Spilnota Detector Media

Fake When booking hotels in Poland, they offer the option “without Ukrainians”

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that Polish hotel booking sites offer a “no Ukrainians” option. The authors of the message indicate that Ukrainians are even tired of their neighbors. A screenshot from a Polish site is also added to the publication, where you can see such an “option”. It's fake.

The fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project drew attention to the case, and found that the photo was not real, because it was edited using a special editor. Fact-checkers examined a fake screenshot, which shows several hotels, each establishment has a short description. In accordance with brief descriptions, experts found the source of the site. As the experts explained, the site does not have such an “option” as in the fake screenshot. Among the options to choose from, you can see, for example, “parking” and “playground for children”. Instead of “without Ukrainians” option, the site indicates another one - “sandbox”.

By spreading such a fake, propagandists want to demoralize Ukrainians, because they are supposedly despised in the world and even the most devoted allies want to rest without Ukrainians. Thus, the authors use ridicule tactics to discredit Ukrainians.

Fake Kharkiv regional military administration employees resell humanitarian aid from France

Such a message was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that the Kharkiv OVA (regional military administration) is allegedly reselling generators that France provided to Ukraine as humanitarian aid. As proof, the authors of the messages provide a screenshot of the sale of generators of the same brand in one of the online stores. It is not true.

The fact-checkers of the VoxCheck project drew attention to the case and investigated that there is no evidence to confirm that the site sells generators from the humanitarian aid cargo provided by the Kharkiv OVA. On the official page of the head of the Kharkiv OVA, Oleh Syniehub, fact-checkers found a message dated January 20, 2023, which stated that France had transferred 188 generators as part of the “Light and Warmth for Ukraine” project. As the experts explained, they plan to use them in the new Invincibility points.

The fact-checkers examined the photographs published by the head of the Kharkiv OVA and found out that various brands of generators can be seen in the general photo, including the Kohler brand, which the propagandists cited as an example in the screenshot. Experts say that they were unable to find an advertisement for the sale of the Kohler generator, the screenshot of which was used in the message. However, on the official website of the Kohler company in Ukraine, they found several ads for the sale of a generator of this brand. Fact-checkers are convinced that this does not prove in any way that Kharkiv OVA is selling generators specifically for humanitarian aid as on the pages of various online stores there is a wide selection of generators from Kohler.

We recall that earlier Detector Media also explained the manipulation in which it was claimed that people in the Kharkiv region allegedly do not receive humanitarian aid.

Fake The military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine burned the Koran

Such a message was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that the Ukrainian military mocks the Islamic religion: they cut bacon on the Koran, and then kindle a fire over it. The authors of the messages add a video to the publication where this can be seen. It is not true.

The Center for Strategic Communications investigated this case and determined that the video was staged. As experts explain, it contains errors in pronunciation and an “unhidden Russian accent”. Experts quoted the phrase of one of the heroes of the video, which sounds like this: “Guys, you can’t set the fire”. The Center for Strategic Communications is sure that the Russian military independently filmed a video, tearing up the Koran and passing it off as the actions of the Ukrainian military.

Fake On the temple of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, crosses got black due to “Ukrainian blasphemy”

This message was circulated on social networks and in the propaganda media. The reports say that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine “sows confusion”, kicking out the UOC (MP) from the territory of Ukraine. Allegedly, even “crosses got black” on one of the main temples of Ukraine, because of the blasphemous actions of Ukrainians. As the authors of the messages add, the crosses turned black after Metropolitan Epiphanii conducted the divine liturgy during Christmas. A photograph is also added to the publication with an alleged image of the church “before and after”. It is not true.

The fact-checkers of the “Brekhunets” (Liar) project investigated this case and found that no crosses “blackened” and this is not a sign “from above”, as the propagandists are trying to convince. As they further explain, the photo actually shows the crosses of the Refectory cathedral. At the same time, Metropolitan Epiphanii did not hold divine services either in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra or in the Refectory cathedral on Christmas Day. By that time he served in the Uspenskyi (Assumption) Cathedral.

Regarding the “black crosses” at the Refectory cathedral, this is a consequence of the appropriate shooting angle. Fact-checkers managed to find several photos with the so-called black crosses from at least three angles of the Refectory cathedral. Photos are dated from 2009 to the present. Fact-checkers say that the crosses on the cathedral are dull by themselves, and if they are removed against the light, they will really appear black.

