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0 | 10.05.2023 | USSR Victory Banner was raised over the Bundestag building in Berlin in May 2023 | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ussr-victory-banner-was-raised-over-the-bundestag-building-in-berlin-in-may-2023 | ntv.ru,eadaily.com,Moskovskij Komsomolets,tsargrad.tv,rutube.ru | Russia, Germany, USSR | Russian | The Russians took Berlin without firing a shot: the Banner of Victory again flies over the Reichstag. It's 2023. The Banner of Victory flies over the Reichstag again. No jokes. In German social networks, photos and videos were circulated, in which the Banner of Victory again appeared over the Reichstag in Berlin. One of the videos was filmed from the window of a passing car. The second is from the street. A closer-up shows how the wind flutters the Banner of Victory on the Reichstag building. Guests of Berlin are happy to take pictures against its background. | The video is a manipulation. The Red Banner of Victory over the Reichstag (Bundestag in today's Germany) in Berlin is a fake. “This has never happened in the German Bundestag,” the Bundestag's press service told in a response to Poligon.Media.The video of "red banner over Reichstag" first appeared on a pro-Kremlin telegram channel, the Insider found out. The Kremlin affiliated telegram channel referred, in its turn, to unspecified "German social media" but no German social media published such pictures.This is not the first time pro-Kremlin media show fabricated videos. In October 2022, pro-Kremlin media reported about videos with quotes from Vladimir Putin at Palazzo Chigi in Rome and the UN building in New York. These original videos, appeared on telegram channels, had traces of video editing, notes Poligon.Media.See also: fabricating a fabrication. When pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets can’t find dirt on its targets, they fabricate it. See also our analysis of how pro-Kremlin outlets manipulates with footage and invent false context to stir up anger and emotional rage. | World War 2 |
1 | 09.05.2023 | Through NATO, the US de facto occupied Europe | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/through-nato-the-us-de-facto-occupied-europe | sputniknews.lat | EU, US, Canada, Sweden, Finland | Spanish | European officials turned Europe into an economic base for US experiments, carrying out with obedience the military tasks of NATO. Through the creation of NATO mechanisms for its own goals, the US de facto occupied Europe. NATO expansion is allowing Washington to put additional territories in Eastern Europe under its control. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation about NATO, the US presence in Europe and Europe’s alleged lack of sovereignty.NATO is a collective defence alliance where decisions are adopted through consultation and consensus, including the deployment of US troops in the territory of member states. Countries decide to join NATO not to be “under US control”, but on a voluntary basis to receive the protection of the alliance, as the cases of Sweden and Finland have shown.This disinformation narrative deliberately ignores the real reason for Finland’s NATO membership and Sweden’s candidacy, which are a direct reaction to Russia’s unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Russia's unprovoked attack led to a massive shift on public opinion towards the Atlantic Alliance in Finland: while prior to the invasion only 24 percent of Finns expressed support for joining NATO, this figure jumped to 74 percent shortly afterwards, and to 85 percent at the moment of its actual entrance. A similar trend took place in Sweden for the same reasons.NATO member countries don’t serve US goals but have their own agency, as proven by multiple episodes of disagreements inside the alliance, such as the refusal of Germany, France and other countries to let it take part in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 against US wishes or, more recently, Hungary and Turkey’s obstruction for Sweden and Finland to join the block.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that NATO is Washington’s territorial expansion mechanism, that NATO became US armed wing ensuring the control of energy resources, that Europe has become a US military and political colony, that Russia should negotiation only with Washington because 90 percent of NATO is the US, or that Europe is happy with being cannon fodder for the US. | NATO, EU/NATO enlargement, US presence in Europe |
2 | 09.05.2023 | Lithuania will be directly involved in the war in Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/lithuania-will-be-directly-involved-in-the-war-in-ukraine | LDiena.lt | Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland | Lithuanian | The process of creating Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian military corpus continues with the purpose of using it in the war in Ukraine. This means that Lithuania will be directly involved in the war this way. