Russian propaganda is distributing publications accusing the Ukrainian Armed Forces of war crimes. As “evidence”, the Russians use the stories of people who found themselves in the territories of Ukraine occupied by Russian troops.

These people claim that the Ukrainian military allegedly shelled and looted civilian homes, burned homes, or opened fire on civilians. However, there is no evidence to support these words. This was reported by the National Security and Defense Council Center for Countering Disinformation.

By spreading false statements about “crimes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” on behalf of the population of the occupied territories, Russia seeks to:

- justify the war she started;

- set up residents of the occupied territories against the Ukrainian Armed Forces;

- shift responsibility for the destruction of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

The Center adds that in reality it is Russia that is destroying Ukrainian settlements. It is responsible for the humanitarian situation in the occupied territories.

Previously, we have already recorded fake evidence of “crimes of the Ukrainian Armed ForcesЄ. Thus, Russian propaganda accused the Ukrainian military of threatening residents of the occupied territories and extorting intimate services from them, of taking children away from their parents in the Donbas in order to hand them over to pedophiles or organs.

Information is being spread on social networks that the energy company of Ukraine, the joint-stock company Sumyoblenergo, allegedly promises to leave without wages those workers who refuse to donate blood to soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Publications add a photo of an advertisement that talks about this.

“Ukrainians are forced to donate blood for AFU soldiers who defend the independence and security of Ukraine in the Kursk region. And if they don’t do it, they won’t receive a salary…”, this is how the fake makers describe the situation.

StopFake specialists analyzed the case and contacted Sumyoblenergo with a request to confirm or deny such information. A company spokeswoman said the ad was fake and pointed out exactly where the propaganda went wrong. For example, the company does not have such a department as the “personnel department”, because it was this department that allegedly issued the announcement.

Propagandists systematically spread fakes and manipulations on the topic of an alleged shortage of blood in Ukraine. Thus, the authors of the messages seek to convince that everything is bad in Ukraine and that there are many wounded who are not receiving decent assistance because “there is not enough blood”. We managed to refute several fakes on this topic. For example, one of the fakes said that Ukraine prohibits all foreign citizens from becoming blood donors. We also verified the authenticity of a message on social networks that a Ukrainian woman was abandoning her husband because he was “transfused with the blood of Russans”.

Read on Censor.NET: In Ukraine, representatives of the LGBT community were allegedly banned from “donating blood”

Pro-Kremlin resources, citing an alleged resident of the Ukrainian village of Novhorodske, disseminate information that the Ukrainian Armed Forces “threatened civilians, intimidated them, and also took children out without the consent of their parents”. Also, military personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly demanded intimate services from locals.

In fact, there is no real evidence of this. The Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security at the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine reports that the publication of  “evidence” on behalf of “victims of the Kyiv regime” is one of the tactics of Russian propaganda. Russia cynically uses residents of the occupied territories or even Ukrainian prisoners of war, forcing them to voice absurd “testimony” or “confession” about the alleged atrocities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Therefore, Russian propaganda probably resorted to the mentioned tactics this time too.

The Center adds that in this way propagandists seek to arouse indignation and the illusion of truthfulness among the audience, although the facts presented cannot be verified.

Such “video confessions” are aimed primarily at residents of front-line territories. Propaganda is trying to undermine their trust in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and convince them that the Ukrainian military really “is the main source of threat to the civilian population”.

Somewhat earlier, we analyzed a similar fake, which was that the Ukrainian authorities were allegedly forcibly taking children away from their parents in the Donbas in order to hand them over to pedophiles or organs.

Pro-Kremlin resources are disseminating information that the Ukrainian authorities are allegedly forming “donor squads” from military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Officials allegedly realize that the soldiers “will still be killed or maimed”, so their organs can be taken by “black transplantologists”. In reporting this, propagandists refer to a statement by Russian Foreign Ministry representative Zakharova.

In fact, Russia has been spreading the narrative about the supposed “prosperity of black transplantology” in Ukraine for more than 10 years, writes the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security at the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. Propaganda broadcasts lies to Western audiences, saying that Ukrainians, including children, are “disassembled” for organs, which are then sold to the West. This narrative began to be promoted especially actively with the outbreak of a full-scale war.

