Spilnota Detector Media

Message The ban on Russian citizens from entering the EU countries is a manifestation of Nazi policy

Ukrainian and Russian media spread the news with reference to Russian Defense Minister Serhii Shoihu. He said this at a meeting of the so-called First International Anti-Fascist Congress, which is designed to become a platform for upholding the historical truth about the decisive contribution of the USSR to the defeat of fascism during the Second World War, as well as to counteract the spread of Nazi ideology.

According to the Russian minister, the Russophobic idea is being actively promoted from the high European stands to ban all Russian citizens from entering the EU countries and this is a vivid manifestation of Nazi policy.

Message Europe refused to help Ukraine

Anonymous Telegram channels and Russian media are spreading the news that allegedly the six largest European countries have not made new "war promises" to Ukraine for the first time since the beginning of the "special operation". They said that military aid could weaken precisely when Kyiv announced a counteroffensive. Allegedly, this is stated in an article by Politico.

As StopFake writes, the Politico article does not contain any information that European countries have abandoned their promises. The article deals with two problems: the reduction of weapons stocks at the moment in those countries that have actively helped Ukraine since the beginning of the war, as well as the delay in the supply of weapons from Germany and France. The article emphasizes that Germany and France should better fulfill their promises and help more actively.

Disclosure German edition spreads Russian propaganda about “speculation with the help of the West” in Ukraine

German fact-checkers of Correctiv found out that Unser Mitteleuropa (Our Central Europe) published a false article alleging that the director of the Economic Security Bureau, Vadym Melnyk, admitted that "Ukraine is selling military aid" to the West and "mass appropriation of Western funds." It seems that he said this in an interview with the Ukraine 24 channel.

Neither the Correctiv publication nor the editors of the Media Detector could find Melnyk's interview with the Ukraine-24 channel of July 5, where he stated this. Also, no other sources contain such a statement by Melnyk. The article in the German edition is, in fact, a literal translation of the news of the Russian media that was massively distributed on July 6. It was in them that Melnyk's statement was quoted and noted that he told the Ukraine-24 channel about this, and there is no link to the interview in both Russian and German media.

Message The ban on Schenhen visas for Russians is discrimination based on nationality

Propagandists say that today's behavior of Europe is reminiscent of the behavior of Nazi Germany. This seems to be similar to the case when signs “Juden sind hier unerwünscht” (“Jews are not welcome here”) appeared in Germany after 1933. Today's discussion about visas is like a European sign "Russians are not needed here."

According to EUvsDISINFO project fact-checkers, the decision to ban Schenhen visas for Russian citizens has not yet been made. The solution will be discussed at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Prague at the end of August 2022. The ban on visas for Russian citizens was initiated by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who believes that "visiting Europe is a privilege, not a human right." These words were spoken in the context of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The idea of ​​a visa ban was supported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi. He said Russians "should live in their own world until they change their philosophy."

Message Europe will receive cheap Russian gas in exchange for Russia's loyalty

Otherwise, gas prices in winter will be record high and exceed $4,000 per 1,000 cubic meters.

Russia uses energy prices as leverage to blackmail European countries. As the Center for Counteracting Disinformation writes, propagandists voice various arguments to convince. They argue that it is likely that Europe will not be able to fill the gas storage facilities in time as a result of “problems” with Nord Stream. Allegedly, in the event of a cessation of Russian gas supply, the available gas will last only 2.5 months. In anticipation of a difficult winter, the Germans bought up all the electric heaters, stock up on firewood and insulate their houses. Europe should be encouraged to engage in dialogue with Russia by the fact that "the Europeans will not survive the winter." Propagandists are also trying to convince Europe that energy sanctions are a mistake, because attempts to replace Russian energy supplies have failed. Like, for Europeans, the rise in the cost of life and energy prices is more important than the support of Ukraine.

This is not the first time Russia has used blackmail and intimidation to achieve its goal. Previously, propaganda spread the thesis of Putin's press secretary Peskov that the countries of Europe, trying to "punish" Russia, are already actively paying for it. The propagandists also argued that the sanctions were preventing Gazprom from supplying more gas to Europe.

Manipulation Germany is persecuting the relatives of an "independent" journalist who tells the truth about a "special operation"

This is reported by the Russian media. Allegedly in Germany, journalist Alina Lipp and her parents were blocked from accessing bank accounts. Allegedly, this is how the German authorities reacted to the fact that Lipp shows the truth about the Donbas. As propagandists write, "the family is being hounded, persecuted and threatened." This is manipulation.

Alina Lipp is a German blogger who claims to be an "independent journalist" but in reality spreads Russian propaganda narratives. Lipp is included in the "Peacemaker" database for propaganda of Russian Nazism, informational support of the "special operation", etc.

According to the fact-checkers of The Insider project, the German prosecutor's office did block the account of the "journalist" because she collected donations in Germany in support of her propaganda activities, and then transferred the funds to a personal account in a Russian bank. Paypal closed the account of Lipp and her father, who lives in the temporarily occupied Crimea. Fact-checkers suggest that Lipp's mother's account may also have been blocked due to participation in a scheme to finance illegal activities. However, this information has not yet been verified.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to pass off punishment for the criminal activities of its colleague as an attempt to put pressure on “independent media” and “independent journalists”.

Disclosure Fake accounts launched a "Hungry" flash mob against anti-Russian sanctions on Twitter

The first five posts with the hashtag #againstsanctions on Twitter were posted from suspicious or fake accounts, according to fact-checker MythDetector. Europeans seem to have started posting photos of empty plates with the message that everyone ate the sanctions.

Message Future winter without Russian gas is an important test for Germany

Russia has stepped up its "gas blackmail", that is, it continues to intimidate Europeans with the prospect of a cold winter. In particular, propaganda in this context often uses the emotional verb "survive" and refers to experts predicting a gloomy future for the German economy and industry.

Fake Germany tests experimental weapons in Ukraine

This is reported by anonymous Telegram channels. Allegedly, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz accidentally said that Ukraine is being used as a testing ground for new weapons. It is not true.

In an interview with the Canadian edition of The Globe and Mail, Olaf Scholz said that Ukraine was given some weapons systems that the Bundeswehr does not have. However, Scholz did not call the transferred weapons experimental and did not talk about the fact that they are being tested in Ukraine. He also said that German specialists teach Ukrainians how to use this equipment correctly.