Spilnota Detector Media

Fake The West allegedly “failed” to refute the fact of Ukraine’s use of chemical weapons

At the beginning of March 2024, the 105th session of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), operating under the UN, took place. Against this backdrop, the Kremlin began to claim that the Ukrainian military is using various homemade ammunition and grenades “containing toxic chemical substances”. And, as a result, pro-Kremlin media wrote that the OPCW countries allegedly failed to refute “the facts provided by the Russian side”. It's a lie.

StopFake fact-checkers investigated this case and determined that one of the main topics of the OPCW meeting was indeed the use of chemical weapons in the war against Ukraine. However, Council members rejected all Russian accusations against Ukraine, calling them a “disinformation campaign” aimed at creating confusion in the Rada and discrediting the OPCW. Russia was also accused of spreading unfounded accusations about possible Ukrainian “plans” to use chemical weapons on its own territory.

Moreover, according to reports presented to the OPCW for discussion, the Russian occupiers are actively using so-called “riot control agents” against the Ukrainian defense forces - chemical compounds that temporarily deprive people of the ability to function, causing irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and skin.

Fake The Czech Republic is allegedly trying to avoid responsibility for “complicity in the crimes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”

Pro-Kremlin resources are disseminating information that the Czech Republic refused to take part in a meeting of the UN Security Council, which was initiated by Russia, because it is afraid of responsibility for involvement in the shelling of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian territory (Belgorod).

This information is erroneous, the fact-checkers from the StopFake project report. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipovsky called Russian statements propaganda and added that Prague would be happy to appear at a meeting of the UN Security Council if its topic was the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. In addition, the Kremlin, in the form of an ultimatum, demanded that the Czech Republic participate in the meeting, but as a result was refused.

During a meeting of the UN Security Council, other allied countries of Ukraine reminded Russian representatives that the blame for everything that happened lies solely with Russia and the unprovoked war against Ukraine. During the meeting initiated by Russia, none of the countries came out in support of the Kremlin, so the meeting on the triumph of Russian propaganda turned into yet another accusation of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

Russian propaganda is trying to shift responsibility for the war unleashed by Russia in Ukraine onto someone else’s shoulders, and also to present itself as a victim of its own aggression. In addition, this fake is another attempt to divert attention from the crimes of the Russian army against the civilian population of Ukraine and massive attacks on Ukrainian civilian targets. Previously, we analyzed Putin’s message that Russia allegedly does not violate the UN Charter.

Message Russia allegedly does not violate the UN Charter

Russian President Volodymyr Putin recently said that Russia has no partiality towards anyone in the UN and that its actions do not violate the UN Charter. However, this is not true.

This message was noticed by the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council. They recalled that on the day the full-scale invasion began, the war criminal stated that his actions were in accordance with the UN Charter. Later, he repeatedly justified the war in Ukraine, explaining it by the need to “protect the inhabitants of the people’s republics of Donbas”, which is one of the main narratives of Russian propaganda. The aggressor country constantly abuses its membership in the UN by blocking resolutions in support of world peace and stability.

Propagandists use such messages to provide validation for their actions. They say that the international community supports his actions. However, it is not. Detector Media has already written about how Russia uses international organizations to spread its propaganda, in particular the OSCE.

Fake Ukrainian air defense system ostensibly attacked a civilian ship

Russian media are disseminating information that the recent attack on a civilian ship flying the flag of Liberia is the result of the work of Ukrainian air defense. However, this is fake.

Analysts from the StopFake project drew attention to it. They found out that, in fact, according to the British intelligence services, the Russian pilot hit this ship with an anti-radar missile “due to poor tactics in the use of weapons”.

Russia systematically violates international humanitarian law by attacking Ukrainian ports and civilian ships. And Russian aggression leads to the death of civilians, destruction of infrastructure and violation of navigation rules in the Black Sea. In addition, Russia, by withdrawing from the Black Sea Initiative and banning ships from entering Ukrainian ports, violates the right to free navigation in the Black Sea, which is needed not only by Russia, but also by Ukraine and other countries, including NATO members.

The UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) has already called on Russia to stop “illegal activities in the Black Sea” and adhere to its obligations under international treaties. Ukraine, despite Russian aggression, ensures legal exports through a new temporary route approved by the IMO.

By spreading such fakes, propagandists want to shift responsibility for the actions of the aggressor onto the victim of aggression. Detector Media has repeatedly refuted other fakes and manipulations regarding Russia’s actions in the Black Sea.

Manipulation Ukraine declares the verdicts of innocent people, the UN said

Propagandists spreading pro-Russian rhetoric in the media claim that the UN is accusing the “Kyiv regime” of pronouncing sentences on innocent people. They say they mean almost six thousand criminal proceedings for cooperation with Russia. This statement was made by UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif during her speech at a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on October 9. Propagandists also refer to statements by the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, Tetiana Moskalkova, where she accused the Ukrainian special services of keeping teachers in custody in the Kherson region. According to her, Ukraine reproaches teachers in prison only because they “did not violate their professional duty and continued to teach children”. However, this is manipulation.

Specialists from the StopFake project drew attention to it. They found out that although the topic was indeed discussed at the meeting, Al-Nashif did not accuse Ukraine of “declaring the verdicts of innocent people”. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights only expressed concern that “many of those arrested and even convicted suffered because of their actions, which, in principle, the occupying state could force them to do”. In this context, they are observing with “deep concern” the policy of mass granting of Russian citizenship to local residents in the territory of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation.

In addition, Russian media ignored part of the report in which the Office drew attention to numerous human rights violations by Russia. In particular, Al-Nashif said victims described “cruelty that is difficult to imagine”, such as electric shocks, sexual assault and severe beatings, in some cases resulting in broken bones and knocked out teeth. She also criticized the conditions of the prisoners, in particular the lack of access to food and medicine, as well as sleep deprivation. The UN also drew attention to the fact that Russia has not taken any measures to hold accountable for violations and crimes committed by its security forces.

Moskalkova’s statements do not correspond to reality. According to Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, criminal liability is provided not for teaching under occupation, but for “propaganda carried out by a citizen of Ukraine in educational institutions”, as well as for the implementation of the standards of the aggressor state in the educational process. Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine Valeriia Kolomiets, in a commentary for Radio Svoboda (Liberty), emphasized that the fact of living in temporarily occupied territories does not automatically define a person as a collaborator. The official also stated cases when Ukrainian teachers under occupation were forced to work under pressure, worrying about the lives of themselves and their families. Accordingly, the pre-trial investigation and the court must take into account all the circumstances of this category of cases.

By spreading such messages, propagandists want to discredit the Ukrainian authorities and avoid responsibility for Russian crimes. In addition, in this way they justify the disdainful attitude towards the residents of the temporarily occupied territories. Detector Media has already written about what harmful messages Russia creates and disseminates against residents of temporarily occupied territories.

Fake A security guard who accompanied Zelenskyi at the UN General Assembly started a fight in a New York bar

Russian media broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric and Kremlin propagandists are distributing a video of an employee of Volodymyr Zelenskyi’s security service allegedly accompanying him to the UN General Assembly allegedly starting a fight in New York at a local bar, The Campbell Bar, not far from the UN building. In the low-quality video, we first see footage of the visit of the Ukrainian delegation to the United States, and then the crush of a group of men. Russian propaganda refers to the American publication USA Today, which apparently published this video. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the fact-checker of the StopFake project. The video published by propaganda is a forgery. It is impossible to identify the men in the video, and the text accompanying the video is riddled with errors. Fact-checkers analyzed the bar in the video and compared it with The Campbell Bar - they are visually different. Also, the bar administration, authorized representative of the company Scott Gerber, said in a comment to StopFake: “This video is a fake. This was not the case at the Campbell Bar”.

Moreover, the American publication USA Today did not publish material about the fight that Zelenskyi’s security guard allegedly started. There is no information on this case on the publication’s website or on the company’s social networks.

Thus, Russian propagandists are trying to discredit Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the Ukrainian delegation in the United States and reduce Western support. Previously, we refuted the fake that Suspilne compiled a video of Zelenskyi’s speech at the UN General Assembly.