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Lithuania will be directly involved in the war in Ukraine.The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.It is hard to say exactly which “military corpus” is mentioned in the message. The closest analogy would be The Grand Hetman Kostiantyn Ostrogski Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade (LITPOLUKRBRIG).The Brigade was established by an agreement between three countries signed in September 2014 in Warsaw. The Brigada mission is stated in the Technical Agreement signed on July 24, 2015, in Lviv (Ukraine). It is agreed that “the LITPOLUKRBRIG personnel participate in joint training and exercises, the Brigade or its elements will be deployed to international operations mandated by the United Nations Security Council, while decision regarding deployment of the LITPOLUKRBRIG to international operations will be made by general consent of all the establishing countries”. There are no plans to use LITPOLUKRBRIG in the defence of Ukraine. See other similar narratives: The US will push Lithuania for war against Russia after the collapse of Ukraine; Poland and Lithuania dream of taking over Belarus and Western Ukraine; The Baltic countries, Poland and Ukraine threaten an intervention in Belarus. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Lithuanian military |
3 | 09.05.2023 | West waged real war against Russia, provoked conflicts, coups and spread Russophobia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/west-waged-real-war-against-russia-provoked-conflicts-coups-and-spread-russophobia | lantidiplomatico.it | Russia | Italian | Western global elites have waged a real war against Russia. The West turns people against each other and divides society, provokes bloody conflicts and coups, sows hatred, Russophobia and aggressive nationalism. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to justify Russia’s unjustified military invasion of Ukraine by accusing the West of anti-Russian policies, aggressive Russophobia and allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda to destroy, ruin Russia, aiming to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions. See also Russian Myths: no.5 Encirclement.The West has never strived to destroy Russia as a state. From the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of a new and democratic Russia and up to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the West has been trying to establish good-neighbourly relations with Moscow. According to the 1997 Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation, Russia was viewed as a partner of the alliance.The statement also contains a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about secret global elites that dominate the world, control governments, wage wars.Analysts and researchers have pointed out that anti-Western conspiracy theories about all-powerful secret elites are a political tool used by the Kremlin to strengthen the domestic stability of the current regime and expand its influence abroad by emphasizing Russia’s moral superiorityRead similar cases claiming that the West calls for Russian state to be destroyed, that Europe and the United States destroy states and nations in pursuit of globalist interests, that The West’s liberal globalist elites aim to establish a world government in place of nation-states and that Russophobia is long-term Anglo-Saxon project aimed at destroying Russia | West, Secret elites / global elites, War in Ukraine, Russophobia, Coup, Colour revolutions |
4 | 09.05.2023 | Poland wants to subjugate the remnants of Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-wants-to-subjugate-the-remnants-of-ukraine | oroszhirek.hu | Poland, Ukraine, Russia | Hungarian | Ukraine understands that it cannot join NATO during the conflict, but Zelenskyy wants a clear signal that it will be admitted later. The Polish authorities have plans for the remnants of Ukraine and this is the clearest signal the Ukrainian president will ever receive about the country's membership of NATO. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign about the war in Ukraine, NATO and an alleged plan by Poland to occupy Western parts of Ukraine. This is part of a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about denying statehood and the disintegration of Ukraine.This narrative exploits previous pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives and difficult issues in Polish-Ukrainian history, without any factual basis. Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and has no territorial claims upon Ukraine.Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. No neighboring state, except the Russian Federation, violated Ukraine's territorial integrity.Instead, Poland is supporting Ukrainian refugees coming to Poland; it is allowing millions of Ukrainians fleeing the war access to the labour market and to health and social benefits. Moreover Poland is also actively supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.See our examination of the Kremlin historical revisionism directed against Poland here. See also earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poles are stoking nationalist sentiment in Ukraine in order to annex Lviv, that Poland thinks that Western Ukraine, Western Belarus and South-Western Lithuania belong to them, that Poland wants to dismember Ukraine and re-establish a Polish empire, that Ukraine will disintegrate and fall prey to territorial claims of EU member states, that Ukraine is a Western colony belonging to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Russia. | NATO, EU/NATO enlargement, Volodymyr Zelensky, Invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian disintegration |
