Information is being spread on social networks that the President of Ukraine allegedly overdosed on cocaine during a flight to a meeting with the leader of Singapore. As proof, propagandists add a photograph where Volodymyr Zelenskyi allegedly cannot stand on his own and is supported by two high-ranking officials. However, this is fake.

Fact-checkers from VoxCheck noticed that the photo was processed in a graphics editor. In fact, the original photo was taken in Portugal on May 28, 2024. It shows Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Souso and Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, with whom Volodymyr Zelenskyi signed a bilateral security agreement later that day. For the sake of creating a fake, the hand of Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the hands of Portuguese President Marcel Rebelo de Sousa were reflected and increased in size.

By the way, Volodymyr Zelenskyi was indeed in Singapore at a meeting with the President of this country Tharman Shanmugaratn on June 2, 2024, where the prospects for deepening Ukrainian-Singaporean relations were discussed. The President of Ukraine also took part in the Shangri-La Dialogue conference. However, the fabricated photo distributed by propagandists is not from Zelenskyi’s visit to Singapore, as we noted above.

This photo fake is part of a systematic distortion of the image of Volodymyr Zelenskyi due to his alleged drug use, discrediting him as a person who cannot represent Ukraine and is an unreliable ally. Previously, we wrote about another fake, that Zelenskyi was invited to speak at a rehabilitation center for drug addicts “as a good role model”.

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.

A network of pro-Russian telegram channels is distributing an alleged quote from the German Foreign Ministry, Annalena Baerbock: “Ukraine has managed to turn the swastika into a symbol of freedom”. Baerbock allegedly believes that Ukrainians who fight for independence and use Nazi symbols will rehabilitate it in the eyes of the Europeans. However, this is a fake.

According to information from VoxCheck experts, the fictitious quote was first disseminated by a Russian telegram channel, calling its news “a parody and satire on political reality”. However, propagandists picked up this message and began to disseminate it in their messages as true information, which later ridiculed the original source: “The trick was a success”.

Annalena Baerbock is the former leader of the left-wing German party Union 90/Green, professing the values of social democracy, pro-Europeanism and opposition to right-wing radical movements, including Nazism. Therefore, statements about Ukrainian Nazism would be completely contrary to the values of a high-ranking position.

This fake was also analyzed by German specialists from the publication Correctiv. They note that in the English-language segment of the social network “X”, along with this message, they are speculating on the alleged “genetic heredity” of the minister with her unnamed relative, allegedly a member of the NSDAP. Fact-checkers also requested a representative from the German Federal Foreign Office. The response noted that Annalena Baerbock did not make such a statement.

With this message, propagandists are trying to reduce the level of trust in the German authorities in the eyes of Ukrainians, speculating on issues of Nazism. At the same time, they seek to denigrate German officials in the eyes of European society and undermine confidence in the German Green Party. Previously, we refuted the information that Annalena Baerbock allegedly asked Ukraine not to call Leopard tanks German.

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.

Propagandists have again begun to spread information about the “nuclear threat” from Ukraine. This time they are using a statement by Ihor Kyrylov, the head of the Russian radiation, chemical and biological defense forces. He stated that spent nuclear fuel is allegedly being imported into Ukraine, from which it is planned to later create a nuclear weapon (“dirty bomb”). They say that this process is being handled by the head of the Presidential Office, AndriI Yermak. However, this is fake.

Specialists from the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine wrote about this. They noted that such accusations against Ukraine are unfounded. “Dirty bomb” is more of a journalistic cliche. Such weapons have never been used and, in fact, they are not classified as nuclear. Ultimately, in 2022, as a result of Russian claims about the production of a “dirty bomb”, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) arranged inspections of Ukrainian facilities, denying the Russian claims.

To spread this fake news, the Russians are resorting to whataboutism tactics with the intention of distracting attention from the Russian nuclear threat. While Ukraine demands that Russia be recognized as a state sponsor of terrorism, Russia is trying to accuse Ukraine of terrorism.

Spreading fake news about a “dirty bomb” to create distrust and fear of Ukraine. Thus, they are trying to convince the world that Ukraine is supposedly a threat to it and justify Russian aggression.

Propagandists are distributing information on anonymous telegram channels that allegedly six prisoners who joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine escaped with weapons from the training center. However, this is fake.

Journalists from Radio Svoboda (Liberty) deny this information, citing a comment they received from the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Thus, propagandists want to discredit the Law adopted on May 8, 2024. It provides for the parole of certain groups of prisoners in case of joining the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, it has already been signed by the President of Ukraine and, according to its provisions, persons convicted of murder, rape, terrorism, high treason, encroachment on the life of law enforcement officers and some other articles cannot become voluntarily mobilized. This ensures the safety of both military personnel who are in the same formation with former prisoners, and the safety of civilians who have contact with them both during and after hostilities.

Russian propagandists are speculating on the topic of the presence of prisoners in Ukrainian military formations, resorting to their stigmatization among the Ukrainian population. Distrust in the involvement of this group of people is also fueled by the recurrent behavior of Russian prisoners on parole, who, after participating in hostilities, commit crimes in civilian space.

The network is spreading information about a 4-year-old boy who was allegedly left unattended at a bus station in Kherson. The message about this received more than 35 thousand shares on Facebook in two days, and the information was picked up by propagandists. However, this is fake.

It was noticed by journalists from the Kherson regional media Kavun.city and the NotaYenota project, which provides informal education on recognizing fakes. In their opinion, the account that spread this is not a personal page, but rather a bot that systematically duplicates information from the banned Russian social network Odnoklassniki. Most of the content on it consists of holiday greetings, quotes, etc. The message about the child from Kherson did not have any links to official sources of information.

This situation actually happened, but in June 2021. A four-year-old child was left unattended at the Kherson bus station. After a conversation between the police and the grandfather, it turned out that the father, while doing military service in Mariupol, left the child in the care of his partner. After a quarrel, she promised that she would take the child to the soldier’s parents, but did not fulfill her promise and left the boy at the station.

According to the aforementioned experts, the spread of such fakes is likely an attempt by Russian propagandists to identify the incentives that cause the greatest public reaction and concern. This time, the Russians decided to test the reaction of Ukrainians on children, using an old story. In addition, in this way they want to discredit Ukrainians in general and military families in particular. They say that Ukrainians treat children carelessly, which means Russia must correct this.

Propagandists are distributing information in English and Russian on social networks about seventeen-year-old female students who are allegedly preparing for mobilization and “meat assaults”. However, this is fake.

Fact-checkers from Reuters drew attention to it. They found out that the fake was created on the basis of an event on June 11 at the military institute of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, at which they honored the memory of deceased graduates - Major Oleksii Chubashev and Senior Lieutenant Oleksandr Marchuk. It was attended by military personnel, chaplains, cadets and others.

However, propagandists in their messages decided to focus attention specifically on the female cadets. In a comment received by Reuters fact-checkers from the university press office, it turned out that all cadets present at the event were already 18 years old and there was no campaigning before joining the army.

In addition to the English-language segment of social networks, propagandists also spread this fake news on Russian-language anonymous telegram channels, however, with sexualized overtones. They back this up with a fictitious quote from an unnamed officer about the importance of “feminine qualities” in the Armed Forces.

Russian propagandists spread such fakes in order to discredit Ukraine. They say that they mobilize children, which means Ukraine violates international law, because it lacks strength. In addition, in this way, Russian propagandists spread misogyny and sexism, noting the professional qualities of military personnel in Ukraine, but other subjective things. All this is being done to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Information is being spread online that supposedly in Vinnytsia the head of the local shopping center and joint venture banned the sale of wigs to men so that they would not try to hide from mobilization by dressing up as women. As proof, publications add a photo of the “announcement” from the Territorial center of recruitment and social support.

VoxCheck analysts investigated the case and found out that the head of the Vinnytsia regional Territorial center of recruitment and social support did not give such an order.

In fact, checking the “announcement” photo in Forensically using the ELA tool showed that the photo contained signs of editing. So, the announcement text was created and added to the photo using a photo editor.

Moreover, a reverse photo search on Google showed that for the fake they used a photo of the Topwigs wig store for 2019, which is located in Kyiv. After all, in this advertisement in the photo it is said about a paid fitting of wigs.

Russian telegram channels are distributing a news story from the Turkish media Oda TV. It says that in early May 2024, Zelenskyi's company Film Heritage Inc. acquired one of the largest casino hotels in Europe - Vuni Palace, the approximate price of which was 150 million pounds sterling.

