Spilnota Detector Media

Fake In Ukraine, they are allegedly looking for a choir artist or vocalist to “propaganda LGBT ideology”

Propagandists are distributing on social networks a screenshot of a supposedly real vacancy from the Free Charitable Organization, where they are looking for a choir artist or vocalist who preaches the importance and tolerance of LGBT ideology to parishioners. However, this is a fake photo.

Specialists from the VoxCheck project drew attention to it. They found out that, judging by the design of the vacancy, the advertisement was posted on the job search site Work.ua. However, they could not find this vacancy on this site. Moreover, the address indicated on the official website of the fund differs from the address in the screenshot. Additionally, the photo was checked using the FotoForensics tool, which showed signs of editing.

Also on the official Facebook page of the Svoboda Charitable Organization it is noted that this screenshot is fake, and the organization is not looking for vocalists. This is another attempt to discredit the organization’s activities by unscrupulous users, as well as to cause skepticism towards the LGBT movement in Ukraine.

Fake By order of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a video was allegedly recorded in which homosexuals were encouraged to join the army

Russian propagandists claim that in Ukraine they have begun distributing advertisements for homosexuals calling for them to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The first half of the 10-second video shows heterosexual and homosexual couples kissing, while the second half features footage of military personnel. The footage is accompanied by a male voice saying: “It doesn’t matter at all whether you love women or men. It is important that you love Ukraine. Join the Armed Forces of Ukraine”. However, this is fake.

This case was analyzed by the fact-checkers for the StopFake project. They found out that the video is fake for a number of reasons. Firstly, the kissing footage was taken from a report published on the iD YouTube channel back in 2020. The second part of the video already uses footage from the social advertising of the Ukrainian Ground Forces “The Ballad of the Infantry”, published back in 2016. Secondly, the use of the word “love” in relation to Ukraine in the video indicates that its authors probably have poor command of the Ukrainian language. The word “love” describes specifically romantic love, while Ukraine or, for example, animals or colors can be “loved”.

With this fake video, Russian propaganda nourishes the narrative that supposedly Ukrainian troops will suffer huge losses on the battlefield and, as a result, they are running out of people. Therefore, “even” homosexuals are now being mobilized into the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, attempts to discredit the Ukrainian army are in vain, since the Armed Forces contain representatives of different gender and sexual identities who defend Ukraine along with other military personnel. Previously, we analyzed disinformation that supposedly Ukrainians are dying for the right to be homosexual.

Fake A Ukrainian charitable foundation is looking for a preacher of “LGBT propaganda”

Such information was disseminated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels disseminating pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The reports say that the Ukrainian charitable foundation BF Free is looking for a person who preaches “LGBT ideology”. The authors of the message report that the fund’s employees allegedly published such a vacancy on the Ukrainian job search site Work.ua. Photo evidence is added to publications - a screenshot of the vacancy. It is not true.

The fact-checkers of the Georgian Myth Detector project began to analyze the case and found out that the charitable foundation did not create such a vacancy and was not looking for a single “LGBT preacher”. They wrote about this on their pages on social networks. In their posts, the organizations emphasize that the main purpose of the fake news is to discredit their activities. The specialists also checked whether the vacancy actually existed on the job search site. According to the search results, they did not record this. It is most likely that the screenshot was compiled using Photoshop.

There is simply no LGBT propaganda. In our Newspeak section, we explained why a terrorist country is horrified by diversity and cherishes exclusively “traditional values” among its citizens. In short, Moscow shows how being part of the LGBTQIA community is considered unacceptable, discrediting a person or why a person is considered “wrong”. Consumers of propaganda may be under the false impression that everything related to LGBT people is negative. Homosexuality is as natural as heterosexuality.

Russian propaganda presents any attempts by Ukraine to create a tolerant environment as a direct threat to people. Allegedly, they will suffer from the dominance of “Sodom”, which is why, according to the Kremlin’s conclusions, Ukrainians are being turned into homosexuals. We described the horrors of Western “homodictatorship” and how Europe influences Ukraine in a large study about homophobia on social networks.