Propagandists systematically expand manipulations on the topic of religion in Ukraine. Especially when the Orthodox Church of Ukraine received the right to autocephaly from the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Russian propaganda began to call Ukrainians schismatics. Like, this church is not real and illegal, all the believers visiting it are not real Orthodox. In particular, propagandists said that paganism is being promoted in Ukraine, and Orthodox shrines are being destroyed. Thus, propagandists incite religious discord and try to nourish the narrative about the existence of the so-called “one and inseparable people”. At the same time, those who do not recognize the Moscow patriarchate are called sinners and schismatics by the Russian propaganda.

We recall that Detector Media previously also refuted the fake, in which they claimed that because of the blasphemy of Kyiv, flocks of crows are circling the city, and also explained the message about the “desantanization” and “deshaitanization” of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

Fake Information about the shocking losses in the ranks of the Ukrainian army was published by The Times

Such information appeared in the Russian propaganda media. In particular, the reports said that The Times allegedly published information about the losses in the Armed Forces of Ukraine that shocked the public. Like, the losses are so great that they shock not only the public, but also NATO instructors. It seems that the Alliance has not encountered this before. The authors of the reports also add that the British publication allegedly claims that the nature of the injuries is severe, and doctors need to constantly choose “who would live and who would die”. However, this is fake. The publication did not publish materials of this kind.

The fact-checkers of The Insider drew attention to the case. In fact, The Times published an article entitled “Putin’s forces will face a dead end in Donbas, Kyiv vows”. The article says Zelenskiy said his soldiers kill hundreds of Wagner fighters every day as they try to outflank the city in a frontal attack. “In less than a week, starting on March 6, in the Bakhmut direction alone, we managed to destroy more than 1,100 enemy soldiers, an irretrievable loss of Russia right there, near Bakhmut”, Zelensky said. The article also said that Ukrainian forces would also suffer losses, in particular, the Russians reported that more than 220 Ukrainian soldiers were killed in 24 hours. “But none of these figures can be independently verified”, the article said.

That is, The Times did not write about excessive and shocking losses in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The journalists only described that Ukraine and Russia report enemy losses. However, Russia needs such fakes to create the appearance that the situation at the front is constantly deteriorating, and the Ukrainian army is weak and incapable of combat.

Fake Joe Biden admitted that Putin can not be defeated

Such messages are spread by Russian propaganda media and telegram channels broadcasting pro-Russian rhetoric. As proof of their words, the authors of the messages add an audio recording that they tried to pass off as a “leak” from a meeting of US President Joseph Biden with American congressmen that was closed to the press. Allegedly, Biden officially admitted at this meeting that Putin and Russia cannot be defeated. However, this is fake.

The StopFake fact-checkers drew attention to the case. As it turned out, the propagandists are referring to the audio, which they call “the leak of a conversation between the President of the United States and American congressmen to the network”, however, a male voice that has only a slight resemblance to Biden’s voice sounds on the 15-second recording.

However, the audio recording, according to fact-checkers, does not sound like the voice of President Biden, but his imitation. “StopFake offered to listen to the audio to several Americans, and they all said with confidence that English is not native to the person they are trying to pass off as Biden's words. The audio, allegedly proving the revelation of President Biden, does not sound at all like the voice of the American president, but a clumsy fake with gross phonetic errors”, the fact-checkers write.

However, the dissemination of such fakes is beneficial for Russian propagandists in order to once again show that no one supposedly believes in the victory of Ukraine including its devoted partners. They say that everyone has long understood that there is no point in fighting against Russia, because it is not victorious. Thus, propagandists seek to convince the audience that victory is definitely for Russia.

Fake Vinnytsa diocese of the UOC blesses the murders of Russians

Propagandists are spreading information that the Vinnytsia diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church allegedly issued a statement according to which the killing of Russians is not a sin and in which it blesses the Ukrainian military to “wipe the Russian nation off the face of the Earth”. It's fake.

Analysts of the Georgian project MythDetector drew attention to it. They found out that the “statement” was not real. Several details point to this. In particular, the Kyiv patriarchate is indicated in the heading of the “statement”, and allegedly the Metropolitan of the Moscow patriarchate signed the “statement”. In addition, the heading of the “statement” is not correct - the Kyiv Patriarchate of the UOC merged with the OCU in 2019. In a comment to MythDetector, archimandrite Sofronii Chupryna, spokesman for the diocese of Vinnytsa-Bar, denied the diocese's involvement in this “statement”. He also noted that usually monks and priests do not sign documents with a regular signature, but write their names in manuscript. On the “statement” one can see the classic signature.