VoxCheck analysts analyzed this case and concluded that the hotel did not change ownership or stop operations. And the news story itself is fake. As analysts note, this is not the first time Oda TV has spread fake news about Ukraine.

Turkish media Oda TV is one of the most visited online portals in Turkey. It was created as an “independent source of news and political analysis”, but now the media has actually become a mouthpiece for Russian propaganda in Turkey. This is not the first time the publication has spread fake news about Ukraine.

Propagandists continue to systematically discredit Zelenskyi and the first lady of Ukraine. Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to evoke a negative attitude towards them among Ukrainians. Also, by spreading their lies on behalf of fake foreign publications, Russians are trying to give them more credibility. Previously, we denied information that the foundation of the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska is allegedly connected with child trafficking.

Russian telegram channels are disseminating information that supposedly Ukrainians have begun to be warned that they are obliged to pay for electricity, even if they do not use it. The message attached an announcement which stated: “In order to quickly restore standard capacity, payment for electricity will be charged regardless of the supply of electricity”.

VoxCheck analysts explained that Ukraine’s electricity tariff is calculated in accordance with the amount of energy actually consumed or average daily consumption. This procedure was not changed, and there were some errors in the announcement.

For example, in the first sentence, the fakers made a mistake in the sentence: “Starting June 1, tariffs for the light will be increased”. In Ukrainian the correct word is “svitlo” (light), and “svet” is a copy of the Russian (light). The phrase “the meter will transmit readings” is incorrect and may have been created from the Russian “to transmit pokazaniia (Russian equivalent of meter readings)”.

They write on social networks that a bot “Find the violator” has been launched in Ukraine. The main goal of the bot is to collect “denunciations” against neighbors. That is, anyone who lacks electricity can write to the bot information about a neighbor whose light is on all day or whose washing machine is running.

Fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project analyzed the case and determined that no official bodies reported the launch of such a bot. The bot does not check the address that the user enters and does not ask for personal information, including the city or at least the region.

There really is a “Find the Violator” bot on Telegram. However, it was probably created by Russians to ridicule Ukrainians or by other users for humorous purposes. And the propagandists presented it as if some official services had created such a bot.

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.

Social networks are spreading information that there are almost no doctors left in Poltava. According to users publishing this information, the specialists were mobilized or went abroad. The messages depict the work schedule of doctors, where only three of the full staff are supposedly working. However, this is fake.

VoxCheck disinformation experts took note of this case. According to information received from the administration of the establishment, this photo does not correspond to reality. Hospital representatives provided a valid work schedule, which did not include any absences. Information from open sources confirms that the institution did not report any shortage of personnel and the medical institution has a staff of 42 doctors.

It should also be recalled that hospitals and other medical institutions are critical infrastructure and 50% of their workers may be “protected” from mobilization.

Such fakes are aimed at undermining trust in government, mobilization and discrediting the healthcare system. Decreasing trust in government organizations is an established repertoire in propaganda against Ukraine.

Pro-Russian resources are disseminating information that Ukrainians are supposedly receiving bills to pay for the telethon. As “proof”, propagandists add a photo of a “receipt” from the Rivne Regional Energy Supply Company, which, in addition to electricity charges, allegedly shows charges for the telethon amounting to 40 UAH.

However, this information is not true, write experts on the VoxCheck project. In fact, the United News telethon is financed exclusively from the state budget.

A sample invoice for services from the Rivne Regional Energy Supply Company is presented on the company’s official website. There is no payment for the telethon. Also, the Bereznivskyi district, which is mentioned in the receipt, no longer exists for a long time - as a result of the administrative-territorial reform, four districts were formed in the Rivne region, the former Bereznivskyi district became part of the Rivne one.

Finally, the telethon is broadcast on a dozen national television channels, available on digital airwaves, satellite television and online for free. It is technically impossible to separate “Unified News” into a separate package of services. Citizens of Ukraine either watch it for free or pay providers for a package of channels, which may include channels broadcasting the marathon. Accordingly, when purchasing such a package, the money goes directly to the provider and cannot be combined in one bill with utilities.

Previously, we refuted the information that in Rivne those who evade are disconnected from public services.