Fake Suspilne compiled a video of Zelenskyi’s speech at the UN General Assembly

Such information was disseminated on social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that on September 20, Volodymyr Zelenskyi spoke at a special meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to Russia’s war against Ukraine. At the same time, propaganda telegram channels promoted messages that the Ukrainian president was not supported and was not listened to during his speech; that Western officials “ran away” from the Security Council meeting room in protest against Zelenskyi. But in support of this thesis, the authors added video evidence - supposedly an excerpt from the live broadcast of the United News marathon, where Ukrainian media workers allegedly resorted to editing. So, at one of the moments in which Zelenskyi was giving a speech, they inserted what seemed to be a shot from the audience, as the president was already sitting and listening to someone. That is, they hinted that the Ukrainians were deceived in this way, just to create the impression that the hall was full during the official’s speech. And the anonymous telegrammers summed it up: “such a product will only be useful to the Ukrainian viewer”. However, this is a lie.

In fact, Zelenskyi’s speech was broadcast live at the Marathon with a completely different translation. This can be checked by comparing two video excerpts - a fake one and one from a real broadcast. That is, at least Suspilne has nothing to do with the probable compilation of the broadcast. But we managed to find a video with exactly the same translation as in the propaganda passage. It was published on the official TSN YouTube channel. However, the fake legacy here also differs from the broadcast: it does not record the moment when, during the delivery of a speech, the synchronization with Zelenskyi sitting in the hall is superimposed. It’s easy to determine this by starting from a fake video and finding that moment already in the TSN broadcast. Most likely, the video was edited by the authors of the fake publications. Information about the “editing” of the live broadcast was subsequently picked up by the Kremlin media.

Thus, propagandists are trying to portray Zelenskyi as an unsuccessful politician, whose opinion is not listened to or who is ignored at international events, “running away” from the meeting room. Among other things, fake makers are also trying to convince people that the President of Ukraine has usurped and owns the entire Ukrainian media space: it is known that the public broadcaster is financed from the state treasury and should not be influenced by political forces. And if journalists allegedly indulged Volodymyr Zelenskyi and compiled the moment for broadcast, the Ukrainian authorities are ready to direct the agenda, seemingly in places beyond the reach of the state, and impede freedom of speech.

Fake During Volodymyr Zelenskyi's speech at the UN, most people left the hall

In the Russian segment of Facebook, information is being spread that during Volodymyr Zelenskyi's speech at the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, most people left the hall. “The whole world is with them”, social network users add ironically. This is allegedly confirmed by two photographs: in one, Zelenskyi is standing behind the podium, and in the other, the hall is not completely filled. It's fake.

The case was investigated by the fact-checker of the StopFake project. People did not leave the hall during Volodymyr Zelenskyi's speech on September 19. There is a video from the meeting on the official UN YouTube channel, which clearly shows that the room was filled only at the beginning of the session. The President of Ukraine spoke at the end of the first half of the six-hour session, immediately after the President of Turkmenistan. Immediately after his speech, the cameraman showed the hall not completely filled. Having compared the speeches of the King of Jordan, the presidents of Poland and Turkmenistan, the fact-checkers came to the conclusion that during Zelenskyi’s speech the number of people in the hall almost did not change.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit UN members and spreading the opinion that the West is tired of war, and Western partners are disdainful of the President of Ukraine. Previously, we talked about the manipulation that Zelenskyi would not be allowed to speak before the US Congress.

Manipulation The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recognized that Ukraine is no longer a constitutional state

This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The reports say that allegedly the report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights admitted that Ukraine is no longer a constitutional state. That is, such a state, which is led by the so-called “Kyiv regime” in its own interests. However, this is manipulation.

VoxCehck specialists analyzed this case and came to the conclusion that in the report, experts did not indicate that Ukraine is a non-legal state, pointing out possible gaps in the legislation that should be corrected. The monitoring focused on massive violations of human rights by the Russian side and individual cases of violations by Ukraine.