5 | 09.05.2023 | European Commission chief visits Kyiv to praise Zelenskyy for tampering with history | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/european-commission-chief-visits-kyiv-to-praise-zelenskyy-for-tampering-with-history | fr.news-front.info,news-front.info | Ukraine, EU | French, Russian | Volodymyr Zelenskyy is incompetent and the not very independent Ursula von der Leyen came to congratulate him on the new law abolishing Victory Day.Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made May 9 Europe Day in Ukraine: the decree published on the website of his office indicates that this decision was taken in particular “to strengthen the unity of the peoples of Europe” , as well as to ensure peace, security and stability on the European continent.Readers were outraged. This publication is followed by an article on the Nazis, Nazism and Ukraine. Not a word about the role of the Red Army or the Soviet Union. You are on the wrong side of history and you are establishing Nazism in Ukraine. We celebrate this holiday on May 9, not May 8, and we never have. | Recurrent pro-Kremlin confusion narrative about History, Ukraine, and the EU.The claim is made in the context of the visit of European Commission president von der Leyen to Kyiv on 09 May 2023 to mark Europe Day. The act of military surrender of the Nazi power was first signed at 02:41 on 7 May in SHAEF HQ at Reims, France, and the definitive German Instrument of Surrender, was signed on 8 May 1945 in Karlshorst, Berlin at 22:43 local time. The German High Command issued orders to all German military, naval and air authorities and to all forces under German control to cease military active operations at 23.01 hours Central European time on 8 May 1945.Therefore, most European nations celebrate Victory in Europe Day on May 8 to mark the anniversary of Germany's unconditional surrender coming into force. Russia and some former Soviet countries celebrated Victory Day on May 9, using the term Great Patriotic War.Ukraine celebrated Victory Day on May 9 until 2015, when then-president Petro Poroshenko changed its name to the Day of Victory over Nazism in World War II. He designated May 8 as the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation. May 8 was a working day, and May 9 remained a public holiday.Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted a bill to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine proposing that May 8 be the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in the Second World War of 1939-1945.(…) On May 9, we will commemorate our historic unity – the unity of all Europeans who destroyed Nazism and will defeat ruscism. The unity that brings peace closer.Eternal memory to all those who died in the Second World War! Glory to everyone who fought against Nazism and won!Europe Day commemorates the signing of the 'Schuman Declaration' on 9 May 1950. This was an ambitious plan to secure long-term peace in post-war Europe that is considered the beginning of what is now the European Union.Attempts to depict Zelenskyy as incompetent, a puppet and a clown, and narratives claiming that WWII never existed and it is a falsification of the “great patriotic war” are recurrent. Read also related stories: The neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv must be brought to an end, Zelenskyy is the Nazi supreme in Kyiv, French studio releases animation series denouncing Zelenskyy's blood thirst. | Red Army, Ursula von der Leyen, Europe, European values, Nazi/Fascist, Volodymyr Zelensky, Historical revisionism |
6 | 09.05.2023 | Morally corrupt West is using the Kyiv Nazi regime to destroy Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/morally-corrupt-west-is-using-the-kyiv-nazi-regime-to-destroy-russia | news.am | Russia | Armenian | We have no right to allow what is happening in ideology, culture, and art in the West. These are processes leading to the erosion of ideals, and values that underlie civilisation itself.What is happening in Ukraine, where power is in the hands of neo-Nazis [...] is eloquent evidence of how expensive it is to retreat from the spiritual heritage that helped win the fight against fascism.The West in Ukraine does not stand up for democracy at all,[...] but uses the Kyiv regime to overthrow [Russia]. We are the main obstacle to the hegemonic aspirations of the US and their satellites, a civilization deeply alien to the current West, based on the values of humanism. | A mix of recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives aiming to justify Russia’s unjustified military invasion of Ukraine by accusing the West of anti-Russian policies, aggressive Russophobia and allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda to destroy Russia, aiming to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions. See also Russian Myths: no.5 Encirclement. The article also promotes recurring narratives about Nazi Ukraine and threatened values.The West has never strived to destroy Russia as a state. From the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of a new and democratic Russia and up to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the West has been trying to establish good-neighbourly relations with Moscow. US President Joe Biden, speaking recently in Warsaw, addressed Russian citizens, assuring them that the US does not seek to destroy or control Russia. French President Macron stated that "Russia must be defeated but not crushed."Pro-Kremlin sources often claim that President Vladimir Putin saved Russia’s values and identity from the threat of Western decadence and that he is the only world leader that protects traditional European and Christian values. “Threatened values” is one of the most common narratives used by pro-Kremlin outlets.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests. Far-right groups enjoyed a very limited presence during the Euromaidan itself and had poor results in the 2019 election cycle, falling short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament. A law passed in Ukraine in 2015 bans Nazi and Communist ideologies. For background, read our analysis: The “Russophobia” Myth: Appealing to the Lowest Feelings. | West, Anti-Russian, Destabilising Russia, Western values, Democracy, Nazi/Fascist, War in Ukraine |