Users broadcasting pro-Russian rhetoric on social networks are distributing a video of a high-ranking NATO officer allegedly walking around in a skirt and heels. However, this is fake.

Myth Detector specialists paid attention to it. They found that this message with homophobic and mocking comments was distributed in the Russian and Georgian segments of social networks.

In fact, the video shows model Mark Bryan, who has no professional relationship with the alliance structures. He is an American robotics engineer who currently resides in Germany. Brian has become an Instagram fashion sensation for breaking gender stereotypes in clothing. Mark, in his personal profile on this social network, writes that he is heterosexual and identifies himself as a husband, has a wife and three children, and also notes that he likes to wear skirts and heels, because after 20 years of working in an office, he was tired of the “monotonous clothing style”.

The original source of the fake, according to Myth Detector, is a user from Georgia who systematically publishes anti-Western and anti-Ukrainian conspiracy theories. The author often duplicates reports from Russian propaganda media and war correspondents about Ukraine's failures on the front line.

This fake is aimed at discrediting the NATO military and its leadership. Homophobic speculation on the topic of sexual orientation and “traditionality” is typical of Russian propaganda.

Propaganda resources spread fake information about the US intention to reduce the world population. They refer to a video of US Vice President Kamala Harris without any context.

Myth Detector specialists drew attention to this. They explained that in a speech on July 14, Harris accidentally misspoke, saying the word “population” instead of “pollution”. The sentence came out: “When we invest in clean energy and electric vehicles and reduce population, more of our children will be able to breathe clean air and drink clean water”. The error was corrected in the official transcript released by the White House after the speech. However, propagandists continued to spread information that Harris was allegedly trying to combat climate change by reducing the population.

Russian propagandists use the vice-presidential clause to add to numerous conspiracy theories about the United States. In addition, on the eve of the US elections this year, they are trying to discredit American politicians and undermine their authority. This contributes to even greater polarization of society. This fake also distracts attention from other problems that are supposedly less significant.

Russian propagandists are disseminating information about the termination of funding for the Rail Baltica project by the European Union. They sarcastically suggest that the EU ask Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi for money, arguing that the EU is refusing to finance the project and is demanding the return of invested funds due to excessive assistance to Ukraine. However, this is fake.

Rail Baltica is a railway transport infrastructure project aimed at integrating the Baltic countries into the European railway network. Financial assistance and funding for this project are not related to each other. Rail Baltica's funding source is the Connecting Europe Facility, which supports the development of trans-European networks in the fields of transport, energy and digital services.

In reality, the EU does not stop funding. The current funding period will end in 2027, and the next one will begin in 2028. Therefore, the Baltic countries face two challenges: 1 year without EU funding and the unknown amount that will be allocated in the next funding period. The EU recommends that the Baltic countries seek additional sources of funding, but this does not preclude continuing to allocate funds for the project.

The idea of building Rail Baltica was put forward back in 1991. However, Russian propagandists claim that building the infrastructure became necessary after the closure of communications with Russia, which made the Baltic railways unprofitable. Another reason for the parasitism of Russian propaganda is the increase in the estimated cost of the project by four times and the extension of the construction period until 2030. This is precisely the reason for the cessation of EU funding for Rail Baltica.

Russian propagandists are spreading fake news about Rail Baltica for several reasons. Firstly, it helps them support the idea that reduced ties with Russia are harmful to Europe. Secondly, it contributes to the creation of an image of Ukraine as a problem for the EU. They say that by helping her, the Union neglects its own interests. Third, such propaganda creates the impression that the EU's priority goal is to dominate Russia and, accordingly, it demonizes the EU.

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.

Propaganda resources are distributing a video in which Romanians, who came to cheer for their national team in a match against the Ukrainian national football team at Euro 2024, allegedly chanted the name of the Russian dictator at the stadium.

However, this video is actually fake. This was reported by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security at the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. In the original video, Ukrainian fans were chanting at the stadium during the match between the national teams of Ukraine and Romania. And we are not just talking about Putin’s last name, but about the famous “chant” of Ukrainian fans “Putin is a d*ck!”, the creators of this fake simply edited the original audio track, cutting out part of it.

