This thesis was circulated on social networks, in particular on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Alleged Ukrainian seismologist Oleksandr Kendzera said that “Kyiv will shake like Turkey”, referring to the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria that took the lives of about 52,000 people, according to recent reports. The authors of the messages refer to the interview of Oleksandr Kendzera on the Kyiv TV channel. However, this is manipulation.

Analysts of the StopFake project investigated this case and found that the propagandists distorted the context of the interview when the seismologist was answering the question of whether an earthquake is possible on the territory of Ukraine, in particular in Kyiv. The seismologist replied that there is a special map - the seismic zoning of Ukraine - with which you can determine the seismically active zones. Kyiv may be threatened by an earthquake with an intensity of 6 points, but with a frequency of once every 5 thousand years. The percentage of excess of seismic intensity in the coming years is also very low - the probability of a 6-magnitude earthquake in the capital is 1%. Therefore, Oleksandr Kendzera did not say that “an earthquake will happen in Kyiv”, but only spoke about the seismic activity of Ukraine and Kyiv in particular.

By spreading such manipulation, propagandists want to further provoke a sense of fear and panic among Ukrainians. Like, now we must also be afraid of natural disasters, such as earthquakes. Thus, the authors use intimidation tactics to achieve their goals.

We recall that earlier Detector Media denied a fake that an earthquake from Turkey would allegedly spread to Volyn and Rivne regions and explained the message that claimed that Europe decided to punish Turkey with an earthquake.