The Russian agency RIA Novosti published a column by propagandist Kirill Strelnikov titled “Take Ukraine: the U.S. ‘deep state’ has sided with Russia”. In the piece, the author claims that the think tank Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) allegedly called for “dumping Ukraine” in favor of beneficial economic ties with the Kremlin. These claims are false. The fake was exposed by StopFake fact-checkers.

In his column, Strelnikov distorted the content of an analytical article written by American expert Thomas Graham. Although some of the quoted passages are partially accurate, the conclusions that the RIA Novosti author attributes to the think tank are fabricated. Graham did not call for “handing over Ukraine”; instead, he offered a balanced overview of the positions of the United States, Russia, Ukraine, and Europe. He noted that the Alaska summit did not change the balance of power: Moscow is not abandoning the war, Trump seeks to persuade Putin to halt hostilities, and Kyiv and Brussels warn against trusting the Kremlin.

The propagandist also promoted a conspiracy theory portraying the CFR as the U.S. “deep state” that allegedly controls global politics. The text even claims that the organization is the “founder of the Bilderberg Group and the World Economic Forum”. This is untrue: the CFR was founded in 1921 in the United States as a foreign policy think tank, while the Bilderberg Group and the WEF have different origins and operate openly.

Such narratives fit a typical Russian propaganda strategy: distorting facts, replacing expert analysis with conspiracy theories, and spreading disinformation about international support for and the sovereignty of Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that there is supposedly no inflation in the United States. He most recently repeated this claim on September 19 during a meeting with journalists in the Oval Office, citing his tariff policy. However, official data and indicators from the Federal Reserve contradict this: the current inflation rate is about 2.9% year over year, which exceeds the 2% “price stability” target. PolitiFact fact-checkers compared the data with the U.S. president’s statements.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation in the United States is significantly lower than at its peak in 2022 during Joe Biden’s presidency, but it is by no means zero. At the same time, the White House has been more cautious in its official releases, describing the economic situation as “stable” or “at target”, rather than claiming inflation is absent.

PolitiFact explains that the Federal Reserve has never aimed for absolute zero inflation. Its benchmark is around 2%, as modest price growth is considered beneficial for economic development. As of July, inflation measured by the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index stood at 2.6%, while “core inflation”, excluding energy and food, was 3.5%.

Moreover, after a decline in the spring, inflation rates began to rise again. From May to August, there was a gradual increase, and current inflation is already at the level seen at the beginning of Trump’s second presidential term. In several sectors of the economy – particularly electricity, the automotive market, and healthcare – prices are rising even faster than the overall rate.

Thus, Trump’s claim of “zero inflation” does not reflect reality. According to PolitiFact’s conclusion, inflation in the United States persists and is even showing signs of acceleration.

Information is being circulated on social media about a package allegedly found in Lithuania near the border with Belarus containing drones, spare parts, and lead pellets. The package was supposedly marked in Ukrainian with the words “Caution, moving part”. The authors of these posts are trying to convince audiences that the find is linked either to training exercises by Ukrainian troops in Lithuania or to preparations for provocations. In reality, there is no evidence to support these claims. The fake was exposed by VoxCheck fact-checkers.

Lithuanian official bodies, police, or reputable media have not reported any such incidents. The videos being shared come only from unreliable sources: a newly created TikTok account, “@katelynltu”, and pro-Russian propagandist Aleksey Stefanov. The TikTok account appeared in late August 2025, has very few videos, and uses a profile photo that had previously appeared on another account, indicating it was artificially created specifically to spread disinformation.

In addition, the video bears the watermark “Aleksey Stefanov”. Its owner is a former Latvian journalist who worked for Russian propaganda outlets Sputnik and RT and obtained Russian citizenship in 2024. His activities have repeatedly been linked to the dissemination of Kremlin narratives.

Thus, the story about a “Ukrainian package” in Lithuania is fabricated and most likely staged in order to discredit Ukraine.