However, the Kremlin has never provided any evidence of this. Russians continue to come up with more and more terrible legends, which are subsequently voiced by officials of the Putin regime. Accordingly, this information dump is another attempt to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine and show that the defense of Ukraine from the aggressor is supposedly just a business, the victims of which are ordinary soldiers.

As part of the Russian narrative about “black transplantology” in Ukraine, we have already recorded a number of fakes. In particular, they denied information about the alleged sale of Ukrainian children for organs, as well as about the alleged US assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine to “preserve donor organs”.

Pro-Kremlin resources are disseminating information that they want to name the Third Separate Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the former MP and linguist Iryna Farion, whose life was cut short on July 19, 2024. The corresponding petition has allegedly already appeared on the website of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi. At the same time, the publications of propagandists on the network were accompanied only by a screenshot, without a link to the petition itself. Some netizens were inclined to believe that such a petition is proof that there is supposedly Nazism in Ukraine.

However, information about the existence of such a petition is not true, writes the StopFake project. You can verify this by checking the petition, a screenshot of which is being distributed by propagandists on the electronic petitions website. Thus, on the website of the President of Ukraine, the last appeal is registered under the number No. 22/230908-eп, while in the fake petition it is much larger - No. 22/264840-eп. In addition, it cannot be found either by keywords or by serial number.

The creators of the fake news are speculating on the conflict between Iryna Farion and the Azov regiment and the Third Separate Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which took place back in November 2023. Then, in the “Randevu” (Rendezvous) program, presenter Yanina Sokolova asked Iryna Farion what to do with Russian-speaking soldiers from the Azov regiment and the 3rd assault brigade, who communicate in Russian, in particular in battle, noting that it would be unfair to call them supporters Russia. The linguist said she “categorically does not accept” this. “This question is for them. What is stopping you, guys, when you are so strong and very smart, what is stopping you from fulfilling Article 29 of the law on the Armed Forces of Ukraine? Do you know what discipline is in the army? If the army doesn’t have discipline, then there is no army, it’s rabble then”, Farion said.

The purpose of this fake is demoralization and emotional split in Ukrainian society, which condemned the cynical murder and united around the search and punishment of its perpetrators.

Russian propagandists are spreading claims that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have allegedly mined several dams and bridges in Odesa and that blowing them up will lead to mass death of the population. They say that this is the usual tactics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces before retreating from a populated area. However, this is fake.

Specialists from the Center for Strategic Communications and Security drew attention to it. They found out that such information is cyclically repeated by Russian propaganda on similar objects in different regions of Ukraine. The Ukrainian armed forces do not plan to retreat from Odesa, and the information about the mining is fake.

Such fakes have already been used by the Russians to justify their missile attacks on critical infrastructure. Also, Russian propaganda has repeatedly announced the “mining” of hydraulic structures in the Kharkiv region. Namely, the Russian occupiers at one time blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station, which led to an environmental disaster in the Kherson region.

The purpose of disseminating such disinformation is to create panic among the population, undermine trust in the Ukrainian authorities and the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and also justify Russia’s aggressive actions. Such fakes are used to legitimize attacks on civilian infrastructure and prepare public opinion for possible terrorist acts by Russia.

Propagandists disseminate information in the media and social networks that the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are allegedly taking away transport from medical services, public utilities, police and civilians for movement around Kupiansk. They say that this is a justification for the Russian army’s attacks on the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine. However, this is fake.

The Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council drew attention to it. Its specialists checked the information at the Kupiansk city military administration and found out that this was not true. All special equipment of utility companies, police and medical services is indeed used exclusively for peaceful purposes, in particular to eliminate and restore the consequences of shelling by Russian troops.

Propagandists spread such fake news for several reasons. Firstly, they want to use them to justify attacks on civilian targets. Such messages also attempt to create a negative image of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by accusing them of violating the rights of civilians. In addition, the dissemination of this information helps to instill fear and mistrust among the local population towards Ukraine. In general, such propaganda aims to demoralize Ukrainian society.

Propagandists distribute on anonymous telegram channels, which in Ukraine want to create a memorial military cemetery in each region. They say this was reported by the acting Minister of Veterans Affairs Oleksandr Porkhun. Russian propaganda claims that they are already preparing 100 thousand burial places in the traditional way, and 60 thousand using the columbar method. This gives grounds to estimate the real number of war victims on the Ukrainian side. However, this is manipulation.

