Russian propaganda anonymous Telegram channels are distributing photos with lists of “debtors”, claiming that children are allegedly suspended from classes due to failure to pay a fee for the purchase of a generator, the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security writes.

Its specialists found out that the distributed image is a fake. Firstly, portraits of presidents are not hung above the boards in Ukrainian schools, with the exception of the offices of the school administration. Secondly, the names on the list in the photo look implausible - they are all exclusively of Ukrainian origin, although in the classrooms one can usually find children with surnames of different origins. Also, in the surnames Lisenko, Petrichenko and Sidorenko there are mistakes typical for the Russian language - instead of the Ukrainian letter “и” “i” is used. According to the response of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to a request from hromadske, more than 80% of schools in Ukraine are already provided with generators, and local governments continue to purchase them.

Propagandists are trying to create a negative image of schools in Ukraine, showing them as institutions that force children and their parents to bear additional financial burdens. This is aimed at undermining trust in the school system and the government. Russian propaganda is trying to sow hostility and mistrust among Ukrainians by portraying schools as corrupt structures that unfairly put pressure on children and their families. Such a fake can contribute to the demoralization of the population, especially in the conditions of war, when there are already energy difficulties due to attacks on infrastructure. The goal is to create a sense of hopelessness among citizens. These fakes can also be aimed at an international audience to portray Ukraine as a country that cannot provide for the basic needs of its citizens and thus reduce the level of support from the international community. Thus, this fake is another attempt by Russian propaganda to manipulate public opinion and undermine the unity of Ukrainian society and its international support.