This is the thesis that pro-Russian users share in social networks. It was also distributed by a number of pro-Kremlin propaganda media. Reports say EU High Representative Josep Borrell has called on all Europeans to turn off the heating in their homes.

Like, the Europeans were actually asked to freeze to death so that “democratic ideals” would not suffer. “We are faced with a choice between freedom and comfort. We talked a lot about the willingness to die for the ideals of democracy, it's time to prove it”, propagandists quote Borrell. And they add that, allegedly, according to him, the temperature in apartments above +18 degrees is a crime against European values.

However, this is not true. EU vs Disinfo analysts found that EU High Representative Josep Borrell did not make such a statement. It spread from the @lastoppo telegram channel of political and satirical content, the information about which indicates that satirical and false information is published on the channel. However, Russian propagandists picked up this fake and decided to pass it off as the truth.

At the same time, several EU governments have indeed urged their citizens to lower their heating temperatures in order to reduce gas dependence on Russia. However, it does not mean that people are encouraged to freeze to death for the sake of the ideals of democracy. In fact, Russia is systematically spreading the thesis that the Europeans will not survive the coming winter because of the sanctions imposed against Russia. In this way, propagandists nourish two Russian narratives: about a decaying Europe and about sanctions that allegedly harm the EU more than Russia.

Also, due to such theses, Russia intimidates Europeans and creates the appearance that without the help of Russia itself, European governments cannot provide comfort and protection for their citizens.