By the way, read how Russia is trying to protect children from the “undesirable influence of LGBT people” here. Find out how it also justifies its invasion as an “LGBT invasion” in a study based on the results of an analysis of messages during the year of a full-scale invasion.

Fake Speaker of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Sarah Ashton-Cirillo received a positive HIV test

In the Russian segment of the social network X (formerly Twitter), information is being spread that the speaker of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, allegedly received a positive test for HIV. Users of the social network allegedly refer to an article by Breitbart News, where they note that Sarah Ashton-Cirillo was previously under investigation due to accusations of pedophilia and rape of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the fact-checker of the VoxCheck project. They found out that the article about HIV that Russian propaganda refers to is not on the website, social networks or web archive of Breitbart News. Moreover, the primary source of this publication is the Russian telegram channel. Breitbart News wrote an article that the speaker was suspended pending an investigation into her statements about Russian propagandists. So Russian propaganda created a fake photo based on this publication.

Moreover, the fact-checkers did not find information about the official being accused of pedophilia and rape. And HIV testing results are confidential, so if Sarah Ashton-Cirillo actually tested positive, the results would not be disclosed.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit the speaker of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Troops Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, who belongs to the LGBTQ+ community. Russian propagandists nourish false information that LGBTQ+ people are the main carriers of HIV and AIDS, pedophiles and rapists. This is all part of a Russian campaign to discredit the LGBTQ+ community and Ukraine, which has allegedly moved away from traditional values. Previously, Detector Media published research on Russian LGBT disinformation on social networks and explained how Russian propaganda is trying to use LGBTQIA issues in the context of the war against Ukraine.

Fake Ukrainian President Zelenskyi and Defense Minister Umierov gave consent to same-sex marriage in Ukraine

Russian telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric are disseminating information that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Defense Minister Rustem Umierov allegedly “gave consent to same-sex marriage in Ukraine”. Russian propaganda also reports that because of this decision, a “blue brigade” consisting of LGBT+ representatives will be created in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. It is not true.

The case was examined by the fact-checkers from the Center for Strategic Communications and the BezBrekhni (No Lies) project. They note that Article 51 of the Constitution of Ukraine states that “marriage is based on the free consent of a woman and a man”. That is, the president cannot give permission for marriage, and the minister of defense has nothing to do with legislative initiatives.

Russian propaganda presents people belonging to the LGBTQIA+ community as something wrong, unacceptable, which is coming from the West. Russian propagandists justify a full-scale invasion of Ukraine by arguing that they are fighting for traditional values and protecting our country from Western propaganda of LGBT culture. Previously, we conducted a study of the Ukrainian segment of social networks, where we identified the key trends in rhetoric directed against LGBTQIA people and their sympathizers: “Homophobia in social networks: about values between Russian propaganda and Ukrainians’ disputes”.

Fake Zelenskyi signed a law legalizing travel abroad for representatives of the LGBTQIA community

Such information was disseminated on social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that Volodymyr Zelenskyi recently allegedly signed a law allowing members of the LGBTQIA community to travel abroad freely. In the publication, the authors add a screenshot of “news” from the Public website. It is not true.

The case was examined by StopFake analysts who first checked the authenticity of the screenshot itself and found that it was not real. The authors of the fake publication simply used another piece of news with an image of Zelenskyi and changed the name in the photo editor. In addition, on the official website of the president and in the special “Decrees” section there is no information about such a legislative initiative. If one searches there for the LGBTQIA community itself, there are only petitions with various calls, including for permission to travel abroad. And yet, petitions are an attempt by private individuals to appeal to the authorities and advocate for some initiatives. Volodymyr Zelenskyi has nothing to do with the creation of this petition.