The report, for example, says that after the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, the authorities received broader powers to detain persons who pose a threat to national security. According to the authors of the report, these changes may have contributed to the spread of the practice of arbitrary (illegal) detention. Also, in propaganda publications, they completely ignored the part that deals with the crimes of the Russian military. In particular, the report documented 864 cases of arbitrary detention of persons by the Russian side.

The authors of the report also described in detail the moments of “filtering” in the temporarily occupied areas. When people were arrested in their homes, on the streets or at checkpoints. The Russians searched them, took fingerprints and looked through the contents of mobile phones. To each fact cited were added real stories of surviving eyewitnesses.

That is, the report itself was created with the goal of highlighting moments when Russia violated human rights. As for the Ukrainian side, the report also described characteristic moments, but most of the cases were recorded on the Russian side, which the propagandists did not mention.

Manipulation The UN said that Ukraine poses a threat of a nuclear catastrophe

Russian media, broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric, spread information that the head of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kareshi, allegedly said that Ukraine threatens nuclear security in the world. Propaganda reports in its media that confirmation of the possible occurrence of a nuclear catastrophe is that Ukraine will be given F-16 fighter jets that can carry missiles with nuclear warheads. It is not true.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the StopFake project. At the UN meeting dedicated to the International Day against Nuclear Tests, the head of the General Assembly Csaba Kareshii noted that Russia regularly threatens to use nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine. Russian propaganda did not translate some of the words about Russia, but added information about the “aggression of Ukraine” on its own behalf.

And the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Ms. Bonnie Denise Jenkins, said they “are concerned, however, by the disturbing nuclear rhetoric from the Russian Federation over the past year and a half – in particular, President Putin’s statement in February about Russia’s willingness to resume nuclear explosive testing”. None of the countries has accused Ukraine of the threat of a nuclear catastrophe, and the F-16s do not carry a nuclear threat.

Russian propagandists use the tactic of reflection - they attribute their actions to opponents. Russian propaganda accuses Ukraine of a nuclear threat, although it is a non-nuclear state, and Russia itself systematically uses nuclear blackmail. Earlier, Detector Media said that the Russians were spreading information that Ukraine was allegedly creating a “dirty nuclear bomb”.

Manipulation UN says drone attacks on Moscow must stop

In the Russian segment of Facebook, information is being disseminated that the United Nations (UN) has allegedly stated that “drone attacks on Moscow must stop”. They refer to the words of Deputy Spokesman of the UN Secretary General Farhan Haq. This is manipulation.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the StopFake project. The information that drone attacks on Moscow will stop is taken out of context. The transcript of the July 31 press briefing recorded Farhan Haq's response to the question: “What is the reaction of the Secretary General to this incident”. He replied that they had no data on who was involved in the attack and “we are against any attacks on civilian objects and we want them to stop”.

Thus, propagandists are trying to sow discouragement among Ukrainians, saying that the UN does not support them, and accuse Ukraine of crimes against Russia. Earlier, we talked about the message that Ukraine is allegedly no longer supported by the West.

Message The UN Security Council “doesn’t give a damn about suffering of Donbas inhabitants”

This thesis was spread on social networks, in particular on telegram channels that broadcast pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that the UN Security Council refused to allow a representative of the occupying authorities, the so-called “DNR ombudswoman” Daria Morozova to attend the meeting. Consequently, the authors began to disseminate the thesis that “the UN does not perceive the inhabitants of Donbas as people”, as well as “West does not give a damn about the suffering of the inhabitants of Donbas”. At the same time, the authors emphasize that the UN does not seem to want to hear “first-hand information about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Donbas”.

The fact-checkers of the StopFake project drew attention to the case, they found out that the refusal of the UN Security Council to allow the so-called “DNR ombudswoman” to the meeting has nothing to do with “russophobia” or “the West’s refusal to learn about the problems” of residents in the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia. On March 17, the UN Security Council voted against the participation in the meeting of a representative of the occupying authorities in Ukraine because of the illegitimacy of such a position. The “DNR ombudsman” is a fictitious position, as well as a fake political entity not recognized by many countries of the world. Analysts emphasize that representatives of the occupying authorities are trying to legitimize the Kremlin's “referenda” at gunpoint in the occupied Ukrainian territories.

