Russian media broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric and in the Ukrainian segment of Facebook are distributing a document in which servicemen of the 123rd Territorial defense forces brigade are forced to agree to cremation in case of death. The bogus order states that such a need arose as a result of the “high number of brigade casualties” and “limited logistics to the rear areas”. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the StopFake project. They checked the “document” with the InVID photo analysis tool and found that the print image differed from other text in terms of compression, so it was probably added in a graphics editor. Also, the wrong EDRPOU number of the military unit is indicated, and the signature of the commander of the unit, Colonel Roman Tokarenko, looks different.

On the Facebook page, the 123th Territorial defense forces brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also reported that the document was fake. StopFake fact-checkers also took a comment from the brigade, representatives said: “This order is the IPSO of the occupying state, aimed at demoralizing the personnel of the brigade and Ukrainian society. The command of military unit A 7052 never gave any such orders”.

Thus, the Russian propaganda is trying to sow panic among civilians and military personnel, saying that Ukraine has many losses at the front. Earlier, we refuted the fake that in Ternopil they threaten to turn off gas and hot water to conscripts who do not come to the Territorial center of recruitment and social support.

Russian media, broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric, reported that the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra will be populated by servicemen of the Azov Battalion, who will “shout, swear, suck on already legalized drugs, drink, mock, commit arbitrariness”. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the StopFake project. The National Reserve Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra presented a program for military personnel “Spiritual Restoration of Culture”. Within 7 days, the military and chaplains will communicate with the clergy, historians, art historians, archaeologists, etc. Under this program, chaplains will reside on the premises of the National Academy of Cultural and Art Leadership. Therefore, we are not talking about the settlement of military personnel on a permanent basis or the transfer of Lavra to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Thus, the Russian propaganda is trying to discredit the Azov military personnel and split the society through religion. Earlier, we refuted the fake that NATO could involve the Azov and Kraken battalions to suppress protests in France.

Russian media broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric spread information that the Ukrainian military is allegedly preparing the kidnapping of 523 children in the Kupiansk district of the Kharkiv region. The children are planned to be sold, and the money to be divided between Zelenskyi's officials and Western patrons. This is manipulation.

The case was studied by the fact-checkers of the Center for Strategic Communications. The Ukrainian military does not kidnap children, unlike the Russian military, but evacuates them from dangerous areas. After the shelling of the Kupiansk district became more intense, it was decided to evacuate part of the population. Precisely because Russian troops are shelling the civilian population and infrastructure, the issue of forced evacuation of minors is being considered, but only accompanied by parents or guardians. They are promised to be provided with free housing in Kharkiv or in the West of the country and all necessary assistance.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit the Ukrainian authorities and the military, and also diverts attention from the crimes of Russians who are kidnapping children in the temporarily occupied territories. Earlier, we refuted the fake that Ukraine is taking away children from families living in the war zone.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric spread information that the Ukrainian military had allegedly looted a pharmacy in Chasiv Yar and set it on fire. It seems to be a typical tactic of the Ukrainian army. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the VoxCheck fact-checker. The house depicted in the photo distributed by Russian propaganda was damaged as a result of Russian shelling. Through a reverse Google image search, they determined that the photo was first published by the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Pavlo Kyrylenko.

On July 26, civilian objects were damaged by enemy shelling, including 2 houses in the Chasiv Yar community. Kyrylenko did not give the address, but the photo posted on the telegram channel shows exactly this pharmacy, which is being distributed by propagandists.

Russian propaganda is using reflection tactics to divert the world's attention from Russia's crimes and blame Ukraine for them. Earlier, we refuted the fake that the Ukrainian military is equipping dungeons for children.

On August 15, Russian Defense Minister Serhii Shoihu spoke at the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security, where he stated that “one of the priority humanitarian tasks of a special military operation is the release of Russian servicemen from Ukrainian captivity”.

