Propagandists claim on anonymous Telegram channels that the Ukrainian government is allegedly spending 72 million hryvnias on printing and sending out 900 thousand draft notices for mobilization by the end of 2024, while the amount spent on draft notices is supposedly only 18 million hryvnias. The remaining 54 million hryvnias, according to the propagandists, will be used in a non-transparent manner or stolen, hinting at corruption in the Ukrainian government. Propagandists use this fake to manipulate figures, claiming that the cost of printing one draft notice is about 20 hryvnias. However, this is a fake.

As can be seen from the screenshot of the news on Ukrainska Pravda, which is referred to by propagandists in some publications with this fake, 72 million hryvnia is the total amount, which includes expenses not only for printing the draft notices, but also for organizing delivery via postal services. This includes payment for printing, packaging, mailing, as well as overhead costs associated with centralization and ensuring the process. In addition, the cost of one draft notices includes not only the costs of paper and printing, but also related elements, such as confirmation of receipt and other logistical procedures that ensure the efficiency and accuracy of delivery.

The fake is aimed at creating an image of a corrupt government that allegedly mismanages budget funds. Propagandists are trying to destroy citizens’ trust in the Ukrainian authorities and to bolster support for mobilization processes. Russian propagandists are trying to influence the population of Ukraine by creating a feeling that the state is inefficiently using resources during the war. By spreading false claims about excessive spending and corruption, propagandists are trying to cause discontent among the population, especially in the context of economic and social tension caused by the war. Creating an image of a corrupt Ukraine can also influence the international community that provides support to Ukraine. Propaganda is trying to undermine the confidence of international partners in the effectiveness of governance in Ukraine and the appropriateness of providing further assistance.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Serhii Lavrov repeated a set of typical Kremlin talking points aimed at discrediting the West, the EU and justifying Russian aggression. His speech was yet another attempt to spread disinformation on the international stage, blaming the West for all the world's problems. The EUvsDisInfo project compiled a selection of the main messages from it.

Lavrov has tried to shift responsibility for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine to the West, in particular through the myth of “NATO expansion”. This disinformation is a classic example of Russia repeating false claims over and over again in order to make them more believable. The Kremlin claims that the West provokes Russia when independent countries, including Ukraine, exercise their right to choose their own foreign policy and join NATO.

Russia also manipulates the principle of self-determination, claiming that residents of temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine allegedly “chose” to become part of Russia. This claim is used to justify aggression against Ukraine, although in reality Russia violates the rights of Ukrainians and forcibly annexes their territories, particularly in Crimea and the east.

One of Russia’s main tools is to promote the message of a “neo-Nazi regime” in Kyiv that allegedly threatened residents of the occupied territories. Such statements are aimed at justifying aggression and shifting the focus to Russian war crimes committed in Ukraine. This myth is used to discredit Western support for Ukraine and to portray Russia as a “defender” of the supposedly oppressed.

Russia is trying to shift responsibility for its actions to the West, claiming that Ukraine was preparing to attack the east and Crimea with the support of Western countries. In this way, the Kremlin justifies its invasion as a preventive action. Accusations against NATO, the US and the EU are intended to sow mistrust in these countries and split international support for Ukraine. Russia spreads myths about the West’s “neo-colonialist practices” in an attempt to gain support among countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Russian disinformation is aimed at creating a false picture of the conflict on the international stage, presenting Russia as a victim of aggressive actions by the West and Ukraine.

Russian cybercriminals from the Evil Corp. group have been sanctioned by the US, UK and Australia, according to experts from the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security.

The cybercriminal group is responsible for creating and distributing the Dridex malware, which was used to infect computers and steal credentials from hundreds of banks and financial institutions in more than 40 countries. The attacks cost US and international financial institutions and their customers more than $100 million, according to the US Treasury and the UK government.

The following were subject to sanctions:

- Maksym Yakubets, who headed the group's activities for a long time and developed close ties between Evil Corp. and the Russian special services, the FSB and the GRU.

- Eduard Benderskyi, a former FSB officer, and Oleksandr Ryzhenkov, a friend of Yakubets, accused of using the BitPaymer ransomware to attack American citizens.

- Victor Yakubets, father of Maksym Yakubets.

Britain has imposed sanctions on 16 members of the Evil Corp group, including asset freezes and entry bans.

Russian propaganda anonymous Telegram channels are distributing photos with lists of “debtors”, claiming that children are allegedly suspended from classes due to failure to pay a fee for the purchase of a generator, the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security writes.

Its specialists found out that the distributed image is a fake. Firstly, portraits of presidents are not hung above the boards in Ukrainian schools, with the exception of the offices of the school administration. Secondly, the names on the list in the photo look implausible - they are all exclusively of Ukrainian origin, although in the classrooms one can usually find children with surnames of different origins. Also, in the surnames Lisenko, Petrichenko and Sidorenko there are mistakes typical for the Russian language - instead of the Ukrainian letter “и” “i” is used. According to the response of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine to a request from hromadske, more than 80% of schools in Ukraine are already provided with generators, and local governments continue to purchase them.

Propagandists are trying to create a negative image of schools in Ukraine, showing them as institutions that force children and their parents to bear additional financial burdens. This is aimed at undermining trust in the school system and the government. Russian propaganda is trying to sow hostility and mistrust among Ukrainians by portraying schools as corrupt structures that unfairly put pressure on children and their families. Such a fake can contribute to the demoralization of the population, especially in the conditions of war, when there are already energy difficulties due to attacks on infrastructure. The goal is to create a sense of hopelessness among citizens. These fakes can also be aimed at an international audience to portray Ukraine as a country that cannot provide for the basic needs of its citizens and thus reduce the level of support from the international community. Thus, this fake is another attempt by Russian propaganda to manipulate public opinion and undermine the unity of Ukrainian society and its international support.

Propagandists claim on anonymous Telegram channels that Ukrainians could allegedly go out for mass protests in the winter due to power outages, and the authorities are afraid of this scenario. They say this is what The Washington Post writes, citing an “unnamed official from Kyiv”. However, this is manipulation.

This was reported by the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security. Its experts found out that the original article only said that serious problems could arise this winter due to possible energy difficulties caused by Russian strikes on infrastructure. The consensus among Ukrainians is that Russia is responsible for the strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, which led to massive power outages.

Propagandists are trying to create an image of a weak government that is not in control of the situation and is afraid of protests. This is aimed at undermining Ukrainians' trust in their own government. Russia is trying to cause panic and discontent among the population by spreading fears of an energy crisis and power outages. The spread of such fakes is also aimed at demoralizing Ukrainians, encouraging them to believe that the situation in the country is deteriorating and the government is unable to cope with the challenges. The goal of the fake is to show that there are disagreements and tensions within the country that could allegedly lead to mass protests in order to reduce international support for Ukraine.