Thus, propagandists want to show that the UOC has departed from the traditions of Orthodoxy and is a demonic institution. They say that even the church in Ukraine calls for murders, while Ukraine itself is already in the spiritless networks of the West. Such materials are part of a large-scale propaganda information campaign about the need to “desatanize” Ukraine.

Fake At the international festival in China, the Ukrainian hopak was called a Russian dance

Propagandists spread information, allegedly on Chinese television during the broadcast of the international festival on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, hopak was called a Russian dance. It's fake.

VoxCheck analysts drew attention to it. They found out that you can see in the screenshots of the broadcast that it took place back in 2021. The festival showed dances from different countries, in particular Egypt, Spain, Argentina and China. Among them was a Russian folk dance, but it was not a hopak.

VoxCheck notes that in this case we are talking about the Kamarynska dance. It differs from hopak in that girls play balalaikas during the performance. Hopak elements can be found in the Belarusian folk dance “liavonykha” and “trepak”, as well as in Crimean Tatar dances.

Thus, propagandists are trying to show that there is no independent Ukrainian culture, since it is allegedly a simulation of Russian. Allegedly, even abroad, everyone recognizes this.

Fake The BBC reported that the SBU prevented an attempt to poison Zelenskyi with psychotropic substances

Propagandists are spreading information that the Russian news service BBC allegedly reported the following: the Security service of Ukraine (SBU) prevented another attempt to poison Zelenskyi with psychotropic substances due to an overdose. It's fake.

VoxCheck analysts drew attention to it. They found out that there was no such message on the website and social networks of the Russian service of the BBC. There is no such news in public access either, even through translation in Ukrainian and foreign media. The SBU did not comment on the attempts on the life of the President of Ukraine. Secretary of the National security and defense council Danilov and adviser to the head of the Office of the President Podoliak did not talk about the ways in which somebody tried to kill Zelenskyi.

Thus, propagandists are trying to discredit the Ukrainian authorities again. Like, the President of Ukraine is a drug addict, and the war only aggravated the problem. Detector Media has already written about the invention of propagandists, according to which Zelenskyi was invited to speak at a rehabilitation center for drug addicts.

Fake US distributes awards to Ukrainian Nazis

Propagandists and Russian diplomats are spreading the information that the medic and volunteer Yuliia Paievska, with the call sign Taira, is a Ukrainian Nazi thug who killed civilians, so the International Women of Courage Award is unacceptable for her. It's fake.

Analysts of The Insider drew attention to this case. They found out that Russian propaganda was still trying to characterize Taira as a Nazi. In particular, while in captivity, Taira was interrogated by representatives of the propaganda media, accusing her of supporting Nazi ideology. During this interrogation, then broadcast on Russian television, even Taira's hairstyle was called “in the best traditions of the Reich”.

In fact, Yuliia Paievska is a medical doctor and volunteer. She became known during the Euromaidan. After the outbreak of war in 2014, she traveled to the east of Ukraine and organized her own volunteer service, which also helped the military. As a medic, Paievska cooperated with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2018-2020.

By spreading such fakes, propagandists are trying to justify the actions of the aggressor again and shift the responsibility for them to the victim of aggression. Like, Russia is fighting against just such Nazis, who kill civilians in Donbas. Also, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit Ukrainian civil society and the armed forces by inventing various horrifying stories about them. Using these stories, Russia accuses the “collective West” of supporting the spread of Nazism.

Fake Two Ukrainians “lead protests in Georgia”

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that during the March 8 protest, it was led by two Ukrainians who were “trained by the Americans” and participated in “color revolutions” in other countries. The authors of the reports add that “Ukrainian protesters” used Molotov cocktails. As evidence, the authors of the messages add a video fragment of the protest, recorded by one of the Georgian channels. It is not true.

The fact-checkers of the MythDetector project got down to the case and found that Ukrainians were not depicted in the footage. As the fact-checkers explain, the video shows Georgian volunteers of the Center for Extreme Medicine providing medical assistance to the victims during the action. This video was also posted on the Center for Extreme Medicine Facebook page. The video shows people in the same clothes, they wash the eyes of the victim with a saline solution, which the authors of the messages call a Molotov cocktail.