Special military operation (in Russian - SVO) is a term that has entered the dictionary of the Russian new language and is used to refer to Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. That is, the war unleashed by the aggressor country Russia. To justify the crimes against the Ukrainian people, Russian propagandists have repeatedly noted that this “operation” is designed to save the Russian-speaking people who are experiencing oppression in Ukraine, to denazify Ukrainians.

The Russian military began to be captured in Ukraine after they had attacked the territory of our state and committed war crimes. Russian propaganda deliberately distorts the causes and consequences in order to divert attention from the real situation and the real motives of the war - the genocide of the Ukrainian people and the seizure of territories.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric disseminate information that the infectious disease leptospirosis is spreading among the military of the 103rd  separate territorial defense brigade. They refer to an article from the Public website, where they mention 4 people hospitalized in a Lviv hospital. It is not true.

The case was investigated by fact-checkers of the Center for Countering Disinformation. T. Aleksanian, head of the fourth diagnostic department of the infectious diseases hospital, stated that from July 31 to August 9, 4 people were hospitalized with a diagnosis of leptospirosis. However, the article does not report that the military from the 103rd brigade  were hospitalized.

Thus, the Russian propaganda is trying to discredit the brigade and sow panic among the Ukrainian military and reduce morale. Earlier, we refuted the fake that an outbreak of cholera was recorded in Odesa.

On the Russian and Lithuanian segments of Facebook and anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric information is spreading that the Ukrainian military received drugs from the United States that make them fearless at the front. In the video, a man in camouflage uniform shows a bag with the USAID logo, on which the names of the chemicals - methylphenidate and ephedrine - are written. On the right side of the video, there is a US flag and the inscription “thank you”. Also, some reports say that the 79th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine received ephedrine, used in the production of methamphetamine, along with a US aid package. It is not true.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the 15min project. These substances are used to make medicine and are prescribed by doctors. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has approved many medicines containing this active ingredient, methylphenidate. And ephedrine can be found in drugs, but doctors prescribe it to treat nasal congestion.

In the brand book posted on the agency's page, it is noted that the colors of the logo should be red and blue, and not black and red, as in the video. Also on the USAID page there is no information about humanitarian support for the Ukrainian military.

Moreover, the representative of the 79th separate airborne brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant Yaroslav Chepurnas confirmed that the video is fake. Representatives of the brigade denied receiving assistance with such medication.

Thus, propagandists are trying to discredit the United States and weaken the assistance of Western partners to Ukraine. And also to support the fiction that the Ukrainian military uses drugs and, in part, they are forced to do it. Previously, we refuted the fake that psychotropic drugs are being supplied to the Ukrainian military.

In the Italian segment of Facebook, the social network X, which was formerly called Twitter, and TikTok, a video allegedly staged by Ukrainian military personnel is being distributed. The video shows two soldiers in camouflage pulling a dummy behind a tree, while a woman in a green vest follows them and takes pictures. One of the users who shared the video signed it: “Hollywood in Ukraine. It would have been nice if the woman in the green vest had stepped out of the frame when they were filming the scene”. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the Facta project. In fact, the video was published on the page of the NGO of the Training Center 12 of the city of Kremenchuh. The video is signed as follows: “It is better to test yourself and really evaluate your strengths in training tasks ... Basic military training of the civilian population of GO STC 12”. So, the video shows the moment of military exercises.

In this way, Russian propaganda promotes the message that Russia does not commit any war crimes, and Ukraine lies and films “performances” to discredit it. The Russians are trying to remove responsibility for war crimes, saying that they do not kill Ukrainians, and Ukraine itself fakes events. Earlier, Detector Media denied the fake that Ukrainian servicemen were filming “staging” with the wounded.

Russian media broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric spread the information that Ukrainian soldiers allegedly set up dungeons for children when the Russian army protects them. It's fake.

The case was studied at the Center for Strategic Communications. There is no evidence that the Ukrainian military tortures children. However, it is the Russians who illegally take Ukrainian children from the occupied territories to Russia, which is deportation, kidnapping and a war crime. It is for this that Volodymyr Putin and the Commissioner for Children's Rights in Russia, Mariia Lvova-Bielova, were put on the wanted list by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Also, the Russian military set up dungeons for children in the Kherson region and tortured and starved children.

Thus, Russian propagandists are trying to discredit the Ukrainian servicemen. They use the tactics of reflection: after the Russians were accused of torturing Ukrainian children, they began to accuse the Ukrainian military of the same crimes. Earlier, we refuted the fake that Ukrainian battalions kill Ukrainian children and then export their organs under the grain export code.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric are circulating a video of a Ukrainian soldier saying that the Ukrainian military is clearing minefields with their own feet. And this is confirmed by the fact that the military command is throwing elite units to the slaughter. This is manipulation.

The case was investigated by the VoxCheck fact-checker. The propagandists used the story of Radio Svoboda (Liberty). On the video there is a fighter of the 47th separate mechanized brigade “Magura” with the call sign “Frenchman”. The video distributed by the propagandists and the video of Radio Svoboda (Liberty) are identical. The military says that the Russians densely replaced the fields and places where sappers cannot reach, the military will clear mines with their own hands. “It is very difficult because they have been standing here [the Zaporizhzhia direction] for more than a year, and all the fields are very heavily mined with anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. Unfortunately, we can say we will clear these fields with our own feet”, the military man said.

Thus, the Russian propaganda is trying to discredit the high military command of Ukraine, which allegedly does not spare the Ukrainian military and leaves them to their deaths. They also try to show the incompetence of officials and therefore the impossibility of Ukraine winning the war. Earlier, we refuted the fake that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are calling for the destruction of all people in the de-occupied territories.

Russian media disseminate information that allegedly French instructors who train the Ukrainian military do not give a damn about their future fate. Referring to the author of the Le Monde edition, Elise Vincent, they claim that the instructors, after completing the training, arrange “farewell meetings” for Ukrainians who “leave for possible death”. Like, the instructors say: what will happen to the Ukrainians does not concern us. However, this is manipulation.

Specialists of The Insider project drew attention to it. They allege that Vincent's brief article, “French Train Ukrainian Soldiers in Poland”, states that France has declassified information about a Ukrainian military training program at a former Soviet military base in Poland, which is attended by 120 French instructors and 80 additional personnel. The French Colonel Benoit, who participates in the training, notes the high motivation of the Ukrainian military. But the phrase propagated by propagandists is taken out of context. The full version of the article says that “there is no official talk about the fear of the future”, in the context of which Benoit said that further events are “not their topic”.

In this case, propagandists are trying to pass off the phrase of one colonel as proof of the indifferent attitude of foreigners to the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. However, the phrase itself refers only to the ceremony of completing the training.

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that Ukrainian air defense is not yet effective enough, because it is led by “incompetent” military. The authors add that the Ukrainian Defense Forces do not know how to manage air defense and themselves end up in Ukrainian high-rise buildings. According to their conclusions, all hits in civilian infrastructure (homes, shops, hospitals, kindergartens) occur, they say, because of the unprofessional Ukrainian army. At the same time, as an example of this thesis, the authors add to the publications a video of “Ukrainian air defense hitting” one of the Kyiv high-rise buildings on July 13, 2023.

Fact-checkers of the Center for Countering Disinformation explained that on the night of July 13, the Russians attacked Kyiv and the region with strike drones. The video shows the consequences of the fall of the wreckage of the Russian Shahed-136/131 UAV on a residential building in Kyiv. The propagandists simply reflected the situation and began to claim that the building had suffered at the hands of the Ukrainian army. But it is not like this.