The fact-checkers reminded that men aged 18 to 60 years are prohibited from leaving the country according to the Law of Ukraine “On mobilization preparation and mobilization”. If there are documents confirming the condition of such persons as incapable of military service, for example, this category of people can go abroad. But this, of course, is not the only condition. Transgender people also have the right to travel abroad if they have a number of documents. This is stated in the report of the LGBT rights center “Our World”. One needs to have a certificate of transgender transition, contact the civil registration authorities and get a new birth certificate and then a biometric passport. Human rights activists explained that without the appropriate documents and the conclusion of a medical commission - if transgender women have the gender “husband” indicated in their documents - such a person will be subject to mobilization.

Russian propaganda once again instrumentalized the LGBTQIA community and portrays people as weak, unlucky and wanting to “flee abroad” and not perform military service. In this case, the Kremlin appealed to the entire community—lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, intersex people, and others—and thus hinted at the “frailty” of these people. That even Volodymyr Zelenskyi is allegedly ready to send them out of the country. But the presence of LGBT people in society, and in the army in particular, testifies to the opposite attitude towards the community in Ukrainian discourse.

For example, back in 2018, the association “Ukrainian LGBT Military for Equal Rights” was created in Ukraine. The founder of this organization was the then volunteer of the Donbas battalion, and now a fighter of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade, Viktor Pylypenko, who made his first coming out as a veteran combatant. The organization itself says that it has 300 LGBTQIA military personnel, including 20 couples, and these are only those who have an active social position.

Message Ukraine spreads “LGBT propaganda” to Ukrainian schoolchildren and destroys young minds

This thesis was widespread in the Russian segment of Facebook. Reports say that the “LGBTQization” of Ukrainian society is in full swing. And even in Ukrainian schools they create special LGBT education circles. In the messages, propagandists add that Ukrainian teachers are pandering to Europeans so that they can see the level of development of Ukrainian schoolchildren and their love for homosexuality. Actually, the authors hint that Ukraine is forcibly engaged in the “LGBTization” of Ukrainians. An alleged screenshot from the website of the Ivano-Frankivsk Lyceum is added to the publication, where they talk about the corresponding circle and give the advantages of visiting it. Among these, there is a high probability of “successful employment” in European companies.

StopFake analysts analyzed this case and found out that such information was untrue. They turned to the leadership of the lyceum, who confirmed that such a circle does not exist. There is also no announcement on the official website of the educational institution about the enrollment of children in extracurricular clubs and sections. The latest announcements concern catering. That is, the fake bots compiled a screenshot of the site and posted false information.

However, disinformers present the creation of such a circle as something unsafe and unnecessary for Ukraine. Although this is an adequate practice to develop consciousness and diversity in children. In our Newspeak section, we explained why a terrorist country is horrified by diversity and cherishes exclusively “traditional values” among its citizens. In short, Moscow shows how being part of the LGBTQIA community is considered unacceptable, a person is discredited; or why a person is considered “wrong”. Consumers of propaganda may be under the false impression that everything related to LGBT people is negative. Homosexuality is as natural as heterosexuality.

Russian propaganda presents any attempts by Ukraine to create a tolerant environment as a threat to the younger generation. Allegedly, children suffer from the dominance of “sodomy”, which is why, according to the Kremlin’s conclusions, Ukrainians are being turned into homosexuals. We described the horrors of Western “homodictatorship” and how Europe allegedly influences Ukraine in this way in a large study about homophobia on social networks.

By the way, read how Russia is trying to protect children from the “undesirable influence of LGBT people” here. Also, find out how it also justifies its invasion as an “LGBT invasion” in a study based on the results of an analysis of messages during the year of a full-scale invasion.

Disclosure A document on behalf of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was distributed, it recommends carrying out preventive work on homosexuality among servicemen

This document was recorded by specialists from the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council. It says that due to the high “non-combat capability” of the Ukrainian army, military units are recommended to carry out preventive work on the so-called “non-traditional sexual orientation”. The authors add that the military, belonging to the LGBTQIAplus community, “undermine” the combat capability of the army.