In fact, it is about creating a National War Memorial Cemetery. for the burial of all veterans. Deputy director of the relevant government agency Yaroslav Starushchenko said in a commentary to Interfax-Ukraine that all veterans will be buried in this cemetery, and not just those who died in battles since the full-scale invasion. This includes veterans who will die many years after the end of their service but will still have combat status. In addition, the war memorial cemetery does not provide for the burial of civilians who did not participate in hostilities.

The idea of creating a memorial cemetery was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in October 2022. In August 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the implementation of the project in the Hatnenska Community near Kyiv. The first phase of construction should be completed by the end of 2024, and the complete completion of the complex is planned for 2027.

Propagandists spread false information about this idea to create panic among the population and lower their morale. They seek to show that Ukrainian military casualties are so high that new cemeteries are needed in every region, even though official data suggests otherwise. In this way, they are also trying to sabotage support among the population for the continuation of the fight and disrupt the mobilization process in Ukraine.

Propagandists are disseminating information on anonymous telegram channels that “at least 13 soldiers from the 123rd brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have died, and approximately 80 are in critical condition after an outbreak of an unidentified gastrointestinal infection”. However, this is a Russian fake, which has been repeatedly refuted by the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

The sanitary and epidemic situation in the Kherson region is stable and controlled. No outbreaks of acute intestinal infections or food poisoning have been registered. Additional information checks conducted by local and national health authorities confirm that no cases of mass disease among military or civilians were recorded in the Kherson region.

The spread of such fakes is part of an information war aimed at destabilizing the situation in Ukraine, undermining trust in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and creating panic among the population. This step is a standard propaganda tactic used by the Russian side to discredit the Ukrainian authorities. They say that Kyiv neglects real problems and does not think about its military.

Pro-Kremlin telegram channels are spreading information that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are going to use chemical weapons against the Russian military. The means of attack will supposedly be chlorine trifluoride. The product of the reaction is a heavy gas. And the first symptoms of the victim are chest pain, dizziness, nausea and headache.

However, information about the preparation of a chemical weapons strike is not true. This was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council. The Russian side does not provide any evidence of this “news”. In addition, Ukraine, as a signatory to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons, strictly adheres to its obligations.

At the same time, it is the Russians who have repeatedly violated the Convention, which Russia has also signed, by using chemical weapons against the Ukrainian military. The so-called “z-military correspondents” published the red-handed video on their pages.

With this fake, propagandists aim to discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the world community and weaken its support from Western allies. Russian propaganda uses deflection tactics, accusing Ukraine of the crimes of its own army.

Anonymous telegram channels are distributing a video where supposedly Ukrainian soldiers are standing near an aerial bomb. One of them affects what provokes the explosion. It is not true.

VoxCheck analysts explained that after the explosion of such a projectile, it is unlikely that the device on which the video was recorded could have been preserved. Moreover, the video was edited using the “explosion” effect from Instagram’s suggested effects.

A reverse search of the explosion frame can find other videos that have the same explosion effect. This effect is available to all Instagram phone users.

Pro-Russian sources are disseminating information that the United States is allegedly using hallucinogenic drugs, in particular ketamine, on Ukrainian military personnel. In asserting this, propagandists refer to the corresponding article by The Economist.

However, this information is untrue, write experts on the VoxCheck project. Thus, The Economist did publish an article about the use of ketamine therapy by Ukrainian fighters. However, it was primarily about military personnel with neurological or psychological problems caused by injuries or experiences in war. At the same time, there is no mention in the material that the United States is promoting the spread of ketamine therapy in Ukraine or elsewhere. That is, neither in this article nor in other reliable sources there is information that Ukrainian clinics, at the direction of the United States, are testing ketamine or other psychedelic drugs on Ukrainians.

The Economist story cites the story of Ihor Kholodylo, a military psychologist and medic who, as a result of being wounded, began to stutter and was unable to speak clearly, and also had increased anxiety and nightmares. According to him, ketamine therapy was the only remedy that helped him cope with the trauma and get rid of the mentioned problems.

Also, according to Ukrainian legislation, ketamine is a psychotropic substance whose circulation is limited. In this case, the drug can be used as a medicine. Now in Ukraine one can get services using ketamine therapy in a number of clinics, but in none of the cases are we talking about testing the drug on patients. One can check information about clinical trials on the website of the State Expert Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. The list of clinical trials conducted or ongoing in Ukraine does not include ketamine.