Analysts also turned to volunteers, who confirmed that the footage depicts Georgian volunteers, and not “Ukrainian protesters trained by the Americans”.

The public of Georgia actively opposes the adoption in the first reading of the law “On the transparency of foreign influence”, called the “Russian law”. It is considered an analogue of the notorious ban on “foreign agents” in Russia, which actually suppressed the already weak voices of the opposition and made it impossible for international monitoring missions to be present inside the country. The law, adopted by the Georgian Parliament on March 7, 2023, provides for the creation of a register of “agents of foreign influence”. The authorities will create a special open database of organizations and individuals if the share of foreign investments in their activities is at least 20%. It is noteworthy that the voting continued in violation of the rules of parliament and without public discussion.

We recall that Detector Media analyzed messages aimed at discrediting the protest movement in Georgia.

Fake At one of the forums, a Ukrainian woman turned to correspondents with a question about a divorce from her military husband who was transfused with “blood of moskal”

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. The reports say that allegedly a woman on one of the forums asks for advice regarding her husband, who returned from Russian captivity. The so-called request says that the man was given a blood transfusion, which means that now he has “moskal blood” (Russian blood), so the woman is thinking about a divorce. It's fake.

Specialists of the VoxCheck project got down to the case, investigated it and determined that it was a fictional story, and the screenshot was edited using a special program. As analysts explain, the author of the discussion himself denied the fake, reporting on the forum that someone took his post, changed the text, title and passed it off as a call from a Ukrainian woman for help.

Analysts also examined a fake screenshot, which shows that a user under the nickname SecretlyYours started the discussion on the forum on February 21, 2022 at 19:16. However, there is no discussion on this topic on the site, nor is it among the user's other publications. However, the author has a post for the same date and time and with the same number of comments as the post in the fake screenshot. However, the question in the original post is quite different.

By spreading such a fake, the propagandists nourish the narrative of Nazi Ukrainians who supposedly recognize only so-called “purebred Ukrainians” and despise everyone else.

We recall that Detector Media previously refuted the fake, which said that Ukraine prohibits all foreign citizens from becoming blood donors.

Fake Ukraine “refused to create a protective zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant”

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular in pro-Russian telegram channels. Reports say that recently Ukraine flatly refused to create a protective zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant seized by Russian invaders. Like, Ukraine “is not ready to implement the IAEA initiative, which would prevent an attack from the territory of the power plant”. It is not true.

Analysts of the StopFake project investigated this case and found that the Ukrainian side did not make such statements regarding the Zaporizhzhia NPP. As analysts explain, Ukraine, on the contrary, supports all the efforts of the international community to disarm the captured Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, while Russia does not stop terrorist actions at the ZNPP, ignoring the statements of Western countries.

It is Russia that provokes the possibility of a nuclear threat due to its invasion of Ukraine and, in particular, the seizure of nuclear facilities. The shelling of nuclear scientific installations at Ukrainian research institutes, the launching of missiles over nuclear facilities in Ukraine - these actions of Russian occupiers violate all existing conventions on the treatment of nuclear facilities.

By spreading this fake, propagandists want to convince that Ukraine is an aggressor and that it is carrying out so-called provocations at the ZNPP. Thus, the authors of messages use the tactics of reflection, attributing their actions to opponents because intimidation and “nuclear blackmail” is one of the ways Russian propaganda achieves its goals.

We recall that earlier Detector Media denied the fake that Ukraine allegedly stores weapons on the territory of the ZNPP and analyzed the manipulation, in which they claimed that the Ukrainian leadership had imposed sanctions on the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

Fake In German restaurant, they launched an advertising campaign featuring Zelenskyi as a piggy bank

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say a German restaurant has launched an advertising campaign depicting Volodymyr Zelenskyi as a “piggy bank”. As evidence, the propagandists add a video supposedly advertising on the YouTube video hosting. In the video, you can also see the inscription: “We are tired of feeding this pig - it's time to cook Eisbein! [edit] meat dish of German cuisine]”. It is not true.

The fact-checkers of the StopFake project investigated the case, and they asked the restaurant owner for a comment. A spokesperson for the restaurant assured that they did not run similar advertising campaigns on YouTube. Analysts explain that the video was published in the telegram channels of the Russian segment and there is no evidence that the advertisement was replicated on video hosting. They are sure that the video was edited using a special program.