Rhetoric about the incompetent military is often used by Russian propaganda to cover up its crimes against Ukrainian civilians. That is, all rocket attacks or drones are attributed by the Russians to the Ukrainian army, which is “inept”. Such propagandists whitewash themselves and demonize the Ukrainian military, who allegedly target Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

Russian media broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric spread information about the alleged disbandment of the 92nd Separate Mechanized Brigade named after the otaman Ivan Sirko. They refer to the words of lawyer Yevheniia Zakrevska, who serves in the aerial reconnaissance of the 92nd brigade. In her message, it seems to be written: “I understand the commander, Bies, a little. After he was forced to accept a company, the company soon almost disappeared. Less than a week later. Now there is actually no 92nd OMBR: there are several units of UAV operators and a hundred infantrymen scattered by other brigades”. It's fake.

Specialists of the Kharkiv Anti-Corruption Center drew attention to the case. They found Yevheniia Zakrevska's message and established that the Russian propagandists simply came up with and added several proposals, allegedly submitting them on behalf of a lawyer and a serviceman. Yevheniia Zakrevska wrote about how hard it is to inform people about the death of a loved one, and not about the disbandment of the brigade. In fact, her post  says: “I understand the company commander, Bies, a little. He doesn't even look older than 25. After he was forced to accept a company, the company soon almost disappeared. Those who ended up on Kreminna have almost run out in Bakhmut. Less than a week later. Bies is good. He is not hiding in the rear of the KSP, he pulled us out of various pricks several times. The fighters love him. And Pasha too. But Bies did not tell the wife about Kent's death. And now Pasha must do it”.

Against the background of news about the counteroffensive, Russian propagandists are trying to convince the Ukrainians that it is unsuccessful, and there are many losses in Ukraine, that the brigades have to be disbanded. Thus, Russian propaganda sows panic and despondency among Ukrainians. Earlier, Detector Media denied the manipulation that the former head of Estonian intelligence, Rainer Sachs, said that the Ukrainian counteroffensive was a “failure”.

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say the Russians are successfully destroying Ukrainian ammunition depots. Like, Ukraine loses its combat capability and loses the war. As evidence, the authors cite as an example a video of an allegedly “destroyed” ammunition depot in Uman. The authors add that this happened on June 8, 2023 during rocket attacks.

The case was noticed by the fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project who found that on June 8, 2023, the Russians actually hit at an industrial facility and a car wash, and not at an ammunition depot. In addition, the Russians hit the supermarket. As a result, there are casualties. That is, propagandists use the rhetoric about the destruction of military objects  to cover up their war crimes because the invaders are shelling civilian infrastructure, public places where people can be. For example, on June 27, 2023, the Russians shelled the center of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region, hitting the nearby cafes and shops. This is not a rare case.

Thus, propagandists seek to whitewash themselves, as if they do not kill civilians and do not commit genocide. At the same time, they are trying to convince that they are shelling military targets (which also does not justify their aggression), when in fact the Russian army is destroying civilian infrastructure, killing people.

Users of social networks, in particular the American segment of Instagram, spread a video showing a house driving across a field, and added the inscription: “Ukrainian tank uses the house as camouflage”. The author of the publication believes that the video allegedly shows military equipment disguised as a Ukrainian house. This is manipulation.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the PolitiFact project. They determined that there was no Ukrainian tank disguised as a house in the video. In fact, this is a car, namely the Zaporozhets, which, back in 2020, a family from near Dnipro turned into a “mobile home”. Craftsmen decorated it with Petrykivka painting, and placed icons and embroidered towels inside. A reverse search also showed that the video, dated 2020, was filmed by TV Channel 34. The Instagram post was labeled as the “False Information” one. 

The Ukrainian military does not disguise military equipment as houses. Earlier, Detector Media explained the manipulation that Mexican cartels allegedly receive weapons provided to Ukraine as military aid.

