The Kremlin regularly threatens the world with its nuclear arsenal. This time, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Riabkov said that Russia does not rule out the possibility of resuming nuclear tests “in response to similar actions by the United States”. He explained that "similar actions" meant nuclear tests by the United States, but this statement was made during a discussion about Russia's response to possible Western long-range weapons strikes on its territory.

The Russian diplomat also noted that all the infrastructure necessary for nuclear testing appears to be in full readiness at the testing site on the Nova Zemlia archipelago (Russia).

The Center for Countering Disinformation emphasizes that in this way Riabkov is trying to manipulate public opinion and justify another act of nuclear blackmail, positioning it as “retaliatory actions”. By signaling its readiness for nuclear escalation, Moscow is seeking to demonstrate its strength and intimidate Ukraine’s Western partners so that they abandon the idea of granting permission to strike Russian territory with their weapons. It should be noted that the Russian diplomat made the statement against the backdrop of information appearing in the media about the explosion of the Sarmat intercontinental missile during tests.

On the night of September 18, Ukrainian forces attacked an arsenal for storing ammunition, missiles and explosives located in the city of Toropets in the Tver region (Russia). The Polish pro-Russian segment of the Telegram wrote that the shelling was carried out by an ordinary drone, which most likely did not fly from Ukraine, which is more than 500 kilometers away, but allegedly almost three times closer to Latvia.

However, this information is not true. BBC News Ukraine, citing a source in the SBU, reported that in Toropets it was the Ukrainian Armed Forces that “wiped off the face of the earth a large structure of the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate of the Russian Defense Ministry”. Propagandists also claim that there is “more than 500 km” from the Ukrainian border to the Russian arsenal in Toropets, but in reality the distance is less than 500 km – about 480 km. For example, the Ukrainian attack drone “Furious” is capable of flying such a distance.

By spreading this disinformation, propagandists are once again trying to convince everyone that NATO is directly involved in the Russian-Ukrainian war. Earlier, we recorded a fake that Ukraine, together with the US, was “planning” missile attacks “on children”.

Pro-Russian sources claim that the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andrii Yermak believes that the main task for Ukraine is to draw NATO into a direct confrontation with Russia. According to propagandists, this is what will allow Ukraine to join the Alliance and win the war. There seem to be no alternative scenarios - reserves and equipment are at critical levels, Ukraine cannot withstand a protracted war, which means “we need to look for formats for escalating the war and provoking the Kremlin”. 

In fact, the Ukrainian military-political leadership, on the contrary, is striving to end the war, and on fair terms for the country. This is written by the Center for Countering Disinformation. Ukraine does not intend to involve NATO in a direct conflict with Russia, but the Ukrainian government asks for comprehensive support for the country so that it can continue to repel Russian aggression and, finally, defeat the terrorist country.

With such messages, Russia accuses the Ukrainian authorities of escalating the war. Propagandists also appeal to the “critical amount of reserves and equipment”, “Ukraine's inability to fight continued”, but international partners continue to provide military and financial assistance to the Ukrainian state, and thanks to the Kursk operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the theater of military operations has moved to Russian territory. Accordingly, it may be unprofitable for the Kremlin itself to continue this groundless war, which is why they are looking for ways to end it on unfavorable and disadvantageous terms for Ukraine.

Previously, we analyzed the Russian disinformation message that Kyiv wants to provoke the Kremlin into attacking with tactical nuclear weapons.

There are reports online that a man who joined the team of ‘language inspectors’ was allegedly beaten in Ivano-Frankivsk. His wife allegedly complained about this incident by posting a corresponding message on Facebook. She also allegedly wrote statements and complaints to the relevant authorities.

However, the Center for Counteracting Disinformation, after verifying this ‘news’ at the Main Directorate of the National Police in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, reported that there have been no recent reports of any crimes committed on the basis of language in the city.

‘Language Patrol’ is a volunteer initiative of Ivano-Frankivsk Mayor Ruslan Martsinkiv. Its idea is that volunteers will tolerantly make comments when using Russian and offer to attend language courses. At the same time, ‘language inspectors’ will not have any special powers, they will not punish violators.

The Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, Taras Kremin, commented on this initiative, noting that Ivano-Frankivsk was the only regional center that did not have a language program, so the mayor can create working groups that will monitor compliance with language legislation.

Russian propaganda spreads such fakes to create the illusion of a split in Ukrainian society around the language issue. Earlier, we recorded disinformation that Ivan Franko LNU opened recruitment for a team of ‘language inspectors’.

Russian propaganda writes about ‘language patrols’ that local authorities are going to introduce in Ivano-Frankivsk. They say that the city first met refugees with increased prices for rented apartments, and now they will forbid them from communicating in Russian. The propaganda also adds that in this way ‘Nazi practices’ are being restored in Ukraine.

However, the propagandists presented the information in a distorted manner. In Ivano-Frankivsk, they really proposed to create so-called ‘language patrols’, initiated by the mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ruslan Martsinkiv. At the same time, this is not about some ‘Nazi practices’, but about popularizing the study of the Ukrainian language, as well as about compliance with Ukrainian legislation, according to which the Ukrainian language is mandatory in all spheres of public life. The legislation does not apply to the sphere of personal communication or religion. Moreover, it does not provide for any criminal liability for violating its norms.

Martsinkiv himself explained that such patrols will tolerantly make comments when using Russian and offer to attend language courses. He also said that this will be a volunteer initiative, and the volunteers will not have any special powers, they will not punish violators.

Taras Kremin, the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, commented on this initiative, noting that Ivano-Frankivsk was the only regional center that did not have a language program, so the mayor can create working groups that will monitor compliance with language legislation. At the same time, Kremin noted that the choice of the name of such a program is of great importance: “The component that I would like to dwell on is very important. Despite the fact that such work will be carried out, it is important to correctly name such working groups. Since Ruslan Martsinkiv called such associations language inspections, Russian propaganda began to spread disinformation, saying that citizens of Ukraine will be persecuted on the basis of language”.

Russian propaganda manipulates information to justify the need to protect the rights of the Russian-speaking population and wage war against Ukraine. Previously, we documented the fake, saying that Zelenskyi started a war against the Russian-speaking population of Donbas.

Russian propagandists are spreading information that the SBU found several ruble bills during a search of the Sviato-Vvedenskyi Monastery in Kyiv and on this basis reported suspicion to Archimandrite Volodymyr (UOC MP). Therefore, he allegedly faces five years in prison with confiscation of property.

However, this information is not true, writes StopFake. The official statement from the SBU states that it did indeed notify one of the clerics of the UOC MP of the suspicion. At the same time, the reason for this was not ‘a few ruble bills’, but the cleric's justification of Russia's war against Ukraine and his dissemination of fakes about the socio-political situation in Ukraine.

The cleric is accused under Part 2 of Article 436-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. It defines punishment for acquittal, recognition as lawful, denial of armed aggression of Russia against Ukraine due to the distribution of relevant materials. Any punishment for possession of Russian rubles under this article is not provided, as it is not provided for by any other articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Russians continue to create fakes on religious topics in response to the law adopted in Ukraine banning religious organizations with a governing center in Russia. We previously wrote about the messages promoted by Russia, reacting to the ban on the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine.