Propagandists are spreading a fake on social networks, allegedly the press secretary of the White House, Karin Jean-Pierre, in the morning briefing on January 29, 2024, reported that the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, passed the IQ test and received 187 points. Like, that makes him “the smartest president in the history of the United States”. However, this is a fake.

Specialists of the VoxCheck project drew attention to it. They found out that the propagandists were referring to a press briefing that took place on January 29, 2024, but that briefing was about the foreign policy of the United States. No one discussed the subject of the president's IQ during his time. Even on the official website of the White House and in the American media, there is no mention that Joe Biden's IQ is 187.

The topic of IQ level has already been used as an argument in political disputes, in particular, Donald Trump unjustifiably denigrated his rival Joe Biden, exposing him as less intelligent. Detector Media wrote about Donald Trump's social network, where there are even more personal jokes against Biden and anti-Ukrainian rhetoric.

Propagandists are distributing a photo of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi that allegedly appeared on a board of shame in an Odesa supermarket with a photo of thieves and the inscription “They are stealing from us!”.

Specialists of the VoxCheck project drew attention to it. After conducting a keyword search, they discovered that the photo had originally appeared on a Russian Telegram channel. At the same time, no Ukrainian media and social networks spread this news about the photo of Zelenskyi in the supermarket.

The authors of the fake did not specify the name of the store where, according to them, the board of shame is located, so it is not known whether such a board really exists in one of the supermarkets of Odesa. The blue color of the board may indicate that it may be in the ATB chain of stores. However, representatives of this network said that placing such a photo in their stores is impossible.

By spreading such fakes, propagandists want to discredit Zelenskyi. Detector Media wrote that Russian propaganda has already invented other fakes for this.

Propagandists spread the word that the French are “mocking their Macron-Napoleon” and this seems to be confirmed by the cover of the French magazine L'Hémicycle, where Macron is depicted as a ragged angry rooster. They even claim that this cover was “hotly discussed” on the France 24 TV channel, and cite a fragment from the TV show where it was allegedly shown.

However, the authenticity of these claims is questionable, as the French magazine L'Hémicycle never ran a cover with Macron as a ragged rooster, and France 24 never aired a “ragged rooster with Macron's head” on air. Specialists of the StopFake project drew attention to this.

They found out that L'Hémicycle is a French independent magazine published quarterly with analysis, interviews, stories and narratives. The cover of L'Hémicycle is shown on social media, with the words Winter 2023 at the top and the issue number - 514. On the official website of L'Hémicycle, one can see the latest issue of the magazine, which was published on December 20, 2023. It also has the inscription Winter 2023 on the top right and the number 514 on the left. This confirms that it is about this particular issue of the magazine. However, the actual cover of the issue features a rooster's head as the symbol of the French Republic, not Emmanuel Macron. And even before that, the magazine had never been published with the cover distributed by the propagandists.

The program on France 24 did show the winter issue of L'Hémicycle, but the real one, with a rooster's head. So, Russian propaganda also changed the video of the French TV channel, inserting a fake cover with Macron in it.

Propagandists again created a fake with the aim of discrediting the political leaders of the European Union - this time Emmanuel Macron. Detector Media wrote how Russian propaganda reacted to the recent statements of the French president.

Propagandists are spreading information that ticks are not exterminated in the Poltava region because most of the workers have been mobilized to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There is also allegedly a problem with the provision of medical care - tick tests and treatment of Lyme disease (borreliosis) are practically not carried out in the region. However, this is a fake.

Specialists of the VoxCheck project drew attention to it. They found out that there is no reason to claim that the increase in morbidity is related to the mobilization of workers. The problem with the treatment of parks and squares depends on the local authorities and can be solved through agreements with contracting organizations. Even in conditions of full-scale war, tests and treatment of Lyme disease, which is one of the infectious diseases transmitted by ticks, are carried out.

In the Poltava region, there is indeed an increase in cases of Lyme disease, but this is an all-Ukrainian trend. In 2023, almost 5,000 cases of Lyme disease were registered in Ukraine - approximately 12 cases per 100,000 population. Incidence in the Poltava region (36.97 per 100,000 population) is the highest in Ukraine. In 2023, 497 cases of Lyme disease were reported in the region, compared to 367 cases in 2022. In 2022, 3,875 cases were recorded in the country (9.3 cases per 100,000 population).

Also, in the Poltava region, areas where there are natural foci of diseases transmitted by ticks have been identified. Insects that carry the causative agent of Lyme disease are found in every district of the region. Tick-borne viral encephalitis is less common. Myrhorod and Poltava districts, as well as the city of Poltava, are risk areas. Ticks can also transmit other diseases, but not all of them are carriers of pathogens.

It is important to see the doctor and take a prophylactic course of antibiotics if you develop symptoms of Lyme disease. Vaccination is the best protection, especially for those who are often outdoors.

By spreading such fakes, propagandists want to discredit the mobilization process in Ukraine. Detector Media wrote what other fakes Russian propaganda invented for this.

Propagandists spread information on social networks and the media that Ukraine intends to send its women to demining particularly dangerous areas “as one of the first”, and Canada will pay for it. The authors of such posts refer to the official website of the Prime Minister of Canada, which they claim confirms this information. However, this is manipulation.

Analysts of the StopFake project drew attention to it. They found out that there is no mention on the official website of the Canadian Prime Minister that Ukrainian women will be sent to demining particularly dangerous areas. The website contains information on the provision of additional military assistance to Ukraine, including the project “Gender-Inclusive Demining for a Sustainable Future in Ukraine”, for which Canada allocates funds. The HALO Trust project mentioned in the document, which helps women to acquire appropriate education and skills, does not assume that Ukrainian women will be guaranteed to be among the first to be sent for demining. Instead, the HALO Trust really aims to help Ukrainians in the destruction of explosive ordnance on the territory of the country.

Propagandists spread such manipulations in order to cause panic in the population and demotivate Ukrainians to cooperate with similar projects. In addition, in this way, Russia reinforces the message that the West is supposedly indifferent to Ukrainians and their victims.