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that a Ukrainian military sabotage group allegedly blew up a section of the Togliatti-Odesa pipeline that Russia was using to export ammonia. The authors add that toxic fumes allegedly covered the positions of the Ukrainian military: one was killed, several were poisoned, the rest of the military received orders to use gas masks in their positions. They also claim that the Ukrainian military is doing this on purpose. It is not true. 

The fact-checkers of the StopFake project drew attention to the case, they established that it was not a “sabotage group of Ukrainian military”, but the Russian military that damaged the pipe of the Togliatti-Odesa ammonia pipeline near the village of Masiutivka as a result of artillery shelling. This was stated in the Kharkiv police department. The head of the Regional Military Administration confirmed that the pipeline had been depressurized as a result of Russian strikes.

Also, the thesis about the death and poisoning of the military is a lie since later the Kharkiv police department came out with a statement that the situation with the release of ammonia in the Kupiansk district is fully controlled. Nothing threatens the life and health of people. After the night shelling, the safety valves at the station worked, and due to this, the leakage of ammonia was relatively insignificant. It was also reported that a cloud of ammonia was blown away by the wind in the direction of the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. That is, in fact, it is the Russian military who carry out terrorist attacks on industrial facilities and destroy the ecosystem of Ukraine. For example, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine recently reported that the Russians were mining the Crimean Titan plant in temporarily occupied Armiansk and preparing a terrorist act with the release of about 200 tons of ammonia. This can lead to an artificially created man-made disaster. Russia simply reflects its actions and thus tries to present itself as a constant victim of Ukraine's “aggression”. Allegedly, it is Ukraine that commits terrorist attacks and kills civilians.

Similar theses were heard on the air of Russian propaganda TV channels and media. They say that the German authorities are silent about the war crimes of the Ukrainians, and the Ukrainian military, who came to study in Germany, show videos of the torture and execution of Russian prisoners of war. Russian propaganda says that Ukrainians are more interested in ways to intimidate the enemy than in exercises, and refers to the words of General of the Bundeswehr Andreas Marlow, who allegedly spoke about this. “They praise the punitive operations that the SS troops carried out during World War II, they show the swastika”,  Marlow allegedly said. He seems to be trying to get through to the German courts, but he and other German officers are ordered to be silent, otherwise they will be fired. It's fake.

The fact-checkers of The Insider media drew attention to the case. Propaganda telegram channels refer to the telegram channel Übersicht Ukraine, which, in all likelihood, was the first to publish an article with a “statement” by Andreas Marlow with the headline German General Confirms Ukraine’s War Crimes. The channel itself does not name its sources, but the description states: this channel offers translated content from Russian sites for the German-speaking region. We do not advocate war or violence.

In February, General Marlow gave an interview to the German television channel ntv Nachrichten, where he spoke about the Ukrainian military: “What strikes me deeply is the seriousness and motivation of the people who come to us. They are inquisitive and would rather not stop learning and exercising as much as possible”. That is, in fact, Marlow expressed directly opposite opinions to those that were disseminated by the propagandists.

Russian propaganda systematically spreads the narrative that Ukrainians are Nazis and murderers. And as if the West supports them in this. Thus, Russia is trying to shift responsibility from the aggressor to the victim of aggression. Earlier, Detector Media denied the fake that Zelenskyi allegedly wore a sweater with Nazi symbols to a meeting with the Pope.

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that people living in Africa or the Middle East are calling to take part in the war against Russia on the side of Ukraine. Allegedly, people are “attracted” by EU citizenship. The authors of the messages add a screenshot of an ad on a job search website, which offers to join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and note that employers will be able to provide an accelerated acquisition of EU citizenship. It is not true.

The case was taken up by Reuters fact-checkers, who turned to officials for comment in order to find out “the EU citizenship program”. At the same time, the representative of the EU Commission said that the ad has nothing to do with EU initiatives, because they did not implement or finance something similar. The speaker also added that he is sure that the ad  is part of a disinformation campaign against Ukraine and the European Union. Since there is no document certifying exclusively EU citizenship. EU citizenship is determined by the presence of citizenship of one of the EU member states. In other words, any citizen of a country of the European Union is considered a citizen of the Union. And “EU citizenship” is just a term that allows a person to better understand his or her belonging to the Union. That is, it is impossible to obtain “EU citizenship” and not become a citizen of one of the states of the European Union.

By spreading this fake, the authors are trying to show that there is no one to fight in Ukraine. Allegedly, people are already being recruited to the front, using various baits such as “EU citizenship”.

Anonymous telegram channels broadcasting Kremlin rhetoric have circulated an article by Russian media citing CNN about US plans to expand military training from Ukraine. Russian propaganda writes that the article used an image of a truck with pigs. It's fake.

The fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project drew attention to the case. They note that neither the Russian media nor CNN have published images of the pigs in the truck. This was verified using the Internet Archive tool.

Also, the CNN article does say that US President Biden's administration is considering training 2,500 Ukrainian troops at a US base in Germany. However, a different photo was used in the news. The results of checking with the Internet Archive showed that the CNN publication did not include a photo of pigs in a truck.

Thus, Russian propaganda wants to sow doubts about the sincerity of the support of the Americans and show that they despise the Ukrainians. Earlier, Detector Media denied the fake that the Ukrainian military allegedly massively complains about equipment supplied by the United States.

The Russian media disseminated information that forty fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were poisoned to death by dumplings received from volunteers. It's fake.

Analysts of The Insider project drew attention to it. They note that propagandists began to spread it after a voice message with this story appeared in chats on Signal and WhatsApp. It was sent to these chats by a user with the nickname marjankopuk. This nickname can be found on the Internet only once in an ad on the OLX website for the sale of a children's bed and a malfunctioning microwave. According to it, “Marjan” is a Lviv resident. Also, the project specialists found a publication in 2014, according to which in the Luhansk region, indeed, “Ukrainian soldiers were poisoned with dumplings”, but no one died.

Propagandists talk about “deadly dumplings” because they want to undermine Ukrainians’ trust in volunteers and cause public panic. They say that even volunteers feed Ukrainian soldiers with trash, and what can be said about food from the state. However, Ukrainians are unlikely to be demoralized by dumplings.

Such information is disseminated by the Kremlin propaganda media. They refer to the statement of the chief US general in Europe, Christopher Cavoli, which he allegedly made on the air of the American TV channel TruNews. According to propagandists, Cavoli said that the Russian military allegedly “has not been affected negatively” in the war, and Western media seemed to distort information about the “degradation” of Russian troops. This is manipulation.

According to the fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project, Christopher Cavoli did not talk about the advantage of the Russians in the war and that the Western media distort the facts, moreover, he emphasized that Ukraine is in a good position. Russian propaganda took out of context a quote where the general spoke about the activity of the Russians in the Atlantic Ocean and that it was precisely that part of the Russian military that the war had almost no effect on. “Russians are more active than we’ve seen them in years, and their patrols into the Atlantic, and throughout the Atlantic, are at a high level, most of the time at a higher level than we’ve seen in years”, Cavoli said exclusively about the Russian military in the Atlantic Ocean.

Russian propaganda also said that the general spoke on the TruNews TV channel, but took out of context a quote from his speech to the House Committee. The Media Bias/Fact Check project, which aggregates the assessments of independent IFCN fact-checkers, writes that TruNews is a conspiracy and pseudo-scientific publication that spreads conspiracy theories and hate speech and is an unreliable source of information. VoxCheck noticed that TruNews was spreading pro-Kremlin narratives.

Russian propaganda systematically distorts interviews with foreign experts in order to discredit them. Thus, propagandists are trying to convince Ukrainians that the event does not support our country in the war and sow discouragement among society. Earlier, Detector Media refuted the fake that American General Mark Milli allegedly accidentally praised Russia for “successes” in the beginning of a “special military operation”.