Previously, we analyzed a similar fake of Russian propagandists, which consisted in the fact that Time magazine allegedly published an article in which it was said that the Ukrainian military was “pumped up” with ketamine before the battle.

Pro-Russian telegram channels are disseminating information that in Vovchansk the Russian army allegedly seized an aggregate plant, leaving on a “starvation ration” the Armed Forces of Ukraine, holed up in high-rise buildings in the city center.

However, this information is not true, according to the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security at the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. Speaker of Kharkiv Operational and strategic grouping of troops Yurii Povkh said on Radio Svoboda (Liberty) that the Russian military remains blocked at the aggregate plant. He added that other Russian forces are trying to get through there, making attacks, but to no avail - the Ukrainian Defense Forces are repelling them.

Earlier, military observer and coordinator of the Information Resistance group Kostiantyn Mashovets claimed that about 200 Russian military personnel were surrounded by the Vovchansk aggregate plant after attempts to cross the Vovcha River.

On social networks, pro-Russian resources are spreading information that students of the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture will build fortifications for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As “proof” of this, propagandists add a photo of an advertisement that allegedly appeared within the walls of the university and claim that these are the results of the “unsuccessful” Global Peace Summit, which took place on June 15-16, 2024 in Switzerland. However, this is fake.

Ukrinform specialists report that the ad was fabricated in a graphic editor and written with grammatical errors without a specified date. To create the fake, propagandists used a photograph that first appeared in 2012 on the social network VKontakte, which is banned in Ukraine. In a comment to Ukrinform, representatives of KNUCA noted that the unreliability of the publications also confirms that the student groups indicated in the “announcement” really do not exist in the educational institution.

This fake is aimed at discrediting the Ukrainian education system, including in the eyes of future applicants from the temporarily occupied territories who would like to receive an education in the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture. Previously, we analyzed a fake report about the mobilization of 1000 students of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. 

On social networks, pro-Russian resources are spreading information that students of the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture will build fortifications for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As “proof” of this, propagandists add a photo of an advertisement that allegedly appeared within the walls of the university and claim that these are the results of the “unsuccessful” Global Peace Summit, which took place on June 15-16, 2024 in Switzerland. However, this is fake.

Ukrinform specialists report that the ad was fabricated in a graphic editor and written with grammatical errors without a specified date. To create the fake, propagandists used a photograph that first appeared in 2012 on the social network VKontakte, which is banned in Ukraine. In a comment to Ukrinform, representatives of KNUCA noted that the unreliability of the publications also confirms that the student groups indicated in the “announcement” really do not exist in the educational institution.

This fake is aimed at discrediting the Ukrainian education system, including in the eyes of future applicants from the temporarily occupied territories who would like to receive an education in the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture. Previously, we analyzed a fake report about the mobilization of 1000 students of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Propagandists are distributing videos on anonymous pro-Russian telegram channels with allegedly Ukrainian soldiers shooting African mercenaries for desertion. Poor quality shows two men in military uniforms with blue armbands and four men kneeling against the wall. However, this video is fake.

StopFake specialists drew attention to it. They suggest that the video was created by Russian propaganda to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Fact-checkers found that although the Ukrainian language is used in the video for authenticity, the men in the frame are unable to hide the fact that they are not native speakers. Instead of “ne” in the phrase “not sitting”, the man in uniform says “nie”, and before the shot he shouts: “Zakinchui” (“Finish them!”), which is a direct translation of the Russian “Konchai!” - a phrase that is not inherent in Ukrainian in this context. In addition, not a single face is visible in the video, and not a single chevron can be seen on the military. Although at first glance it appears that the filming is taking place in a basement, the room actually has doors and windows. It seems that they were deliberately covered with fabric for filming.

In the end, after the so-called “execution” the video was blurred, but it is still noticeable that the brick wall in front of which the men were kneeling did not receive any damage. The brick is quite fragile and after so many shots, debris and dust should appear.

This is not the first time Russians have resorted to whataboutism, a propaganda tactic that helps divert attention away from Russia. StopFake experts suggest that the video was created by Russian propaganda to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thus, Russian propagandists are spreading false information about arbitrariness in the Ukrainian army, thereby distracting Russians from the crimes. According to Ukrainian legislation, foreigners who join the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not mercenaries, and desertion in the army is punishable by imprisonment.