Fact-checkers explain that such a document is fake. This was confirmed to specialists by the head of the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service Nataliia Aliushyna. Since a “probable” document is discriminating, it cannot a priori exist. Moreover, the authors made many spelling and stylistic errors.

For example, the term “non-traditional sexual orientation” does not exist; it stigmatizes members of the LGBTQIAPlus community. Instead, the term homosexual orientation is recommended to be used.

Fake In Ukraine, they are looking for “mentors on tolerance for the front”

Propagandists in anonymous telegram channels, where they spread pro-Russian rhetoric, claim that one of the job search sites has a vacancy for a “mentor on tolerance for the front”. They say that among the requirements for candidates there are “an active sex life” and “the absence of sexually transmitted diseases”, and the list of duties includes such positions as “to detect hidden gays, conduct psychological work with them” and “for those who want to do physical exercises to strengthen the anal sphincter”. It's fake.

It is not possible to find this listing in an internet search. In addition, it was refuted by Yar Birzul, co-founder of the Kolo UA Foundation, where they were allegedly looking for a “mentor” according to the “advertisement”. In his tweet, he wrote that they are not looking for “mentors on tolerance for the front” in the Foundation. In the “advert” one can find a number of sentences pointing to harmful stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community. For example, one of the tasks for “positions” should be “prevention of the spread of HIV infection and AIDS”. Such claims are discriminatory as they support false information about LGBTQ+ people as allegedly the main carriers of the aforementioned diseases, even though statistics prove the opposite.

By spreading such fakes, propagandists want to reinforce harmful stereotypes about the LGBTQ+ community and once again show that in exchange for the help of Western partners, they allegedly force Ukraine to “betray traditional values”. All this is part of Russia's large-scale disinformation campaign against the LGBTQ+ community, which Detector Media has already written about.

Message The West is dragging Ukraine into the LGBTQI trap

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The reports say that allegedly representatives of the LGBTQI+ community do not serve in the Ukrainian army, because the Ukrainian leader simply pretends to support the so-called Western values regarding LGBTQI. Like, these are all attempts to drag Ukraine into the “LGBTQI trap”. The authors say that Ukraine will not get out of it. Such a thesis is unfounded.

People with homosexual orientation serve in the Ukrainian army. In 2018, an association “Ukrainian LGBT military for equal rights” was created in Ukraine. The founder of this organization is the then volunteer of the Donbas battalion, and now a fighter of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade named after Black Zaporozhians Viktor Pylypenko, who made the first coming out as a veteran participant in hostilities. The organization says that their organization has 300 LGBTQI+ military, including 20 couples, and these are only those who have an active social position.

At the same time, in Ukraine, the LGBTQI+ community is supported in every possible way, in particular, by registering a draft law on registered partnerships. According to it, people of any gender can register a relationship. That is, partners acquire the status of close relatives.

Message Representatives of the LGBT community do not serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, so the bill on registered partnerships is not needed

This thesis was spread in the social networks of the Ukrainian segment. The reports say that representatives of the LGBT community do not serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which means that draft law No. 9103 on civil partnerships for same-sex and opposite-sex couples is “not needed”.

The case was noticed by the specialists of the VoxCheck project, who found out that the thesis that representatives of the LGBT community do not serve in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and do not participate in hostilities is not true. In 2018, an association “Ukrainian LGBT military for equal rights” was created in Ukraine. The founder of this organization is the then volunteer of the Donbas battalion, and now a fighter of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade named after Black Cossacks Viktor Pylypenko, who made the first coming out as a veteran participant in hostilities.

In 2019, for the first time, LGBT military marched in a column at the Equality March in Kyiv. Also in March 2021, the association “Ukrainian LGBT Military for equal rights” announced the recruitment of LGBT people, military personnel, specialists, as well as people friendly to the LGBT community in the ranks of one of the motorized infantry units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

If the draft law on the institution of registered partnerships is adopted, the document will apply not only to homosexual, but also to heterosexual couples. However, a registered partnership is different from a marriage. For example, partners do not change their last names, cannot adopt children, and do not have to be romantically involved. As human rights activist Sviatoslav Sheremet explained, parental rights remain only with the biological father or mother, the right of custody of the child is granted to the other partner only for the duration of the partnership.