7 | 09.05.2023 | Western global elites provoke bloody conflicts, coups, Russophobia, nationalism, and destroy traditional values | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/western-global-elites-provoke-bloody-conflicts-coups-russophobia-nationalism-and-destroy-traditional-values | news.am | Russia | Armenian | [T]he Western globalist elites still talk about their exclusivity, pit people against one another and divide society, provoke bloody conflicts and coups, sow hatred, Russophobia, aggressive nationalism, and destroy family traditional values that make a person.And all this to continue to dictate, to impose their will, rules, and in fact - a system of robbery, violence, and suppression. Their goal, and there is nothing new here, is the disintegration and destruction of [Russia], cancelling the results of the Second World War, finally breaking the system of global security and international law, and strangling any sovereign centres of development. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative, aiming to stir up anti-Western sentiment in Russia without providing any evidence. This article contains all the Kremlin's major disinformation narratives such as global elites vs. the people, lost sovereignty, threatened values, russophobia.This piece is part of a broader disinformation campaign aiming to justify Russia’s unjustified military invasion of Ukraine accusing the West of anti-Russian policies, aggressive Russophobia and allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda to destroy, ruin Russia, aiming to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions. See also Russian Myths: no.5 Encirclement.The West has never strived to destroy Russia as a state. From the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of a new and democratic Russia and up to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the West has been trying to establish good-neighbourly relations with Moscow. According to the 1997 Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation, Russia was viewed as a partner of the alliance.The statement also contains a recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about secret global elites that dominate the world, control governments, wage wars.Analysts and researchers have pointed out that anti-Western conspiracy theories about all-powerful secret elites are a political tool used by the Kremlin to strengthen the domestic stability of the current regime and expand its influence abroad by emphasising Russia’s moral superiorityRead similar cases claiming that the West calls for Russian state to be destroyed, that Europe and the United States destroy states and nations in pursuit of globalist interests, that The West’s liberal globalist elites aim to establish a world government in place of nation-states and that Russophobia is long-term Anglo-Saxon project aimed at destroying Russia. | West, Colour revolutions, Coup, Vladimir Putin, Nazi/Fascist, Western values, Secret elites / global elites |
8 | 09.05.2023 | The United States is behind the Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-united-states-is-behind-the-ukrainian-drone-attack-on-the-kremlin | oroszhirek.hu | Ukraine, Russia, US | Hungarian | Ukraine has attempted two drone strikes against Vladimir Putin's Kremlin residence. Such actions and such terrorist attacks are not decided in Kyiv, but precisely in Washington. And Kyiv always does what it is told. Attempts to deny this in both Kyiv and Washington are, of course, absolutely ridiculous. | The pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative tries to blame the alleged drone attack against the Kremlin on Ukraine and the US.Two of numerous videos published on Russian social media channels show two objects flying on the same trajectory toward one of the highest points in the Kremlin complex, the dome of the Senate. The first seemed to be destroyed with little more than a puff of smoke, the second appeared to leave blazing wreckage on the dome.At this time it is difficult to verify who is behind these alleged attacks. Reuters checks on time and location indicated that the videos could be authentic, though some Western analysts said it was possible Russia might have staged the incident to pin the blame on Kyiv and justify some kind of response.Nonetheless, while it is difficult to verify who is behind these alleged attacks, the narrative spread regarding this incident falls into the Kremlin’s wider narrative that Ukraine is a puppet of the US, and thus Russia is at war with the whole West not just Ukraine.The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Some EU and NATO member states provide Ukraine with military assistance to help Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s attack, but they are not involved in direct fighting. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Western instructors train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use modern weaponry and EU officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but there are no EU troops fighting on the front. This support allows the Ukrainian armed forces to continue defending the country against the Russian aggression.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EUvsDisinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | Invasion of Ukraine, Russian world, Terrorism, Puppets |