Pro-Russian resources write that Ukrainian Armed Forces are allegedly beating people with artillery and causing fires on the left bank of the Dnipro. As a result, they allegedly destroy crops in the Kherson region. Moreover, Ukrainian FPV drone operators allegedly aim them at utility workers and ambulances. In asserting this, propagandists refer to Saldo, a collaborator.

In fact, the Ukrainian Armed Forces do not resort to terrorist attacks on the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region. This is what the Russian army is doing, write the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security at the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.

For example, the head of the Kherson regional military administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, reported that on the evening of June 8, 2024, the Russian military dropped explosives from a drone onto an ambulance: “In one of the settlements of the Belozersk community, the occupiers dropped explosives from a drone onto a medical team rushing to a call. The driver was diagnosed with a blast injury and concussion. The paramedic was not injured”.

Ukrainian FPV drone operators send their “birds” only to the manpower of the Russian Army, its military equipment, fuel depots and fortifications. The Center adds that the statements disseminated by collaborators are another campaign to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine in front of residents of the occupied territories who are under an information blockade. Previously, we analyzed the Russian message, supposedly “Kherson is waiting for Russia”.

Pro-Kremlin media are disseminating information that the Ukrainian military allegedly attacked a residential building in Kryvyi Rih in order to provoke another tragedy.

However, in fact, Russian propaganda creates such cynical fakes after each Russian shelling of Ukraine, according to the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security at the Moscow Institute of Industrial Property.

On June 12, 2024, it was Russia that carried out a terrorist attack with an Iskander-M missile on a residential area of Kryvyi Rih, resulting in the deaths of nine people. As of the morning of June 14, the number of wounded increased to 37 people, including 5 children. In addition, as a result of the Russian terrorist attack in the city, 41 apartment buildings, a gymnasium and two colleges were damaged.

The head of the city's Defense Council, Oleksandr Vilkul, said in his telegram channel that June 14 has been declared a day of mourning for the victims in the city. Previously, we refuted the information that the Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly occupied kindergartens and hospitals in the Kharkiv region and were preparing to flood Kharkiv.

A video allegedly produced by the environmental organization Greenpeace is being circulated on social networks in the Russian segment. It says that Ukrainian air defense poses a danger to a rare species of bird - the white-tailed eagle.

In 2024 alone, air defenses allegedly mistakenly shot down 138 individuals, confusing them with enemy drones. As a result, they say in the video, the population of rodents on which eagles feed is rapidly growing in Ukrainian fields, which harms the harvest. The video also includes a “quote” from British military expert Jonathon Riley, who seems to accuse Ukrainian air defense operators of inexperience.

StopFake fact-checkers analyzed the case and found that Greenpeace did not publish such a story - this can be checked by searching the organization’s website using the keywords “Ukraine”, “eagles”, etc. There are no videos on the project’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

It is most likely that the propagandists edited this video themselves.

A video is being circulated online in which Ukrainian soldiers allegedly shoot mercenaries from Africa. In the video itself, one can see what appears to be Ukrainian soldiers and four men kneeling against the wall.

The Center for Countering Disinformation reports that this video is staged, because the video was first distributed in the Russian segment of social networks. Subsequently, propaganda media circulated the video.

Fact-checkers of the Central Police Department add that those “being shot” are standing in front of a brick wall, from which bullets should ricochet, which would be dangerous for the “shooters” themselves. That is, this may indicate the likely use of footage and special editors to create a characteristic video.

Russian propagandists are disseminating information in the media according to which Ukrainian soldiers are allegedly “zombified” before battle and taught to “experience the joy of killing”. Propagandists claim this is evidence of “cruel training methods” in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They say that the so-called “zombification” of soldiers takes place during training sessions in Kyiv, which are conducted by an expert in combat psychology, US Army Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman. However, this is manipulation.

Specialists from the StopFake project drew attention to it. They found out that Grossman explained his methods during training on a Ukrainian television channel, answering the question whether every soldier is capable of killing the enemy on the battlefield. He noted that modern training methods make killing almost a conditioned response, and the reaction of most people to this radiation is joy. However, after a fight, moral doubts may arise, which are then rationalized.