By creating fakes of this kind, Russians are trying to console themselves, because the Russian national football team itself was not allowed to participate in Euro 2024. Previously, we analyzed the fake that Al Jazeera reported that Ukrainian football fans were detained because of Nazi graffiti in Qatar at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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.

Pro-Russian resources are distributing a photo showing Ukrainian graduates at the last bell celebration ceremony, dressed in graduation ribbons. And, according to propagandists, this year the ribbons seemed to depict a map of Ukraine without the temporarily occupied Crimea.

However, this is a fake photo. The photo has been edited, because in the original photo the map of Ukraine on the ribbons is shown including Crimea. This was reported by specialists from the VoxCheck project. Using the PimEyes program, which performs a reverse face search, they found a photo of one of the girls in the feed - she was present at the Ukrainian Greco-Roman wrestling championship in Ternopil.

Then, thanks to a search using the words “last call celebration Ternopil”, it was possible to find original footage from the graduation. In fact, they were made not in Lviv, but in Ternopil - they were distributed by local media on May 31, 2024. In the photo of all graduates, the ribbons of all graduates depict Ukraine within the internationally recognized borders of 1991, including the temporarily occupied Crimea.

In addition, on the fake photo one can see signs of editing, probably with spot correction: on one ribbon in the place of Crimea there is a noticeable darkening, on the other there is a gap in the outline of the map.

Also, in all online stores where such graduation ribbons are sold or produced to order, Ukraine is depicted within the internationally recognized borders of 1991. In the end, this “news” is spread mainly by Russian websites and telegram channels. There is no mention in the Ukrainian media of the incident, which would certainly provoke outrage in the Ukrainian-language segment of social networks, because such situations are reacted sharply in the media space.

Russian propagandists spread information that Ukrainian men are given draft notices near Prom.ua goods distribution points. As “proof” they add screenshots from a review site about these stores, where outraged users allegedly complain about the arbitrariness of the Territorial centers of recruitment and social support.

However, this information is not true, VoxCheck experts write. Firstly, the Prom.ua company does not have its own delivery points for goods - delivery is carried out by logistics companies or the goods can be picked up at pick-up points of online stores selling goods on Prom.ua.

Also in both screenshots above you can see the text First independent review site in Ukraine. This is the site OtzyvUA.net. Considering that responses to angry comments are written about the company Prom.ua, to create a fake, propagandists used the section of the site with reviews of this particular company. In the first screenshot one can see the complaint “Lawlessness of the Territorial centers of recruitment and social support!” from a user with the nickname Maryna on May 28. However, such a response does not really exist. There is one review on the platform for May 28 from another user, and it does not concern the Territorial centers of recruitment and social support.

In the screenshot of the propagandists below, under the fake response, there is another one, with the topic “WILD AND CREEPY. NO WORDS” dated May 14 from a user with the nickname Serhii. This review is real, between it and the review for May 28 there are nine other user reviews that are not in the screenshot from the propagandists' post. This means that the fakers took a screenshot of the response from the site, which was immediately after the response “WILD AND CREEPY. NO WORDS” and replaced it with a fake one, which describes “rude actions of Territorial centers of recruitment and social support representatives”. This is also confirmed by the fact that both the fake comment and the real one, which was immediately after “WILD AND CREEPY. NO WORDS”, wrote a user with the nickname Maryna and rated the service one star out of five.

The second screenshot shows a complaint with the subject “given a draft notice” for May 27 from a user with the nickname Vika. There is no such response either. There are no reviews at all on the OtzyvUA website for Prom.ua dated May 27. The fake review had one star rating for the quality of the store's work, two responses, three preferences from other users and contained the address - Stolychne Highway in Kyiv. According to these characteristics, only one response is suitable - dated May 22, and it does not mention the Territorial centers of recruitment and social support and the issuance of draft notices. That is, the propagandists took a screenshot of the original response for May 22, changed the date and text, and wrote a complaint about the alleged distribution of them. This is confirmed by the fact that the text of the service’s response to the original and fake review begins the same way: “Hello, Vika! It’s a pity that you have such an opinion about Prom”.

Moreover, VoxCheck specialists analyzed all reviews on Prom.ua on the platform for 2024 and did not find a single mention of agendas, front and Territorial centers of recruitment and social support. Previously, we refuted the information that Territorial centers of recruitment and social support employees announced an evacuation from Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, and then handed out draft notices.