It is Russia that is responsible for the humanitarian situation that has developed in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine in connection with Russian aggression. Ukraine is open to international investigative commissions and, unlike Russia, contributes in every possible way to the investigation of crimes committed during the war.

Manipulation UN investigation “found no evidence of Ukrainian genocide” during Russian-Ukrainian war

This thesis was widespread in the foreign segment of social networks and the media. Reports say that the UN report found no evidence of genocide among Ukrainians. Like, one of the members of the UN Commission confirmed this. Subsequently, the information was intercepted by propagandists and distributed in the pro-Russian segment of social networks, in particular, telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. This is manipulation.

The case was investigated by the fact-checkers of the NotaYenota project, who found out that the report was not intended to establish an act of genocide against Ukrainians at all. The Commission was engaged in investigating violations and harassment of human rights or international humanitarian law. During the investigation, the UN commission recorded numerous war crimes committed by the army of the terrorist country.

The UN Commission has identified specific war crimes that include attacks on civilians and energy infrastructure, intentional killings, false imprisonment, torture, rape and other types of sexual violence, and the illegal transfer and deportation of children.

As the fact-checkers explained, the Commission's evidence indicates that the Russian authorities committed deliberate killings of Ukrainian civilians in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia. In addition, the Commission found numerous cases of rape, sexual and gender-based violence committed by Russians. That is, the report does not really talk about genocide, because the real purpose of the investigation is to identify war crimes and violations of human rights.

The thesis regarding a member of the UN Commission, who allegedly confirmed the fact of “non-discovery of evidence of genocide”, is manipulative. In fact, he said that the Commission had not yet found such evidence, but they would continue their investigation. At the same time, some foreign media, in particular L'Agence France-Presse, published the news on their Twitter that “the UN did not find evidence of genocide in Ukraine”.

Manipulation The UN is disgruntled with the Western weapon supply to Ukraine

Such information was disseminated in telegram channels and pro-Kremlin media. The report says that such an opinion is allegedly shared by the speaker of the head of the UN, Stéphane Dujarric. The authors of the messages refer to his statement in which he allegedly said this and add that the West is supplying more and more weapons to Ukraine. According to them, this could “lead to even worse development”. However, this is manipulation.

As the analysts of the StopFake project explain, the propagandists distorted the official's quote. Asked by a journalist about the prospects for the end of Russia's war against Ukraine and the use of Western weapons, the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said that the current processes do not indicate that “a just peace in accordance with the UN Charter and international law” will be achieved soon. That is, it is assumed that Russia, a terrorist country, does not at all profess a policy of peace, diplomacy and democracy. On the contrary, it brings war and destruction, which just denies the key values of the UN, which the spokesman mentioned.

Based on the context of this statement, analysts are sure that Dujarric implies the concept of war as a phenomenon and possible escalating threats from a terrorist country, but this does not apply to the issue of arms supply, because the spokesman noted that in general the war continues and this is already bad . However, the UN will do everything to bring peace to Ukraine.

At the same time, the Russian media omitted a part of the quotation with “….in accordance with international law”, which primarily indicates a compilation and an attempt to manipulate the opinion of readers. This concept implies the withdrawal of Russian troops from all the territory of Ukraine within its recognized borders as of 1991.

Propagandists have repeatedly manipulated the issue of supplying weapons to Ukraine. Thus, they want to convince people that the countries of Europe do not give up their weapons of their own free will and allegedly regret this. Also, this manipulation is intended to nourish the narrative that the supply of Western weapons continues the war in Ukraine.

We recall that earlier Russia has already spread disinformation that certain European countries, in particular Denmark, regret that they provide weapons to Ukraine.

Fake Josep Borrell does not expect the approval of a new package of sanctions

Such messages are circulated on social networks and propaganda media. They say that the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Political Security does not expect the adoption of a new package of sanctions. Like, Borrell, accordingly, does not want his approval. However, this is not true.

