Spilnota Detector Media

Message "Washington is the director of all world swings"

Anonymous Telegram channels write a lot about the US involvement in China's conflict with Taiwan. Propagandists write that the USA has been "pumping Taiwan with weapons" for a long time and that it was the same with the "Ukrainian crisis". This generalized and manipulative message is probably designed to shift the emphasis once again, blaming the USA for starting a major war in Ukraine and not mentioning that Russia started the offensive. 

Fake In Dnipro, a school and a dormitory house ground territorial defense units and military equipment

Information is spread by the Russian media concerning the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Allegedly, in Dnipro, a school and a dormitory are used as cover for Ukrainian military and equipment. Similar reports are being spread about Kryvyi Rih, where the Armed Forces of Ukraine allegedly settled in residential buildings. It is not true.

Fake Hypersonic missile "Kinzhal" hit the warehouse of the Armed Forces

Russian users of social networks share a video in which the Kinzhal hypersonic missile allegedly hits a military base at a depth of 136 meters, and the event supposedly happened in May. However, it is a fake video. As VoxCheck writes, the widespread video appeared on the network in February of this year. The video`s author is a visual effects artist known on social networks as InsanePatient2. The video has the title: "What if Russia Started Nuclear War?" ("What if Russia started a nuclear war?"). The description of the video states: "What if Russia/Putin Started Nuclear War with Ukraine and the rest of the world?" ("What if Russia/Putin started a nuclear war with Ukraine and the rest of the world?")." In the artist's YouTube and TikTok accounts, there are other works created using computer graphics. On May 9, 2022, Russia launched three "Kinzhal" missiles over Odesa, as noted by OK "Pivden", then destroyed 5 buildings. Moreover, on March 19, 2022, in the village of Delyatyn, Ivano-Frankivsk region. As a result of the strike, the ammunition depot was destroyed," the fact-checkers write.

Message Russia will expand the geography of the "special operation" to "demilitarize" more cities

Russian propagandists systematically use manipulative and fake information to justify the "necessity" of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Crimean collaborator Olga Koviditi reported the need to "expand the geography of the special operation". The same opinion was recently expressed by another collaborator, Denys Pushylin. He said, "it's time to liberate Kyiv, Poltava, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Kharkiv, Lutsk, and Zaporizhzhia." Ramzan Kadyrov has been talking about taking Kyiv "shortly" for the fifth month. Tactics of systematic repetition of a certain message are used by propagandists to subconsciously consolidate this information in the target audience.

Manipulation Missile strikes on the Antoniv Bridge do not harm Russian troops

Propaganda telegram channels spread the message that rocket strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the Antoniv bridge in Kherson are irrelevant - it is "a matter of three beams and two liters of concrete." These messages were recorded by the Center for Strategic Communications in its study of propaganda telegram channels.

In fact, although the bridge is currently standing, it is closed to all types of vehicles. Moreover, according to the standards of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the army must stop moving on the bridge in the event of any, even minor, damage. However, according to satellite images, the bridge cannot be patched with "two liters of concrete", it has significant surface damage.

The other two bridges are a single-track railway bridge across the Dnipro and a bridge over the Kakhovska HPP dam in Nova Kakhovka. The latter was also shelled earlier, the Russians tried to repair it. Also, the Armed Forces of Ukraine previously attacked the Daryiv Bridge across the Ingulets River, which connects two parts of the right-bank Kherson Oblast occupied by the Russians.

It is obvious that all these bridges are now under the fire control of the Armed Forces and the supply of equipment to the occupiers in the region has been substantially closed. That is why the Russian army is trying to build a pontoon bridge instead of the closed Antoniv bridge. At the same time, propaganda tries to convince the audience that the destruction of bridges will not affect the situation in the region.

Disclosure The Russians have created a directory for supporters of the Putin regime in Ukraine

The Russians have created a "Handbook for Ukrainian citizens on organizing resistance to the Kyiv puppet leadership," in which they advise to sabotage work in socially significant areas - in administrative positions, office workers, employees of government bodies, in the medical and educational fields, law enforcement activities, etc. It is reported by the HUR of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

The manual has 14 pages, which repeatedly use terminology that reinforces the propaganda of hatred towards everything Ukrainian: "Kyiv hunta," "puppet leadership," etc.