Manipulation Ukrainians are dying for the right to be homosexual

The alleged words of the vice-speaker of the Senate of Poland Michał Kamiński said on the air of radio Zet are spread on the net. It seems that now Ukrainians are dying for the right to be gay. The reports add that this is allegedly the key motivation of the Ukrainian military. This is manipulation.

The words of Michał Kamiński were taken out of context. In general, he said that the Russian-Ukrainian war is a war of values. VoxCheck fact checkers quote in full: “Today, Ukrainians are dying for the right to be homosexual, the right to be left, right, Catholic, Orthodox or atheist, for the right to choose their own president, ambassador, senator or whatever. They are dying for freedom, democracy and European integration”. That is, it was said that Ukraine is now fighting for the right to remain an original state where human rights are respected.

Russian propaganda systematically manipulates topics related to the LGBT community in Ukraine. Previously, Detector Media refuted the main myths about representatives of the LGBT community. Read more about Russian LGBT disinformation on social media in the investigation.

Fake Feminists bought a pink tank for the Armed Forces of Ukraine

In the Georgian segment of social networks, a photo of a pink tank is being circulated. The inscription for this photo is in Russian. Like, European feminists raised money and bought a tank for Ukraine. It was painted pink because green was too touchy. Also, the barrel of the tank was allegedly cut off because it looked sexist. It is not true.

The photo of the pink tank was taken at Manchester Pride in 2007 and has nothing to do with Ukraine. Myth Detector fact-checkers could not find in open sources information about the purchase of a pink tank by European feminists for Ukraine.

By spreading such fakes, Russian propaganda serves several purposes: ridicules and devalues volunteer assistance and Western arms supplies to Ukraine, and also tries to discredit the LGBTQ+ community.

Detector Media talked about Russian disinformation about LGBT people.

Message Gays are recruited into the Ukrainian army because there is no one to serve anymore

The Russian media repeatedly manipulates the topic of LGBT military personnel. This time, messages are being spread that there is no one to fight in Ukraine anymore, so gays, lesbians, and transgender people are being recruited. Russian society is characterized by intolerance and homophobia, considering representatives of the LGBT community to be "perverts", people not worthy of respect. LGBT people in Russia are often discriminated against, for which the perpetrators, according to the law, cannot be brought to justice. When talking about LGBT people, propagandists pay attention exclusively to their sexual orientation, erasing the fact that homosexual people can be specialists in various fields just like heterosexuals. In particular, in the military.

LGBT people have been serving in the Ukrainian army for a long time and, in particular, have been defending the borders of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, in 2014. The Constitution of Ukraine stipulates that "all people are free and equal in their dignity and rights. Human rights and freedoms are inalienable and inviolable". During the draft, the military commissions do not ask about sexual orientation, because people are not selected for the army based on it. On the contrary, the fact that additional attention will be paid to it can be considered discrimination.

In Ukrainian society, as well as in the army, there are still certain problems with bullying or intolerance towards LGBT people. Despite this, Ukrainian LGBT soldiers fulfill their duty to protect the state. Manipulations of Russian propaganda about the fact that in Ukraine "there is no one to serve" is a wish that is passed off as reality.

The fake about Ukrainian "gays in the army" is not new. Earlier, Russian propagandist Olga Skabeyeva voiced on the air of her program that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr ZeZelenskyon the orders of US President Joe Biden, sent "columns of Ukrainian homosexuals" to Donbas.

"Media Detector" previously refuted the myths about the LGBT+ community, which are widespread in the Ukrainian media and society, and also told how LGBT activists oppose Russia's invasion of Ukraine.