According to the fact-checker of the StopFake project, Borrell said earlier that, in his opinion, the next package of sanctions against Russia could be approved “in a few days”, which happened as a result. That is, even before the EU summit, Josep Borrell, on the contrary, expressed the hope that the ninth package of sanctions against Russia would soon be approved. In addition, he never said that he did not expect the adoption of the next package of sanctions.

Propagandists are spreading this fake to nourish the narrative of allegedly unfairly imposed sanctions on Russia, and that some high-ranking officials refuse to participate in the adoption of the new package.

Manipulation Countries that voted against Russia's resolution at the UN session support Nazism

Such messages are circulated on social networks and propaganda media. They say that at the session of the UN General Assembly a resolution was put forward on the initiative of Russia “On the fight against the glorification of Nazism”. Consequently, they say, the countries that voted against this resolution are supporters of the Nazi ideology. However, this is a substitution of facts.

As StopFake project fact-checkers say, the fact that 50 UN member states voted against the Russian resolution to combat the glorification of Nazism does not at all indicate that these countries support Nazi ideology.

The document notes that all states are obliged to prohibit any “honoring of the Nazi regime, its allies and organizations associated with them, official and unofficial”.

Serhii Kislytsia, Ukraine’s representative to the UN, said the Russian resolution is Russia’s latest attempt to justify its military intervention, which they allegedly made to eradicate neo-Nazism in the country. Since Nazism and similar terms are purely subjective concepts. That is, who is considered a Nazi and who is called a fascist, as a rule, depends on the point of view of the speaker.

The propagandists spread this manipulation to discredit the international community, which allegedly supports Nazism and despises Russia “fighting” it.

Message The Anglo-Saxons are trying to "scrape" legal grounds for the theft of "illegally" arrested Russian assets

Russian media write about this with reference to the words of Dmytro Medvediev. Like, because of the UN resolution on compensation for damage to Ukraine during the war, the Anglo-Saxons "legitimize" the theft of Russian funds.

The UN General Assembly at a special session on November 14 adopted a resolution on the payment of reparations from Russia for the damage caused as a result of a full-scale aggression against Ukraine. The authors of the document are Ukraine and about fifty other states. 94 countries voted in favor of the resolution, 73 abstained. 14 countries voted against.

The document recognizes the need to create, in cooperation with Ukraine, an international mechanism to compensate for damage, loss or damage that is the result of Russia's actions in Ukraine or against Ukraine. The resolution recommends that UN members create, in cooperation with Ukraine, an international register of damages to record evidence.

Fake Ukraine used the grain corridor to attack the Russian fleet in Sevastopol with drones

Such accusations were voiced by the Russian Ministry of Defense and Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasylii Nebenzia, as well as written by Russian media and anonymous social media channels. It is not true.

UN spokesman Martin Griffiths confirmed that on the night of October 29, at the time of the attack, there were no ships in the humanitarian grain corridor. Russia accuses Ukraine of using a humanitarian corridor for drone attacks without providing any evidence. The Ukrainian side did not claim responsibility for the incident, although it did not unambiguously deny involvement in the attack.

On July 22, through the mediation of the UN and Turkey, Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement under which a safe maritime corridor was agreed between three Ukrainian ports and Turkish territorial waters. To control the implementation of the agreement, a Joint Coordination Center (JCC) was established in Istanbul, which, in turn, includes four groups of 8 inspectors. Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN each provided two inspectors. Monitoring groups check all ships that enter Turkish waters along the corridor from Ukraine. Empty ships returned to Ukraine are also checked to prevent the transport of weapons or unauthorized goods to Ukraine by ships and the illegal transportation of people. On November 02, four days after withdrawing from the agreement, Russia rejoined the agreement.

Russia, long before the attack of the fleet in Sevastopol, was preparing to withdraw from the grain deal. The attempt to block the grain corridor is a part of Putin's plan for a new phase of the war to deplete Ukraine.

Message Russia has the right to "punish Nazis everywhere"

Such a message is distributed in Telegram channels. Like, Articles 106 and 107 of the UN Charter allowed Russia to attack Ukraine. Allegedly, these articles give the "victors" of World War II the right to take action against "hostile countries". To do this, they need to communicate their plans to other "winners", but it is not necessary to obtain their consent.