In addition, the fact checker adds that such “advertising” most likely could not be moderated in Google Ads, since it is contrary to the company's advertising policy. The Google Ads website states that they check all ad elements for violations. If found, the status of the ad will change to “Rejected” and it will not be displayed. For example, they do not allow advertising of content that incites hatred, promotes discrimination or humiliates, insults, harasses an individual or group of individuals as in the case of “advertising” with the participation of Zelenskyi.

Fake The President of Latvia “made Zelenskyi laugh with words about the victory of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that on March 3, during a meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Latvian President Egils Levits, he made Zelenskyi laugh with words about the return of Ukrainian territories and the subsequent victory of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Allegedly, Zelenskyi “does not believe in the victory of Ukraine”. It is not true.

Analysts of the StopFake project drew attention to the case, they determined that Zelenskyi laughed in response to the words of the head of Latvia that with the return of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the territorial integrity of Russia within its internationally recognized borders will also return. As analysts explain, the President of Latvia talked about security guarantees for Ukraine and the peace formula, which is to achieve “long-term peace”. The President of Latvia stressed that “long-term peace will mean the complete territorial integrity of Ukraine and for Russia too”. After the words about the territorial integrity of Russia, both presidents laughed, and this can be seen on the video.

In addition, the meeting of the presidents was accompanied by simultaneous translation, which naturally occurs with some delay, so it may seem to the listeners that Volodymyr Zelenskyi really laughed because of the idea he heard about the return of all the territories of Ukraine, but this is not true.

Fake Germans are “against the entry of Ukraine into NATO”

Such information was disseminated in social networks and propaganda media. The reports say that a sociological survey was conducted in Germany, which illustrated the attitude of the Germans regarding Ukraine's accession to NATO. Like, many Germans strongly opposed the entry. The authors of the messages refer to the material of the German edition Die Welt, which allegedly contains the results of the survey. It is not true.

The experts of the StopFake project investigated the case and found out that the journalists of the Die Welt publication did not conduct any sociological survey, but made up the results.

Analysts are convinced that the basis for creating this fake was an article called “We should seriously think about Ukraine's membership in NATO” since the propagandists cited as an example the comments of ordinary users of the Die Welt website, which do not represent “the attitude of the Germans towards Ukraine's membership in NATO”. Under the article, over 800 comments of various content were published, but the Russian media cite only a few of them to illustrate a point of view suitable for Russian propaganda.

As for the material itself, it contains forecasts for the provision of security guarantees to Ukraine, and in general it was not about any “sociological survey”.

Russian propaganda systematically spreads messages that the West does not want to help Ukraine in the war, relying on non-authoritative sources of information or disfigured quotes. Thus, Russia is trying to undermine the authority of Ukraine at the international level, distort reality and allegedly show that the European community does not consider Ukraine and does not want to see it either in NATO or, for example, in the EU.

Fake In Ukraine, NATO helicopter was shot down

A video allegedly shooting down a helicopter that NATO provided to Ukraine is being circulated on social networks. Like, as soon as these helicopters cross the border of Ukraine, they deal with Russian missiles. Allegedly, the Russians shot down more than one such helicopter. Like, only China shows these videos, and the rest of the countries hide the information. It's fake.

The video of the helicopter shooting down is footage from the video game Arma 3. Reuters fact-checkers found the origin of this video. This footage is likely taken from a YouTube video uploaded in April 2022. It was labeled as a representation of the video game's origins, and was subsequently uploaded in lower resolution without such information. It is difficult to see the animation from the video of the worst quality, so the video may be perceived as real.

Russian propaganda has previously distributed video game cards to illustrate military events. In particular, in this way they were convincing people that Russia “had destroyed” the Ukrainian tank division. Video game footage was also passed off as an online broadcast of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Fake The United States plans to use psychotropic drugs against the Russian military

Such messages are spread by Russian propaganda to foreign audiences. The reports refer to the words of the head of the Russian troops of radiation, chemical and biological protection, Ihor Kyrylov. He claims that “preparation for the crime is in full swing”." Like, psychotropic weapons have already been taken to the territory of Ukraine. In particular, sixteen hermetically sealed metal boxes were allegedly delivered to Kramatorsk in a railway carriage accompanied by foreigners, half of them had a chemical hazard sign BZ (Chinuclidil-3-benzilate). Also supposedly on the boxes there is a marking with two red lines, which corresponds to a certain class of toxic substances. It is not true.

