Anonymous telegram channels are spreading a fake developed by the Russian media that the Zaporizhzhia NPP is allegedly on the verge of functioning, because the life of the nuclear power units “expired back in 2015-2018”, that the plant needs the intervention of Russian specialists, and the continued operation of the equipment threatens.

In fact, as StopFake fact-checkers found out, Ukraine, under the supervision of leading international experts, has successfully upgraded five of the six power units of the Zaporizhzhia NPP since 2016, extending the life of each facility by an average of ten years. A number of European countries, the USA, Canada and Russia itself have experience in extending the service life of nuclear power plants, the fact checkers added.

More details.

In response to the information wave about the counter-offensive of the Ukrainian army, anonymous telegram channels, citing their Kremlin source, write: the Russians do not go on the offensive not because of a lack of forces or a tactical situation, but according to their strategy. It allegedly consists in building a “wall” through which Ukrainian forces will suffer losses and not advance far. Allegedly, now the Russian army has chosen a plan "B", different from the situation in Sievierodonetsk, which the correspondent of the telegram channel called a "meat grinder". The point is that the current strategy will force the Ukrainian army to suffer numerous losses and show them to society.

In all likelihood, this message fits into the communication concept of the Russian Federation from the beginning of a full-scale offensive - supposedly "everything is going according to plan." Imagine, at first they planned to “demilitarize” Ukraine in a few days, then until May 9 and then until the end of the summer.

The project "Beyond the News" warned about a photo that has been "circulating" on the Internet for two months. Fact-checkers noted that the people in the frame are Chinese tourists in a Russian paramilitary amusement park, and not special forces of the People's Liberation Army of China, who are sent to Ukraine to fight in the name of the Russian volunteer army or the military from the joint exercises of the Russian Federation and China.

On August 17, the Russian Federation did indeed report on joint military exercises with China, which are to be held in Russia from August 30 to September 5.

In fact, the photo shows Chinese tourists in a Russian paramilitary amusement park near St. Petersburg, which hosts military-style corporate parties, team buildings and birthdays. The description of the park says that “a group from China was dressed in the uniform of Russian special forces and equipped with equipment:

“Our company welcomed very important guests from China. Tourists from friendly countries have long been taken to private army training grounds to give them new opportunities and experiences. We ordered a Chinese flag and stripes, developed a safety technique for the sunset in Chinese. Our training area is one of the most interesting and safe today,” the archived publication says.

The same photo was also posted by the amusement park on another page of its website on July 23 under the heading: “Organized a one-day tour for a delegation from China.”

After requesting AFP fact checkers to the park administration, all photos of the event were deleted and are available only in the archive. In addition, the photographer who filmed this event assured the checkers that the people in the photo were tourists. In addition, during official exercises it is unacceptable to simultaneously use flags of different countries on chevrons, and if Chinese soldiers served in the Russian armed forces, they would wear only Russian insignia, said Elzbieta Mikos-Skuza, a professor at the Faculty of Law at Warsaw University.

Propaganda media wrote that the Pentagon accused Ukraine of shelling the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant; anonymous telegram channels spread this message as a fact and without reference to the US Department of Defense. Manipulative news is based on the speeches of representatives of the US Department of Defense at a press briefing on August 29, devoted mainly to the topic captured by Russia at the ZNPP.

As StopFake writes, in the comments, representatives of the ministry noted that the Russian Federation was conducting provocative fire from the territory of the station. At the same time, a statement was made about the likelihood of a Ukrainian retaliatory strike, but not on the territory of the station, but on enemy positions.

Manipulation consists in assuming a fact, as well as reformulating it to a favorable message.

Recall that on March 4, the largest nuclear power plant in Europe was seized by the Russian military, and since then they have been placing military equipment and ammunition there, shelling the nearby territory from its site. On August 26, Enerhoatom confirmed that the Zaporizhzhia NPP was again producing electricity for the needs of Ukraine after the first complete disconnection from the power grid in the history of the plant. And Ukrenerho announced that they had resumed the work of two trunk lines damaged by Russian troops, which ensured the operation of the station.