The German fact-checkers of the Correctiv project drew attention to the spread of the message. They note that the UN Charter allows the use of weapons only in case of defense or with the consent of the Security Council. Telegram channels distorted the content of the UN Charter. Articles 106 and 107 state that the parties to the Declaration must cooperate in the preservation of peace and on measures taken in "hostile countries''. However, "parties" refers to those countries that signed the founding document, and not just the "winning countries". Also, the UN Committee back in 1995 proposed to exclude the so-called “hostile state” provisions from the charter since they are outdated. Now there are no hostile states in the meaning that was laid down after the Second World War, in particular, Germany and Japan are members of the UN.

Russia constantly manipulates the historical context and victory in World War II, forgetting about the contribution of other states. Russian propaganda also systematically accuses Ukraine and other states of Nazism. Previously, Russia tried to justify the invasion of Ukraine under the guise of Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Message Ukraine disrupted the work of the "grain corridor"

After Saturday's "attack against ships of the Black Sea Fleet" in Sevastopol, Russian resources spread several messages. Russia is allegedly withdrawing from the "grain agreement" due to "an attack against ships of the Black Sea Fleet involved in guaranteeing the safety of vessels delivering Ukrainian grain within the so-called Black Sea Initiative." Because of this, on October 31, Russia will initiate a meeting of the UN Security Council. A ship is a combat unit of a fleet that is a legitimate target in wartime. The Kremlin claims the attack was on ships, not civilian sea transport vessels.

The humanitarian corridor for grain export from Ukraine was allegedly used to cover the attack on the Sevastopol raid. The Ministry of Defense of Russia stated that this attack was a terrorist attack by Kyiv with the participation of specialists from Great Britain. There is no evidence for this. Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for this attack.

The South's defense forces assume that the explosions in occupied Sevastopol could have been caused by the Russian invaders' failed launches of air defense missiles. Propagandists assure Kyiv's fault that Europeans will be left without grain because it was not delivered to Africa. As you know, 72% of wheat went to Africa, Asia, and Turkey in two months. In fact, before this "attack," Russia threatened to withdraw from the "grain agreement" if its requirements were not met.

As the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, noted, Russia found a fictitious excuse for withdrawing from the agreement.

Manipulation The UN "proved its commitment" while investigating crimes in Ukraine

The Russian media report it concerning the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova. The report of the Commission of the UN Human Rights Council, dedicated to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, "confirms Russia's assessment of the political involvement and lack of independence of this UN mechanism. Zakharova also noted that "experts didn't even try to give the document's objectivity and balance." It isn't true.

Russia manipulates explicitly the data of the October report of the UN Commission, which provides the results of investigations into the events in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions in February-March 2022. At first, the Russian media wrote that the UN supposedly "finally recognized Ukraine's war crimes." A few days after the release of the report, Russia changed its rhetoric and accused the Organization of "bias," "involvement," and "lack of independence." As StopFake writes, the report was compiled by a group of independent investigators from different countries. The Commission reported that they adhered to the principles of independence, impartiality, objectivity, and conscientiousness in their work. Moreover, it is separately emphasized that the Commission considered allegations of violations of the alleged responsible person or entity regardless of the person or nationality. So, the investigators did not demonstrate any "bias."

After conducting interviews with the victims, the investigation methodology emphasizes that the Commission verified information from primary and secondary sources. Such sources were the materials of various government bodies from many countries, UN funds and programs, civil society organizations, and the media. The Commission also emphasized that it interacts with the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and other international and national subjects in every possible way. This investigation is collective and can't be considered "one-sided," as the Kremlin claims. Ukraine provided all the necessary data to the Commission's requests, but Russia ignored the UN's calls for cooperation. That is why the Kremlin's claims about the report's "political involvement" are misinformed because Russia, not the UN Commission, refused to take any part in the investigation.

Manipulation The UN reported on Ukraine's war crimes, and the Russian media spread this information

The report of the commission of the UN Human Rights Council, dedicated to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, mentions numerous violations of international law by Ukraine.