EU vs Disinfo analysts drew attention to the spread of the fake. They note that Russia did not provide any evidence to support what was said. At the same time, such reports nourish Russian narratives about Ukraine's alleged use of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons against Russia. Russian propaganda also recently spread reports that radioactive substances were brought to Ukraine for provocations against Russia.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to destabilize the situation in Ukraine, because if any of these types of weapons are used, civilians living near the front line are also at risk. The Russians intimidate Ukrainians and try to instill distrust in the Ukrainian authorities and partner states.

Fake Israel banned the use of the Ukrainian flag

Pro-Russian media and social media users are spreading information that Israel has allegedly banned the use of the Ukrainian flag at the legislative level. Like, for placing on cars, clothes, in the form of a tattoo or any other arbitrary images of the Ukrainian flag one will get a fine of ten thousand shekels equal to about three thousand dollars. It's fake.

In fact, there is no ban on the use of the Ukrainian flag or any other Ukrainian symbols in Israel. StopFake fact-checkers checked the legislation and found no confirmation of such reports there. The fact-checkers also sent a request to the Israeli Embassy in Ukraine for a comment. The Embassy assured that Israel has never prohibited and does not prohibit the demonstration of the Ukrainian flag.

Thus, Russian propaganda nourishes the narratives that Ukraine is losing international support. Earlier, they spread fakes that Ukrainian flags were banned from being used in a refugee center in Spain. They also wrote that allegedly Twitter restricts the use of the Ukrainian flag in the names of profiles.

Fake Teenagers are fighting in Ukraine

The telegram channels distribute a video where supposedly teenagers (14-15 years old) load mortars, aim and shoot. The reports claim that the Ukrainian army does not hide the fact that teenagers are taking part in hostilities. It is not true.

In the video, distributed in telegram channels, one can see an adult soldier of the National Guard of Ukraine. StopFake fact-checkers checked the video using software and identified the military man. In personal correspondence, he provided fact-checkers with proof of his age - a passport photo.

Russian propaganda systematically manipulates the participation of Ukrainian children or teenagers in hostilities. In this way they use inhuman enemy tactics. Like, Ukrainians don't even feel sorry for their children. Periodically, they spread fakes about combat training or mobilization of teenagers.

Fake Ukraine makes a “dirty bomb” with radioactive materials

Propagandists are spreading information that Ukraine is building a nuclear weapon, namely a “dirty bomb”. They say that it is used in a provocation against Transnistria, and for its manufacture, radioactive materials have already been brought to Ukraine from the West, namely California-252. It's fake.

StopFake analysts drew attention to it. They found that Californium-252 is an extremely rare and expensive radioactive metal. It does not occur in nature, and its production is made exclusively in the laboratory and lasts an average of two years. Only two countries in the world produce California-252: the USA and Russia. Due to the specifics of production, the price per gram of this metal can reach $ 27 million, so it is not stored in large quantities in warehouses, as the Russians say. In addition, its use is closely monitored by a number of US and international agencies. The speaker of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleh Nikolaienko has already called the inventions of propagandists “fake”.

Thus, propagandists try to justify the actions of the aggressor again and shift the responsibility for them to the victim of aggression. Like, Russia is fighting against a disenfranchised Ukraine that wants to destroy Europe. Detector Media has already written about disinformation about the alleged creation of nuclear weapons by Ukraine, which the IAEA once denied.

Fake Zelenskyi said he would feed fish in Crimea this summer

Propagandists distribute a photo, allegedly a screenshot of the Russian version of the BBC news website. According to it, the President of Ukraine said that allegedly he personally will feed the fish at the pier in Crimea this summer. It's fake.

Analysts of the Georgian project MythDetector drew attention to it. They could not find the full version of the material mentioned in the “screenshot” in the public domain. In addition, they asked the representatives of the news program if they had published such an article. Correspondents of the Russian news BBC confirmed that the image is fake. In fact, Volodymyr Zelenskyi said at a press conference on February 24 that Ukraine is mentally prepared and is getting ready in a military sense for the de-occupation of Crimea.