Earlier, Russian propaganda spread the message that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had interrupted the last power transmission line from the ZNPP to Ukraine, that it was not profitable for Russia to shell the ZNPP, because it controls it, and also that Kyiv is guilty of attacks on nuclear infrastructure facilities.

The dubious news published by the Russian media was intercepted by a number of Ukrainian websites. The original source is the Austrian tabloid Exxpress, which was seen violating journalistic standards, writes StopFake.

Exxpress, citing its sources, reported the death of Natalia Vovk, a Ukrainian woman whom Russia called the murderer of the daughter of propagandist Oleksander Duhin, Daria. According to the publication, the body of a woman with 17 stab wounds was found in a rented apartment. It is reported that a note was allegedly found in the hands of the deceased.

The news is illustrated with a photograph showing the body of a woman. At the same time, according to StopFake, the photo was published back in 2020, in the news about the bride who was killed before the wedding.

Meanwhile, the information about the murder of Natalia Vovk was not confirmed by the Austrian Foreign Ministry.

StopFake suggested that an anonymous telegram channel became the source for the Austrian site and their news was used by Russian propagandists to reinforce the message that Ukraine was involved in the death of Daria Duhina.

It is a reminder that Russia accused Ukraine of the murder of Daria Duhina, providing only dubious evidence that cannot be verified. In particular, accusing an "Azov" serviceman of murder. Ukraine denies any involvement in the attack. Later, Russian propaganda spread the message that British intelligence could be involved in Duhina's murder.

In particular, on the first of September lessons on “My History” will be held according to it.

This was reported by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. According to the GUR, the proposed "plan" consists of pseudo-historical facts and "crazy" ideas. It literally repeats the propaganda speeches of Russian television ideologists: “Ukraine was created by Lenin”, “the Ukrainian language does not exist”, “all Ukrainian heroes are criminals”, “Ukraine must be destroyed”.

Most of the theses of this document contradict not only historical facts, but also common sense. Propagandists claim that “the West, which feels like a global geopolitical periphery, seeks to undermine the unity and stability of the Core Earth” - Russia, more than 80% of its citizens belong to one triune people - these are Russians (Great Russians), Ukrainians (Little Russians) and Belarusians, - Eastern Slavs, heirs of the Ancient Godmother in Chersonese by Prince Volodymyr. In fact, the baptism of Russia took place in Kyiv, in Chersonese Volodymyr himself was baptized.

Emphasizing Russian imperialism, the occupiers will tell that "Ancient Russia, the Russian Empire and modern Russia were destined to become the heir to the great Byzantium, which was once the center of the entire civilized world, had the greatest culture and deep religious tradition." It seems that at first centers of early Russian statehood arose in Staraya Ladoga and Novgorod, and later in Kyiv. Although, in fact, both Russian cities are younger than Kyiv.

Also, according to the “plan”, it is advised to tell that “Hrushevskyi began to construct a Ukrainian historical myth revolving around Halychyna and publish a newspaper in Ukrainian, for each issue of which he invented several new “Ukrainian” words.”

“The Bolshevicks decided to create their own Ukraine, but in a communist way. This is how the "Ukraine named after Volodymyr Illich Lenin" appeared ... The Ukrainian language was imposed on people by force. In fact, it was the Soviet government that continued the policy of the Russian Empire and purposefully narrowed the use of the Ukrainian language.

According to an alternative history, "many of them signed up as Ukrainians for career reasons." In fact, the only nationality that contributed to a career in the Soviet Union was Russian.

They did not bypass the myth about the “Banderivtsi”, who allegedly “settled in Canada” after the Second World War and “inflated evil in post-war Soviet Ukraine”. As for the present, the US, EU and NATO "pressed on the Ukrainian authorities to turn Ukraine into anti-Russia."

That is why for infidels "a tense struggle must end in victory and the liberation of our lands and our people from the terror of Bandera."

Rewiting the history is a traditional tactic of Russian propaganda. Earlier, other manuals were developed for the occupiers, in which they were taught to answer the questions of Ukrainians in the occupied territories, or how to convince people that they are not marauders and murderers.