Propagandists are spreading information that the head of the US General Staff, General Mark Milley, accidentally praised Russia for “successes” in the beginning of the “special military operation”. Like, he said that Russia was striving to advance into Dnipro, and thus he accidentally praised the Russian army for its professionalism. It's fake.

Analysts of the StopFake project drew attention to it. In fact, the American general did not say that about the Russian army. On the contrary, in an interview for Foreign Affairs, he stated that in a very short time, Russia did not achieve its strategic goals and could not achieve what it wanted militarily.

Propagandists constantly resort to distorting interviews with Western media people to fit their own messages. In this way, they want to show that the support of the West is not real and that in fact it recognizes the victory of Russia. But in fact, the pace of support from the West continues to grow.

Such information was disseminated in Russian propaganda media, referring to the head of the Kharkiv military garrison, Serhii Melnyk. He believes that Ukraine “will never have enough people and equipment to defeat Russia”. Russian propaganda also stated that “the combat-ready part of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed, and the professional military was out of action”. This is manipulation.

The fact-checkers of the StopFake project drew attention to the case. Russian propaganda media used an interview with General Serhii Melnyk for the Spanish edition of El País. Melnyk spoke about the defense of Kharkiv in 2022 and the upcoming counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2023. The general noted that Ukraine needs not only a large amount of equipment and ammunition, but also the military, so that rotations can be carried out more often. It was this statement that took the propaganda out of context and created the manipulation that the Ukrainian army had “already been killed”.

After the Russian propaganda media began to spread this manipulation, Serhii Melnyk explained his words. He noted that although the fighters are heroic, however, they are exhausted, some are injured, and someone dies. He also noted that Ukraine has enough resources for a counteroffensive, but the most important thing is to get enough weapons to save the lives of the fighters.

This is not the first time Russian propaganda wants to undermine the reputation of the Ukrainian military leadership and cause discouragement among Ukrainian society by manipulating the topic of a counteroffensive. Like, even the military leaders do not believe in the victory of Ukraine over Russia. Earlier, Detector Media talked about the manipulation that if the Ukrainian military fails the counteroffensive, the West will allegedly stop supporting Ukraine.

Such a “document” was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The “document” says that the Ukrainian military has increasingly begun to leave their positions, refusing to perform tasks at the forefront. They also allegedly sabotage the orders and instructions of the commanders.

This case was noticed by the fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project, who found that the report was not real. The fact-checkers sent a request to 123 TD brigade. They replied that they did not create such a report.

In particular, the “document” contains elements in its design that do not comply with the standards of modern Ukrainian office work. For example, in this case, the document should not be signed for the “commander of the OUV KHERSON (operational group of troops KHERSON)”, but is required to write for the highest military authority (for example, the headquarters of a military unit) and the authority of the Military Law Enforcement Service. This is a different type of document, namely a report. Therefore, there are other instructions for its design.

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The reports say that the Offensive Guard is a “group of evaders to defend the regime of Zelenskyi”. Like, the brigades of the Offensive Guard are subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which means that they will protect Ukrainian officials from civilians and from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Allegedly, the Offensive Guard will work in the event of mass protests by Ukrainians, hindering freedom of speech.

The fact-checkers of VoxCheck drew attention to the case, and found that the brigades of the Offensive Guards were created to conduct combat operations since the National Guardsmen, policemen and border guards fought at the front even before the full-scale invasion of Russia. The main goal of the Offensive Guard is to form assault brigades that will liberate Ukrainian territory. Currently, 9 brigades are being formed. All these units participated in the fighting, but under a different name or in a different structure.

That is, the Offensive Guard, like the Armed Forces of Ukraine, serve Ukraine and the Ukrainians. This is not an initiative of “individual officials” to introduce their own agenda. The military, on the contrary, protects every Ukrainian man and every Ukrainian woman, and does not interfere with their freedom.