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 April, on the 792th day of the full-scale war, our editorial office recorded:

2106
Fake
688
Manipulation
644
Message
429
Disclosure
Русскій фейк, іді на***!

Fake In Ukraine, a new stamp was issued with the image of Zelensky, Khrushchev, Bandera and Petliura

People write about it on social networks and share a photo of a supposedly new Ukrainian stamp, which shows portraits of Zelensky, Khrushchev, Bandera, and Petliura carved from stone on Mount Rushmore. It is not true.

Fake Ukrainian refugees wanted to burn the Russian flag and burned 31 hectares of Spanish forest

Some Russian media spread a video showing a large-scale fire in Spain with captions stating that Ukrainian refugees were allegedly the cause of it. Ukrainians allegedly wanted to burn the Russian flag, but they set the forest on fire. It is not true.

StopFake fact-checkers found the original video. It is indeed footage of a fire that has been raging in the Spanish provinces for several weeks. The announcer says that there is a possibility of deliberate arson. But there is no mention in the story that it was the Ukrainians who caused the fire. The archive also contains the original video with the news feed at the bottom of the screen. In fact, the credits reported the arrest of a taxi driver for assaulting a passenger and driving while intoxicated. Therefore, the information about the participation of Ukrainians in the arson was added deliberately. Probably to discredit Ukrainians who seek refuge in Spain because of the Russian war in Ukraine.

Fake In Dnipro, a school and a dormitory house ground territorial defense units and military equipment

Information is spread by the Russian media concerning the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Allegedly, in Dnipro, a school and a dormitory are used as cover for Ukrainian military and equipment. Similar reports are being spread about Kryvyi Rih, where the Armed Forces of Ukraine allegedly settled in residential buildings. It is not true.

Message Ukraine, USA, and NATO are defeated in the war

According to the Center for Combating Disinformation, Russian propaganda systematically uses the materials of the world media for disinformation about the future defeat of Ukraine and its partners. The department cites several new examples of the use of this tactic. Propagandists are spreading quotes from pro-Russian US military analyst Scott Ritter, who said in an interview with the Kremlin media that Ukraine and NATO have no chance of preventing a complete military victory for Russia. Regarding Daily Shincho, Russian media spread information that the US is losing to Russia in the new "Cold War". In fact, the article compares the political regimes of Russia and the United States and the reaction of society to the actions of the authorities. And through theses taken out of context from the interview of historian Neil Ferguson, Russia is trying to create the false impression that he believes in Russia's victory. In fact, Neil Ferguson opposes prolonging the war in Ukraine.

Fake Hypersonic missile "Kinzhal" hit the warehouse of the Armed Forces

Russian users of social networks share a video in which the Kinzhal hypersonic missile allegedly hits a military base at a depth of 136 meters, and the event supposedly happened in May. However, it is a fake video. As VoxCheck writes, the widespread video appeared on the network in February of this year. The video`s author is a visual effects artist known on social networks as InsanePatient2. The video has the title: "What if Russia Started Nuclear War?" ("What if Russia started a nuclear war?"). The description of the video states: "What if Russia/Putin Started Nuclear War with Ukraine and the rest of the world?" ("What if Russia/Putin started a nuclear war with Ukraine and the rest of the world?")." In the artist's YouTube and TikTok accounts, there are other works created using computer graphics. On May 9, 2022, Russia launched three "Kinzhal" missiles over Odesa, as noted by OK "Pivden", then destroyed 5 buildings. Moreover, on March 19, 2022, in the village of Delyatyn, Ivano-Frankivsk region. As a result of the strike, the ammunition depot was destroyed," the fact-checkers write.

Fake Scantily clad Ukrainian "Nazi refugees" pose for a photo in Croatia

Photos of two men with Nazi tattoos allegedly depicting Ukrainian refugees in Rijeka (Croatia) are spread on social media. In some posts, the photo serves as a justification for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, it is a fake.

Message Russia will expand the geography of the "special operation" to "demilitarize" more cities

Russian propagandists systematically use manipulative and fake information to justify the "necessity" of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Crimean collaborator Olga Koviditi reported the need to "expand the geography of the special operation". The same opinion was recently expressed by another collaborator, Denys Pushylin. He said, "it's time to liberate Kyiv, Poltava, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kharkiv, Lutsk, and Zaporizhzhia." Ramzan Kadyrov has been talking about taking Kyiv "shortly" for the fifth month. Tactics of systematic repetition of a certain message are used by propagandists to subconsciously consolidate this information in the target audience.

Fake In stores in Ternopil and Lviv regions, prices are indicated in hryvnias and zlotys

Photos of price tags from stores in the Ternopil and Lviv regions for basic products (buckwheat, eggs, and cabbage) on which the prices are indicated not only in hryvnias but also in zlotys are allegedly being distributed on the network. Because of this, residents allegedly are afraid of joining the regions of Poland, especially because of the draft law on a special status for Polish citizens. It is a fake. These photos have been edited, and the prices are not correct. More details. As for the law on the special status of Polish citizens in Ukraine, the president introduced the relevant draft law to the Verkhovna Rada on July 11 in compliance with the principle of reciprocity of international law. It is a response to the law on assistance to citizens of Ukraine, adopted by Poland in March. There are no provisions of law that would provide for the accession of Ukraine to Poland.

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.