The Main Directorate of Intelligence the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine claims that the "tips" encourage people to promote the Russian language (pretending not to understand Ukrainian), slow down the pace of work of state organizations, send various incorrect requests to state structures, make mistakes in the documentation and use more materials, including the number of medical, than required.

Fake Terrorists from Libya can get passports in Ukraine

Anonymous Telegram channels spread information about this; later, it also appeared on the pages of Kremlin propaganda media. The authors illustrated such news with alleged photos of the Libyans and their Ukrainian passports, which they allegedly received.

The reports also said that the terrorists could migrate to Poland with these documents. In fact, Libyan terrorists did not obtain the passports of Ukrainian citizens and did not try to use these documents to leave for Poland. As StopFake writes, the footage of the detention was taken long before the alleged arrest, and the image of the "detainee's" passport was taken from the Internet and processed in a photo editor. 

Fake Two battalions of Polish infantry fought in Ukraine; they were destroyed

Russian media spread information that two battalions of the Polish army allegedly arrived in Ukraine and were sent to Pavlograd (Dnipropetrovsk region). Reports say that these Polish battalions were destroyed on the territory of Ukraine. However, it is not true.

Polish regular troops do not take part in Russia's war against Ukraine. In a comment to the Polish publication Konkret24, the General Staff of the Polish Army denied information about the participation of Polish battalions in the war on the territory of Ukraine, calling such reports another fake of systematic Russian propaganda. Poles can fight in Ukraine as part of the International Legion, which is subordinate to the Armed Forces. Therefore, Poles or any military personnel with foreign citizenship who fight in this legion are Ukrainian military personnel. More details. 

Fake The Russians plan to launch an operation from Belarus "in the morning"

In the Telegram chat "Shatskyi Tereveni," they spread the message about the beginning of the attack by the Russians from Belarus "in the morning." It is advised to collect all important things and prepare for the absence of electricity and the Internet.

Reports of military activity in neighboring Belarus have become more frequent since the start of military training near the border of the Volyn and Rivne regions was announced.

Currently, there are no facts about an attack from Belarus. Such messages are most likely sent to sow panic and destabilize the situation, write the fact-checkers of the "Rayon. Shatsk."

Several things indicate that a message is fake. For example, "in the morning" - but there is no exact date on which morning it will happen.

Later, a message appeared: "Let it not happen, but it is better to prepare." A seemingly unobtrusive message, however, makes the reader tense up. Many questions and the source of information - "Oleg, a journalist from Stryi, who was transferred from the USA."

Message Russia will end the war within a month

Former colonel of the US Army Douglas McGregor, known for his pro-Russian position, stated this in an interview with foreign media. According to him, the Russian army has already rested and is ready to deliver a devastating blow to Ukraine. Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, McGregor has been talking about "Russia's invincible army" and intimidating the world with "Putin's nuclear button."

According to his forecasts, Russia was supposed to capture Ukraine in mid-March 2022. Such statements are an element of Russia's informational and psychological operation aimed at a Western audience. In this way, Russia is trying to prevent supplying heavy weapons to Ukraine from allied countries.

Fake The entire Volyn Territorial Defense Brigade refuses to fight

This information was spread by Russian publications concerning the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Apparently, after refusing to participate in hostilities, the brigade was disarmed, and the fighters themselves were arrested. It is not true.

The 100th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade of Ukraine in the Volyn Region refuted fake Russian propaganda on its official Facebook page: "The personnel of our Volyn Territorial Defense Brigade continues to fully control the situation in its area of ​​responsibility along the border of the Republic of Belarus with the support of other component forces defense of our region.

The brigade's command again asks to trust only official information and not to spread unverified, fake news."

Fake An updated list of diseases that are not accepted into the army

An updated list of diseases with which conscripts are deemed unfit for service is being circulated on social networks. The fact-checkers of the "Brekhunets" project noted that the specific laws in this regard have not changed since April, and the changes made do not concern the list of diseases. In particular, on March 18, changes were made to the Regulation of military medical examination in the Armed Forces. The modifications introduced on April 21 to the law "On mobilization training and mobilization" were related to the separation of powers between central executive bodies regarding state policy in civil protection.