Propaganda is trying to negatively influence the image of the Ukrainian army, spreading this and similar myths, trying to blame the West and, in particular, NATO for everything. Thus, they want to show the conditional “higher morality” of Russia and justify its crimes against Ukrainians.

Pro-Russian telegram channels are disseminating information that on the night of May 28-29, 2024, the Russian army launched a Kinzhal missile at the Yavoriv test site in the Lviv region. As a result, many servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as foreign instructors, allegedly died.

However, this is a fake, they write at the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security at the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. At the time indicated by the propagandists, Russian missiles did not fly into the territory of the Lviv region. In addition, on the night from May 28 to May 29, an air raid alert was not announced in the Lviv region (with the exception of the period from 20:17 to 20:31 on May 28, but no launches were recorded). Also, the Lviv Air Force, which reports a hit during air raids, did not record any strikes on any infrastructure within the region. No hits were recorded in the International Peacekeeping Center or the military departments of partner countries.

As of May 30, 2024, the last time missiles flew into the airspace of the Lviv region was on the night of May 26, but they subsequently disappeared from radar. Subsequently, on the night from May 31 to June 1, six missiles hit three critical infrastructure facilities in the Lviv region. However, from May 27 to May 31, no missiles were recorded in the airspace of the Lviv region. Previously, we refuted information that 180 foreigners were allegedly killed near Lviv by Russian missiles.

On social networks, in particular Threads, a photo is being circulated that allegedly shows data from the “leaked” Reserve+ database. It contains information about 1 million people, and it seems to be already being sold on the black market.

In fact, this is a fake photo, write experts from the VoxCheck project. If one carefully examines the screenshot, one will notice inaccuracies indicating that the “leaked Reserve+ database” is fake.

For example, in the “military rank” column one can see such ranks as “sergeant major”, “warrant officer” and “senior warrant officer”, but they were abolished long ago in Ukraine; a different list of ranks has been in effect since October 2020.

Also, the “table” contains an error where it says “lifetime”. Even if this is really a mechanical error, then in Ukrainian the correct word will be “service life”. There are also errors in design. For example, the name of a military unit is indicated in different ways: both together with the instruction “military unit” and only the unit code. Some surnames are written entirely in capital letters, while others are not. There is also a sharp transition between the column with names and phone numbers.

In the end, according to the tax identification number, fact-checkers from VoxCheck found that some of the people on the list are over 60 years old, and accordingly, they do not need to update the data, because they have been removed from the military register. This can be checked using the Public Services Portal and entering the identification code from the table. It is also unclear why the addresses and phone numbers were blurred, because if the data is true and has already been leaked to the darknet, then there is no point in hiding it.

Pro-Russian telegram channels publish a video on behalf of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), in which the center’s analysts allegedly discovered a new reason for the ineffective counteroffensive of the Ukrainian Armed Forces: addiction to online games. In particular, the video is about online casinos. Allegedly, every third Ukrainian military man who has a phone has one or more profiles on different online casino platforms. Also, the material and messages from Russian propagandists provide “statistics” of Ukrainian losses from Russian drones due to gambling addiction.

However, this information is fake, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council. This video is not available on the official pages of the Institute for the Study of War. Accordingly, the statistics and information contained in it also do not correspond to reality, because they were invented by Russian fake news. Moreover, this is not the first time that Russians have spread disinformation on behalf of the American ISW. Thus, earlier we analyzed the fake news that the Institute for the Study of War seems to be predicting a rapid advance of Russians in the Kharkiv region and an assault on the regional center.

Propagandists are distributing on social networks a quote allegedly said by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, commenting on the situation at the front: “The Armed Forces of Ukraine are not retreating. The earth is round, so we are advancing behind enemy lines”, said Syrskyi. In fact, this is another invention of Russian propaganda.

Specialists from the StopFake project drew attention to it. They found out that Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi did not make such statements. On May 23, he stated about the situation in the Kharkiv region that after the first minor successes during the offensive battles in the region, the enemy “was completely immersed in street battles for Vovchansk and suffered very heavy losses in the personnel of the assault units”. In addition, according to him, the enemy is now deploying reserves in different directions, trying to “support active assault operations, but to no avail”. Offensive actions were also being carried out on other sectors of the front, but nowhere in his statements did Syrskyi say that propaganda was being spread.

Propagandists spread such fakes to discredit the Ukrainian army and its leadership, as well as to distort the real situation at the front.