Thus, propagandists are trying to personally discredit the President of Ukraine. Like, he does not understand what he is talking about and has lost a sense of reality. Detector Media has already written about how the Russians are trying to destroy Zelenskyi's image with the help of manipulations and fakes.

Fake Ukraine is preparing an attack on Transnistria

Propagandists are spreading a photo that allegedly depicts an order to prepare Ukraine for an attack on Transnistria. According to it, before February 27, the personnel of the engineer-sapper battalion of the 28th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which is part of  the Operational Command “South”, was to advance to the village of Kuchurрan, bordering Transnistria. It's fake.

Analysts of the VoxCheck project drew attention to the fake. They found out that the document is a forgery. Several factual errors point to this, in particular:

there is no name of the document in the photo (it is not clear if this is an order, decree or report), while in the messages where this fake appeared for the first time, it is called an order;

the order number is indicated on the right side of the document;

in the upper left corner it should contain information about this order;

the abbreviation SESB (separate engineer-sapper battalion) must be written in capital letters;

settlements are usually indicated without the abbreviation “n.p.” (name of the settlement point);

in the main text of the document they mention 534 SESB, but there is no mention of it in open sources.

Moreover, the document in the photo does not talk about Ukraine's offensive against Transnistria. It only notes the supply of ammunition, which, according to VoxCheck analysts, does not necessarily mean preparations for offensive operations.

Thus, propagandists are trying to destabilize the situation in Europe and shift the responsibility for their possible provocations in Transnistria to the West and Ukraine. Allegedly, Ukraine wanted to attack Russia, and now wants to start a war against Moldova. Recently, there have been more fakes about the situation in Moldova in Russian propaganda. Detector Media has already written about their examples and their true goals.

Fake The Ukrainian government does not allocate funds for the PTSD treatment of military personnel

Such information was disseminated in social networks and propaganda media. Reports say that allegedly the Ukrainian government does not allocate funds for the rehabilitation of military personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder. Allegedly, Zelenskyi “spends all the money on something else”. It is not true.

Analysts of the VoxCheck project investigated this case and found that, in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On social and legal protection of military personnel and members of their families”, the state provides free psychological assistance:

to military personnel who do military service on the territory of Ukraine and perform military duty outside its borders;

to the military, who became persons with disabilities due to a disease associated with the passage of service;

to members of volunteer formations of territorial communities.

That is, the law regulates the process of providing free psychological assistance, so the thesis about “non-allocation of funds by the government” is unfounded. Analysts believe that the basis for creating this fake was the material of The Economist, in which journalists talk about a military rehabilitation center for the treatment of PTSD, located in the Kharkiv region. The material also said that all this was “new” for Ukraine, since until 2014 the military had received almost no psychological assistance.

It is worth noting that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic mental disorder that can develop after a traumatic event. Persistent thoughts about the traumatic event last more than a month and usually occur 6 months after the event. Intrusive thoughts appear involuntarily when some kind of trigger reminds of trauma.

Fake In “Bohdanka”, the Polish coal mine, they found a burial ground with the bodies of soldiers who fought in Ukraine

Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that in the Polish coal mine “Bohdanka”, which is located 40 km from the border with Ukraine, a “burial ground” with five hundred bodies of military men was allegedly found. These bodies, according to the authors of the messages, allegedly belong to the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and “foreign mercenaries” who participated in the war on the side of Ukraine. It is not true.

Analysts of the StopFake project drew attention to this case and determined that the information is not true. Analysts are sure that this is another conspiracy theory from Russian propaganda. The information was also denied by the representative of the mine “Bohdanka” Ian Matysik. The representative of the company said that the information shared online is a fake. He also noted that “there are no military operations in the immediate vicinity of “Bohdanka”, as well as on the territory of the Republic of Poland”. Consequently, there is no so-called burial ground.

By spreading this fake, propagandists want to distort reality and show that Ukraine is constantly losing and trying to hide the victims in every possible way. In addition, Russian propaganda has repeatedly spread manipulations about so-called foreign mercenaries in Ukraine. Thus, propaganda substitutes the concept, calling the foreign legion “mercenaries” and at the same time wants to create the appearance that Russia is really at war not with Ukraine, but with the so-called “collective West”.

We recall that earlier Detector Media explained the message in which they claimed that only the foreign legion of the Armed Forces of Ukraine uses foreign equipment on the battlefield.