The list of citizens who are not subject to conscription is defined in Art. 23 of the Law of Ukraine "On Mobilization Training and Mobilization." The regulation on military medical examination in the Armed Forces specifies a list of diseases in which conscripts may be temporarily or not recruited into the army in peacetime and/or wartime.

Fake Two Polish brigades will take control of Western Ukraine in August

Another continuation of the message that Poland will attack Ukraine in the west was voiced by Kremlin propagandist Yaakov Kedmi. He noted that he relies on the data received from Polish intelligence. Stanislav Zharin, a representative of the Polish special services, denied the information on Twitter. He noted that it is part of the Kremlin's disinformation campaign against Poland.

It will be recalled that the message about Poland's attack appeared as early as March 2022 after the visit to Ukraine of Polish Deputy Prime Minister Yaroslav Kaczyński. In May, it was activated with new fakes. At the same time, the thesis about the division of Ukraine between Poland and Russia and the preservation of the "neutral" third of Ukraine with its center in Kyiv has been promoted by Russian propaganda since at least 2014.

MythDetector adds that political scientist Yaakov Kedmi appears in the "Putin List" created by "Free Russia" as a person who cooperates with the Putin regime and is involved in the propaganda of Russian TV channels. Since the 2010s, he has been a frequent guest of the TV channels "Russia 1" and ITON.TV. Kedmi regularly criticizes Ukraine, accusing it of anti-Semitism and Nazism. More about the propagandist.

Fake Ukraine strikes at its own cultural heritage

The Russian media report it concerning the reports of politicians. They said that the Russian army has nothing to do with the destruction of cultural objects - historical buildings are deliberately destroyed by Ukrainians themselves with "Western weapons." It is not true.

Ukraine's UNESCO experts and international partners recorded Russian attacks on 160 cultural objects: 72 religious objects, 12 museums, 32 historical buildings, 24 buildings for cultural events, 17 monuments, and 7 libraries. The occupiers also destroyed 2,100 buildings of educational institutions in Ukraine. Three-quarters of destroyed cultural objects are located in Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kyiv regions. However, there is destruction all over the country. The Russians are looting museum exhibits and other cultural values in the temporarily occupied territories. According to the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, the number of destroyed objects has increased to three hundred. The fact of the destruction of Ukrainian cultural values ​​by the Russians was confirmed by the UN Security Council during a special meeting, "Destruction of cultural heritage as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine," the holding of which was supported by 38 UN member states. Other international organizations recognized the destruction and promised Ukraine to help overcome the war's consequences. StopFake writes about this in more detail.

Russia, on the other hand, continues its tactics of denying deliberate missile strikes on civilian targets in Ukraine. Moreover, Russian politicians accuse the West of hypocrisy, as they allegedly first provide weapons to destroy cultural heritage and then funds for its restoration. In this way, Russia is trying to avoid punishment for crimes committed in Ukraine.

Fake The UN is convinced that the internal politics of Kyiv and the war in Ukraine have led to the prosperity of illegal drug production worldwide

Such information is distributed on social networks. In particular, in pro-Russian Telegram channels. For example, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that "Kyiv's internal politics and the armed conflict in Ukraine have opened wide opportunities for the thriving of illegal drug production." And this year, the number of drug laboratories in Ukraine has increased several times, and anyone no longer controls the drug production process in Ukraine. Accordingly, Ukraine has become a kind of "Afghanistan" in Europe.

Fake Margaret Thatcher said, "if you spit on Russia, it will be cleansed; if Russia spits, the world will sink"

Such a quote by the ex-prime minister of Great Britain is being shared on social networks in Russian, particularly in the Georgian segment of Facebook. The quote mentioned above by Thatcher seems to emphasize Russia's power and strength, which other countries should not argue because if it is angered, the world will simply sink.

However, Thatcher did not say such words. According to fact-checkers from Myth Detector, the quote attributed to Margaret Thatcher has been appearing on Russian-language social networks since 2014. However, finding an exact or similar quote on the Thatcher Foundation website or in other English- and Russian-language authoritative sources is impossible. Accordingly, there is no evidence that the former Prime Minister of Great Britain said such things.

