Russian sources are spreading the claim that the Ukrainian Church was allegedly forced to switch to the Catholic calendar to celebrate Christmas on December 25 instead of January 7. This decision, they claim, was imposed by the European Union to help Ukraine join the EU.

However, this claim is false, as reported by the VoxCheck project. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) independently decided to switch to the New Julian calendar in 2023. Catholic and Protestant denominations predominantly follow the Gregorian calendar.

The New Julian calendar is almost identical to the Gregorian calendar, with a difference of just one day, which will only appear in the year 2800. If the OCU had stayed on the Julian calendar, Christmas would have shifted to January 8 after 2100, and Epiphany would have been celebrated on January 20, as the difference between the Gregorian and Julian calendars would then be 14 days.

The transition to the New Julian calendar does not affect the date of Easter, which remains the same for both those following the Julian and New Julian calendars. The calculation of Easter is unified among all Orthodox Churches.

In total, 10 out of 15 autocephalous Orthodox Churches worldwide use the New Julian calendar. The decision to adopt it is significant for Ukraine as it helps to distance itself from Russian traditions and culture while aligning more closely with Europe and the broader Christian world. Russian sources are intentionally manipulating religious issues to sow discord among Ukrainians during and after the holiday season.

Russian Telegram channels have circulated a photo claiming it shows the new coat of arms of Odesa region, stating that it contains symbols of the Antichrist.  

However, this is false, as reported by the VoxCheck project. The image actually depicts the new logo of Odesa region, not its coat of arms. The design elements of the logo represent regional features and have no connection to Antichrist symbolism. Propagandists deliberately cropped the image, omitting an explanation of the logo’s meaning. The elements they compared to the Antichrist’s seal actually symbolize birds, an anchor, and tools of labor, among other things. There is a clear visual difference between the new logo and the Antichrist's symbol.  

The newly created logo does not replace the official coat of arms of Odesa region. It was designed to raise awareness about the region and complement the official symbols, not replace them.  

Previously, we debunked a claim that a priest from Ivano-Frankivsk called Trump the “Antichrist”.

Some users on social media are spreading false information that the 2025 State Budget of Ukraine allocates 3.5 billion UAH for the maintenance of the President’s Office.  

In reality, this claim is not true, as reported by the VoxCheck project. On November 19, 2024, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the law on the state budget for 2025, and on November 28, President of Ukraine signed the document. The budget outlines the total expenditures for the functioning of the President of Ukraine and the President’s Office, with a planned allocation of just over 782 million UAH for 2025. This is even less than in previous years: in 2024, the President’s Office received 1.1 billion UAH from the state budget, and in 2023, more than 1 billion UAH.  

It is important to note that the largest portion of the state budget in 2025 will go toward Ukraine's security and defense, with over 2.2 trillion UAH out of a total of 3.6 trillion UAH allocated for this purpose.  

This is not the first time misinformation about the funding of the President’s Office has been circulated. Earlier, a fake claim suggested that 18.8 billion UAH would be allocated for the functioning of the President’s Office in the 2024 state budget.

A video circulating online alleges that Russian President Volodymyr Putin announced the end of the so-called ‘special military operation’ (SVO) and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. In the video, Putin reportedly claims to have achieved his objectives and states that the West has provided Russia with all necessary security guarantees. The posts also claim that Putin has agreed to pay reparations to Ukraine.  

However, this video is disinformation, as reported by the VoxCheck project. A reverse search on Yandex revealed that the footage used in the video was taken from Putin’s speech at a ceremonial meeting marking the 220th anniversary of the Russian Ministry of Justice, held on September 20, 2022. In that address, Putin discussed the operations of prisons, the establishment of correctional facilities for convicted individuals, and plans for new prison placement schemes across the country.  

In the fake video, it is noticeable that Putin's lip movements do not match the audio, indicating the use of artificial intelligence-generated dubbing. The Hive Moderation tool, designed to detect AI-generated content, confirmed with 91% probability that the audio was AI-generated.  

Previously, similar fake statements attributed to Putin have been debunked, including one claiming that the number of Ukrainians living in temporarily occupied territories and Russia equals the population remaining in Ukraine.  

This is yet another example of misinformation aimed at misleading audiences about Russia's stance on the war in Ukraine.

Russian propaganda has coined the term ‘Budapeshtyky’ to refer to the security agreements Ukraine signed with partner states throughout 2024. By January 2025, Ukraine had concluded 27 such bilateral agreements. Propagandists attempt to diminish these agreements, claiming that ‘Budapeshtyky’ is a term widely used by the public, though, in reality, it is a neologism they themselves created.  

In Russia, this term is linked to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, which ultimately proved ineffective. Russia violated the memorandum by invading Ukraine, while the ‘security assurances’ of other signatories, the United States and the United Kingdom, were only partially implemented. Using this reference, Russian propaganda dismisses Ukraine's new security agreements as legally non-binding and merely symbolic gestures of support.  

However, this portrayal is misleading. For instance, Rishi Sunak, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, explained the significance of the first security agreement Ukraine signed with the UK on January 12, 2024:  

“If Russia attacks again, we will provide the necessary support Ukraine needs - swift and reliable security assistance, modern weapons for defense on land, sea, and air, economic support, and sanctions that impose costs on Russia. This is a clear and significant commitment”.

Each of these agreements is unique, reflecting the history of Ukraine’s security cooperation with the respective partner state and tailored to the financial and technical capabilities of the signatory. Together, they complement one another, creating a framework of collective support. It is important to note that the agreements are not security guarantees but rather frameworks for long-term cooperation and assistance in the security sector. These agreements serve as a temporary alternative to NATO membership.  

Ukraine's official stance is that full NATO membership is the only true guarantee of its security and a deterrent against further Russian aggression toward Ukraine and other states.  

Nevertheless, Russian propagandists insist that ‘Budapeshtyky’ are merely a publicity stunt by President Zelenskyi and ‘not serious’ agreements. This narrative aims to undermine Ukrainian trust in their government and discredit the support Ukraine receives from its international partners.