The Stop Fake fact-checkers noted that the report has 17 pages describing Russian crimes against Ukrainians. Among dozens of facts of torture, executions, and violence by the Russian occupiers against civilians in Ukraine, the document records two cases of Ukraine's mistreatment of Russian soldiers. The pro-Kremlin media ignored the main conclusion of international experts, who put the responsibility for numerous tortures, violence, and murders in Ukraine on the Russian armed forces.

Propagandists regularly resort to manipulations of this kind, where they single out the Ukrainian army's minor violations during the war, thus glossing over hundreds of terrible crimes and atrocities against the civilian population of the Russian military. They try to forget the war crimes committed by Russian soldiers or, in the last resort, assign them to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Manipulation More than 3 billion people abstained from voting on Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territories

Such messages are spread in pro-Russian Telegram channels. While voting for the UN General Assembly Resolution, 3 billion people allegedly abstained from voting to condemn the illegal actions of Russia and the occupation of Ukrainian territories. It is manipulation.

In fact, the UN General Assembly condemned the pseudo-referendums that Russia organized in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories. The resolution was supported by 149 out of 193 members of the General Assembly, five countries voted against it, and another 35 countries abstained from voting. Propagandists are manipulating this choice of 35 countries. In fact, representatives of countries show not so much the will of the people as the ruling party's position in the state vote at the meetings of the General Assembly. Each UN member state has its interests first and foremost. Before voting, the representatives of the UN member states do not conduct any survey among the population. So only 35 countries abstained from voting. Their total population is more than 3 billion, but this doesn't affect anything. Fact-checkers of the Zaporizhzhia Investigation Center drew attention to the manipulation.

Russian propaganda systematically resorts to manipulations to pass off what is desired as real facts.

Manipulation Ukraine confirmed NATO's intention to enter the war against Russia

Such "sensational news" is reported by the Russian media with reference to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba after the September 22 meeting of the UN Security Council on maintaining peace and security in Ukraine. Like, NATO will enter into a conflict against Russia on the side of Ukraine. This is not true.

At the meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to Ukraine, there was no talk of "NATO's intention to enter the war against Russia." Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba only commented on Ukraine's readiness to join the ranks of the Alliance. The diplomat also stressed that it was Russia, having unleashed a war against Ukraine, that violated the basic principles of international law, and now the threat of war hangs over all countries.

Answering a question about the prospects for Ukraine's entry into the North Atlantic Alliance, the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry replied: "I think that now NATO wants to join Ukraine." It was this quote by Kuleba that the Russian media used to create fake news about "NATO's entry into the war", but this was not even discussed - this is Russian disinformation. Kuleba spoke about security guarantees and the right to self-defense of Ukraine in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Manipulation The UN released an article on the benefits of world hunger

Information is spreading on social networks that the UN has allegedly published an article justifying world hunger and urging us not to fight it. It is manipulation.

As VoxCheck writes, the article with the title "The benefits of world hunger" exist, but it was satirical and was published back in 2008. It was written by George Kent, a professor of political science at the University of Hawaii. The article reflects on the factors that cause and maintain hunger worldwide. For example, he writes that the conventional wisdom is that low-paying jobs cause hunger.

At the same time, it is the hunger that leads to the appearance of low-paid jobs. According to VoxCheck, the official Twitter account of the UN Chronicle magazine, in which the text was published more than 10 years ago, clarified that the article "Advantages of World Hunger" was intended to be satirical. "This article appeared in the UN Chronicle 14 years ago as satire and should never have been taken literally. We realized this was a mistake, even in the form of satire, and removed the article from our site," the message reads. However, now the article's topic has been raised again in the media space against the background of Russia's war in Ukraine and the food crisis that may arise due to hostilities. In this way, Russian propaganda wants to create the appearance that international organizations and the countries of the West do not care about the consequences of the war, and it is allegedly beneficial for them to continue the war as long as possible. In fact, Russia started the war in Ukraine, and the Russian Federation is also responsible for all the consequences caused by the war.