulating on social networks that allegedly due to the difficult energy situation in the country Ukrainians are provided with a one-time payment of 2,300 hryvnias from the Red Cross.

Fact-checkers of the “Brekhunets” (Liar) project checked the information and found that it was a scam. The scammers use a fake telegram channel called the Red Cross society, which has only 170 subscribers. At the same time, the official telegram channel of the organization has five thousand readers. Information about “assistance in connection with the energy situation in the country” is not there. Links to the pages of Ukrainian banks in messages are also fake. There is no information on such payments on the official pages of these banks. Fraudsters manipulate the limited registration time (only until 10:00 pm or only until 02:00 am) and ask to “hurry up to leave personal details” in order to receive “assistance”.

Also, to receive fake assistance, you need to enter your personal data, including your bank card number. This is a sign of phishing - the collection of personal data.

Fraudsters systematically use the difficult situation of Ukrainians because of war and offer a variety of “help”. The goal is different: from manipulative advertising of telegram channels to gaining access to bank cards of Ukrainians. In particular, earlier the scammers offered 6,000 hryvnias of “New Year's” assistance, 5,000 hryvnias of assistance from PrivatBank, financial assistance in conjunction with the Uappl project, and winter payments from the European Union.

Fake Ukraine stores weapons and ammunition at nuclear power plants

Russian media are spreading reports that supposedly Russian intelligence has received confirmation that the Armed Forces of Ukraine store weapons and ammunition that have departed from the West at nuclear power plants. In particular, this allegedly concerns the HIMARS MLRS and large-caliber artillery shells. Like, Russia will not strike at nuclear facilities, and if the weapons are detonated, this can be blamed on Moscow. It is not true.

According to EU vs Disinfo analysts, Russia has not provided any evidence to support such reports. According to analysts, the purpose of such messages is to divert attention from the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP), which was captured by the Russian military.

Russian propaganda messages were also denied by the IAEA. The head of the agency, Rafael Grossi, said that the IAEA has established a permanent presence at all Ukrainian nuclear facilities. Also, on January 24, IAEA experts conducted an inspection at Ukrainian nuclear power plants and did not find a single military equipment.

Earlier, propagandists spread fakes that the head of the IAEA was “against” the demilitarization of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and Ukraine plans to protect the nuclear power plant from itself. The propagandists also wrote that the alleged IAEA resolution allows Ukraine to fire at the ZNPP.

Message West of Ukraine is to be given to Poland if Warsaw pays US debt instead of Kyiv

Russian propaganda spreads the message to the Western audience that allegedly Poland can receive part of the Ukrainian territories as “compensation” for paying the “Ukrainian debt” to the United States.

This message has no legal basis and is an invention of Russian propaganda. Thus, they are trying to promote the narrative about Poland's plans to seize part of the Ukrainian territories. EU vs Disinfo analysts drew attention to the spread of the message.

Earlier, as part of this narrative, propagandists spread messages that Poland considers the West of Ukraine to be its “colony”, that Poland needs the territory of Ukraine without Ukrainians. The propagandists also spread fakes about the referendum on the accession of the West of Ukraine to Poland and photos of voting ballots for the secession of the Lviv region from Ukraine and joining Poland.

Message Russia will consider Germany a “party to the conflict” if it allows to supply tanks to Ukraine

Russian propagandists are spreading messages that Germany will become a “direct participant in the hostilities” and “a legitimate target of Russia” if it allows the supply of Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Thus, propagandists are trying to intimidate the Germans and prevent the supply of necessary weapons to Ukraine. Despite the fact that on social networks, at the initiative of German activists, “Viche” launched a flash mob to protest against the German government’s delay in supplying Leopard tanks to Ukraine, propagandists spread fakes that the Germans did not support the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

Russian propaganda used similar tactics of intimidation and emotional pressure earlier in relation to France. Propagandists spread messages that France was an “accomplice in genocide” in the East of Ukraine, as Ukraine was shelling Donbas from the French Caesar self-propelled guns. Allegedly, the use of French weapons makes France an accomplice in “crimes” against the civilian population.

Since the beginning of the great war, Russian propaganda has been spreading messages that: “Western weapons only continue the war and increase the number of victims”; “actually” in Ukraine “Russia is at war with NATO”; “The West supplies Ukraine with obsolete and low-quality weapons”. Read more in the Detector Media investigation.

Manipulation Switzerland refuses to transfer Russia’s frozen assets to Ukraine

The Russian media are spreading a quote from Swiss official Guy Parmelin. Allegedly, he said that Switzerland refused to commit suicide over the transfer of Russia’s frozen financial assets to Ukraine and believes that there are no legal grounds for confiscating Russian money. This is manipulation.

The Swiss official said nothing about Switzerland's refusal to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine. Moreover, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis, in an interview with Tages-Anzeiger, confirmed that he supports the idea of confiscating frozen Russian funds and using them to restore Ukraine. StopFake fact-checkers note that currently the funds are not transferred to the Ukrainian side due to the lack of an appropriate legal framework, but this issue is already being discussed by a number of countries.

Thus, Russian propaganda nourishes the narrative that Ukraine is a weak state that will not win the Russian-Ukrainian war. Also, with such messages, propagandists are trying to demoralize the fighting spirit of Ukrainians and encourage Western states not to send weapons to Ukraine.

Fake At the airport of Stuttgart, posters urged not to transfer tanks to Ukraine

Some Russian media and pro-Russian telegram channels are spreading the photo allegedly from Stuttgart Airport in Germany. Reports say that posters appeared at the airport calling on the authorities not to transfer tanks to Ukraine. The posters allegedly say: “Let the leopards stay in Germany! Stop the robbery of the Bundeswehr!”. It is not true.

Poster images have been edited in photo editors. StopFake journalists received confirmation from the press service of Stuttgart airport. They said the monitor seen in the photo only broadcasts commercials or occasional messages to passengers about security checks or other operational changes.

Thus, Russian propaganda nourishes the narrative that foreign citizens do not support Ukraine. Propagandists are also trying to influence the situation with the supply of Leopard tanks, in respect of which Germany must make a decision in the near future. Earlier, Russian propaganda wrote that the transfer of Leopard tanks by Poland was a “theatrical performance” that would not affect anything. This allegedly seems to have even been recognized by Zelenskyi.

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.