Fake Roman Ratushny was a neo-Nazi militant and involved in protests in Hong Kong

Such information in Russian has been actively disseminated on social networks since June. Reports claim that Roman Ratushny is a "neo-Nazi militant" involved in anti-government riots in Hong Kong in 2019. All this is not true.

As VoxCheck writes, Roman Ratushny supported actions in support of the democratic movement in Hong Kong in Ukraine. Still, there is no evidence of his direct participation in the protests in Hong Kong in 2019. Also, Roman Ratushny was not a "neo-Nazi." He is a Kyiv activist, founder, and leader of the "Protect Protasiv Yar" initiative. He fought in the intelligence of the 93rd SMBr and died near Izyum in Kharkiv Oblast on June 9, 2022. Roman Ratushny supported the Free Hong Kong Center (FHKC) — an independent information project of the Liberal Democratic League of Ukraine public organization aimed at highlighting political processes in Hong Kong and the Chinese democratic world. 

Manipulation Representatives of the White House claim that Ukraine has no chance of returning the occupied territories by Russia

The Russian media spread such messages concerning CNN publications. It is not true.

The Administration of the President of the USA did not make such statements. It is the personal opinion of some officials. VoxChek fact-checkers investigated the manipulation. In fact, the author of the CNN article, Natasha Bertrand, regarding anonymous comments of White House officials, writes about the doubts of some representatives of the Biden administration about the possibility of returning territories to Ukraine. However, this opinion is only the "internal discussions" of the advisors of the US president. The article emphasizes that the US will not pressure Ukraine for territorial concessions and hopes that Ukraine will return the territories during the counteroffensive. The opinion of individual officials cannot be considered the official position of the Administration of the President of the USA. Russian propaganda systematically uses distorted quotes from Western media to discredit the world's support for Ukraine and devalue the actions of its partners regarding military aid to Ukraine.

Message The war will last several years. It is beneficial to the Kremlin

Anonymous pro-Russian Telegram channels continue to modify the message about Russia's lightning victory. Now, referring to unknown sources, propagandists write that the war will be long since it is precisely what benefits Russia. Allegedly, the Russian Federation will not stop until it cuts off Ukraine from the sea to reduce its role in the international arena. The continuation of the message that "Odesa is more important than Kyiv" was predicted by the Center for Combating Disinformation.

In addition, propagandists returned to accusing Volodymyr Zelensky of unleashing wars because he allegedly "renounced the Minsk agreements." In fact, it was Putin who "tore the Minsk agreements to pieces," US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said when he recognized the LDR/DNR terrorist group.

Fake A "secret biolaboratory" was found in Rubizhne, where "experiments were conducted on humans"

The news of the Russian state television channel "Russia 1" showed a story about a "secret biolaboratory" in Rubizhne, which, on the order of Western countries, conducted experiments on residents "for pennies". Russian propagandists visited the "MICROCHEM" enterprise, known to all of Europe. They stated that it produced all kinds of drugs for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including drugs to dull pain and fear, and tested "biological developments" on residents and their employees. However, it is not true! The head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Haidai, noted: "Of course, not without documents labeled "secret" and drug testing on "young residents.'' Russian propagandists fit so many fictions into one video that they can be congratulated for the record in absurdity."

"How can a sober person believe in this? Sober - no. But it is the Russians. "Because the limited liability company "Scientific and Production Firm "MICROCHEM" has become one of the leaders of the domestic pharmaceutical industry, producing more than 70 names of ready-made medicines and seven names of pharmaceutical substances for the production of ready-made medicines," Haidai shared.

Since Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine began, the Russians have repeatedly claimed laboratories for developing biological weapons. The last of the fakes was spread by the Russians at the beginning of July, alleging that the Americans were breeding ticks in Ukraine to increase the incidence of borreliosis in the border areas of Russia.

You can read more about the so-called biolaboratories at the link.

Fake An improvised explosive device was discovered at a bus stop in Energodar, Zaporizhzhia region

In the temporarily occupied Energodar, the Russians published a fake through their Telegram channels about an alleged "warning of a terrorist attack" at a public transport stop, where an improvised explosive device was found.

The mayor of Energodar, Dmytro Orlov, denied information about a possible "terrorist attack." He urged the city's residents not to believe the occupiers and to trust only verified sources of information. The mayor of Energodar reported the purpose of the Russians staging such provocations.

"Why is this for r(f)ashists? Firstly, you must report "to the top" about your stormy activity. Their commanders are as stupid as they are, raised on Nightingale/Skabeeva television, so they believe the delusion they are sent in reports. Secondly, in this way, they want to justify all the terror they are doing in the city. Allegedly, all their kidnappings and torture of residents are a struggle against the underground.

Moreover, they are wrong in assessing the local population's critical thinking- the residents laugh at the invaders, realizing their worthlessness. Thirdly, it is beneficial for the orcs to create the image of "guerrillas" on whom they can write off their sloppy miscalculations. Please, use verified sources of information, enable critical thinking, and do not trust invaders and occupiers," Dmytro Orlov wrote.

Fake Dnipro is infected with a poisonous toxin - a component of rocket fuel

Such a fake was spread by Russian propaganda. The Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security notes that reports of the release of heptyl began to apply after the enemy attack on "Pivdenmash" in the Dnipro. But all of them are fakes.

On July 15, in Dnipro, the Russians hit the Southern Machine-Building Plant and the street nearby with six rockets.

The Center for Strategic Communications said that the Russians could have caused the leak of heptyl and carried out a terrorist attack comparable in scale to a nuclear disaster.

However, even at the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, heptyl and its derivatives were urgently disposed of in Pivdenmash, the local ground defense headquarters reported.

"There was no leak. And rumors are spread by enemies to spread panic. Heptyl is a hazardous component of rocket fuel for humans," the Center said in a statement.

Fake Ukraine is preparing to strike at Belarus

Such messages are distributed in the Russian and Belarusian mass media. It is not true.

The information was denied by the Public Relations Service of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. "Such publications are completely untrue, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to protect our state from the invaders, strictly observing the norms of international law," the press service reports. The department notes that Russia spreads such messages intending to drag Belarus into a war on the territory of Ukraine and conceal war crimes committed and still being committed by the Russian occupiers on the territory of Ukraine.

Fake A Ukrainian military officer shot a soldier for disobeying an order

A photo of an alleged "report" on the shooting of a soldier is circulating on social networks. The document in the photo states that the soldier was allegedly shot for disobeying an order. With this fake, Russian propaganda is trying to intimidate with "atrocities in the Ukrainian army" and discredit the Armed Forces. Previously, a similar fake was spread that, by order of the commander of the National Guard, "Ukrainian soldiers who surrender themselves are to be shot."

The anti-corruption center drew attention to the spelling and factual errors of the new so-called document, namely: the "molodshy leytenant" was called «mladshy

leytenant"; the surname Kutsyn was translated to "Kutsin"; "04.06.22h" - the letter at the end means "hod," and it should be: r. - rik. In addition, the "report" was written in the name of Colonel Dmytro Bryzhynsky, the commander of a separate mechanized brigade of the Kholodny Yar Armed Forces until January 21, 2022. Colonel Ruslan Shevchuk became the commander instead.

Fake NATO has been preparing for war with Russia for 8 years

Russian media are spreading reports that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has "spoken" that the Alliance was "purposefully" preparing for war.

It is not true.

The Russian media took Stoltenberg's quote out of context and added it at their discretion. Jens Stoltenberg reflected on the foundations of European security, which Russia undermined in 2014 due to its occupation of Crimea and eastern Ukraine. "In fact, we have long been preparing for such a possibility [a large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine]. It's not like NATO suddenly woke up on February 24 and realized that Russia is dangerous... That's why we've been working on a new Force Structure [NATO's defense capability] for some time," Stoltenberg said. He also once again refuted the propaganda thesis about the planned "attack" of the Alliance on Russia and emphasized that NATO is not a party to the conflict in the Russian war against Ukraine, but will continue to support Ukraine in its struggle.

StopFake writes that Russia's aggression against Ukraine in 2014 became the impetus for revising NATO's collective security standards. After February 24, 2022, the Alliance changed its Strategic Concept and recognized Russia as the "biggest direct threat" to European security. A separate clause was written by NATO stating that "NATO does not seek confrontation and does not pose a threat to Russia" to fight against Russian propaganda. However, Russian media continue to try to justify Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine with messages about "anti-Russian Western aggression."