Russian propagandists are distributing photos of an announcement in one of the Ukrainian grocery stores. It warns that the store imposes a 20% tax on Territorial center of procurement and social support employees. However, this is a fake photo.

The “announcement” distributed online contains signs of editing, and stores do not have the right to independently introduce taxes, especially discriminatory ones. This was reported in the VoxCheck project.

Checking the photo “ad” in the FotoForensics tool using ELA analysis (Error Level Analysis), which highlights areas of the image with different levels of compression, indicates obvious signs of editing.

Also, the Tax Code of Ukraine provides for the equality of all payers before the law and the prevention of any manifestations of tax discrimination, such as social, racial, national, religious, etc. Place of employment also cannot be a cause of discrimination. Such discrimination contradicts Article 24 of the Constitution of Ukraine, which enshrines the equality of citizens. According to Article 17 of the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights”, the needs of all consumers must be satisfied equally. That is, for the independent establishment of such taxes by the store, administrative, and in some cases, criminal liability is provided.

There are no taxes at all in Ukraine; the store can set it for the buyer independently. There are only national and local taxes and fees. National taxes are established by the Verkhovna Rada, which also determines the list of local taxes established by local councils.

With such fakes, Russian propagandists are trying to disrupt mobilization in Ukraine and sow discord in Ukrainian society.