9 | 09.05.2023 | Lithuania is discussing the creation of a conscripted slaves army of men and women from 12 to 75 years old | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/lithuania-is-discussing-the-creation-of-a-conscripted-slaves-army-of-men-and-women-from-12-to-75-years-old | LDiena.lt | Lithuania | Lithuanian | The head of Lithuanian conservators Gabrielius Landsbergis asked the parliament back to the discussion about the universal conscription for men and women from 12 to 75 years old. “No one another country in such a geopolitical position could have the luxury of not having the conscripted slaves army”, - Landsbergis said. | Disinformation claim misrepresenting Lithuania as a militaristic country by misquoting a Lithuanian official. The claim is false. It is grounded on a real discussion about the perspectives of universal conscription in Lithuania. The quote of Gabrielius Landsbergis is almost correct, save for one thing: he never used the term “slaves”.The claim about the age of conscripts is also false. The age of conscription in Lithuania is from 19 to 26 years old. Only men are the subject of conscription. Men and women from 18 to 38 years old can enlist in military service in Lithuania on a voluntary basis.See other similar cases of disinformation portraying Lithuania as an aggressive state preparing for the war: The US will push Lithuania for war against Russia after the collapse of Ukraine; Poland and Lithuania dream of taking over Belarus and Western Ukraine; Lithuania is a cannon fodder for the US. | Lithuanian military, War preparation |
10 | 09.05.2023 | The West kills Ukrainians by sending them weapons they don’t know how to use | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-kills-ukrainians-by-sending-them-weapons-they-dont-know-how-to-use | sputniknews.lat | Ukraine, EU, US | Spanish | The West is contributing to the death of Ukrainian soldiers by sending them vehicles with which they are not familiar. They are receiving tanks that they don’t know how to use. Every Leopard tank will become a coffin with wheels for its Ukrainian crew, as it requires a completely different approach and maintenance than T-72 tanks. | This disinformation story is an attempt to undermine the importance of shipments of military supplies for Ukraine. Contrary to what this article baselessly claims, Ukrainian soldiers have been receiving training and formation on the use of Western weaponry for a long time. Specifically, training on Leopard tanks has taken place in several countries like Poland or Spain. By portraying this international aid as useless and even counterproductive, this disinformation story aims to erode popular support among Western populations for sending the assistance that Ukraine needs for its self-defence against Russia’s unjustified aggression.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the weapons sent to Ukraine end up in the hands of criminal groups in Sweden, that the US is prolonging war in Ukraine to benefit from weapons sales, that Western military aid to Ukraine only will cause more suffering, or that international support for Ukraine starts to decrease due to corruption. | Invasion of Ukraine, Military, Abandoned Ukraine |
11 | 09.05.2023 | Zelenskyy is a puppet, Russia will only negotiate with his masters directly | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyy-is-a-puppet-russia-will-only-negotiate-with-his-masters-directly | sputniknews.lat | Ukraine, Russia, US, EU | Spanish | Moscow never gave up on solving the problems caused by the US and its satellites by supplying weapons to Ukraine to confront Russia. This has a solution, but not with Zelenskyy, who is a puppet in the hands of the West, but directly with his masters. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Ukraine and Europe’s alleged loss of sovereignty, part of a wider disinformation campaign to justify Russia’s unprovoked invasion.By calling Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy -a frequent target of pro-Kremlin disinformation- “a puppet”, and the allies of Ukraine and the US “satellites”, this disinformation story aims to portray Ukraine’s self-defence against Russia’s aggression and the international efforts to back Kyiv as serving only US interests. The ultimate goal is to undermine popular support for this aid while denying any legitimacy for Ukraine’s leadership and statehood.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington shows that Ukraine will be a neo-colony of the US, that Ukraine lost its independence and is under external control, that the West has made Ukraine its colony and is using Ukrainians as cannon fodder, or that Zelenskyy may use a dirty bomb if the US asks him to do so. | US presence in Europe, Volodymyr Zelensky, Diplomacy with Russia, Sovereignty, Invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood |
12 | 09.05.2023 | Ex Nazi allies support Nazi regime in Kyiv | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ex-nazi-allies-support-nazi-regime-in-kyiv | tass.ru | Ukraine, EU, Russia | Russian | Countries which collaborated with Hitler or were direct allies of Nazi Germany are supporting Ukrainian Nazis. They provide the Nazi regime in Ukraine with intelligence information, supply it with weapons, train its militants, direct military operations and terrorist activities, and finance foreign mercenaries. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing Ukraine and its Western partners of Nazism and Russophobia. This claim was made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.Kyiv’s authorities are neither Nazi nor Russophobic. All ethnic minorities and their rights are respected in Ukraine. Contrary to Russia’s claims, Ukraine did not carry out a policy of genocide in its temporarily occupied territories in the South-East before Moscow’s unprovoked large-scale aggression. The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine became a cornerstone in pro-Kremlin disinformation since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests. It was used back then to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. Nazi ideology was banned by Ukrainian law in 2015. Far-right groups had a very limited presence during the 2014 Euromaidan demonstrations itself and even gained poor results in the 2014 presidential and parliamentary elections. In 2019, the far-right parties gained only 2.15% of the vote, far short of the 5% threshold needed to enter Parliament. The fact that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is of Jewish decent, won the 2019 presidential election with 73 per cent voter support is enough evidence to dispel any myths about a Nazi Ukraine.The myth of a Nazi Europe has been widely used by Putin and pro-Kremlin outlets since Russia attacked Ukraine and illegally annexed its peninsula of Crimea in 2014. The European Union was set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for advancing the causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. Most countries which provide Ukraine with aid now were fighting Nazism back then. They were providing support for the former Soviet Union during its war with Nazi Germany.Read more disinformation cases claiming that the EU is Hitler's 'New Europe', that the European Union justifies Nazism, and that the The EU continues the aggressive policies of Nazi. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Nazi/Fascist, Russophobia |
13 | 07.05.2023 | HRVP Josep Borrell’s interview proves that Russia fights NATO | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/hrvp-josep-borrells-interview-proves-that-russia-fights-nato | yapolitic.ru | Ukraine, EU, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, EU, Russia | Russia is at war with NATO because European Union HRVP Josep Borrell has said in an interview: “This is not the moment for diplomatic conversations about peace, it is the moment of supporting militarily the war. So, I feel as a diplomat but I feel also as a kind of defence minister with the European Union. Because I spend quite an important part of my time talking about the arms.” | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that NATO forces are directly involved in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.In reality, HRVP Josep Borrell in his interview with Euronews did not say anything about NATO’s involvement in fighting. He was speaking about military support to Ukraine in the context of supplying it with weapons and ammunition. The fact that Western nations including some NATO member states provide Ukraine with military and financial support does not suggest direct involvement in fighting. It is only the Ukrainian Armed Forces who are repelling Russian aggression on the frontline. Ukrainian and NATO officials occasionally meet to discuss cooperation, and Western instructors train Ukrainian soldiers how to use modern weaponry, but there are no foreign troops fighting on the front.All arms deliveries to Ukraine are being done in strict compliance with national legislation and in accordance with bilateral and multilateral agreements. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Kyiv is not fighting on behalf of any foreign government or organisation. It is acting in self-defence against the Russian invasion as enshrined in the UN Charter Article 51.The US, the EU and NATO condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which is entirely unjustified and unprovoked.Read similar disinformation cases claiming that HRVP Josep Borrell wants to destroy Russia, US and NATO fighting proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. | null |
14 | 06.05.2023 | US responsible for the assassination attempt on Zakhar Prilepin | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/us-responsible-for-the-assassination-attempt-on-zakhar-prilepin | news.am,news.am | Russia, US | Armenian | The terrorist attack against the writer Zakhar Prilepin is another manifestation of that systematic approach to eliminating ideological opponents, which, through the efforts of Washington, has been actively planted in Ukraine since 2014, becoming the basic reflex of the Kyiv regime. | There is no evidence to substantiate the claims that the US or any other Western country was behind the assassination attempt of Zakhar Prilepin.Pro-war writer and political activist Zakhar Prilepin was hurt while driving in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod region. His driver died.The Crimean Tatar partisan movement Atesh has claimed responsibility for the attack. “The ATESH movement has been hunting for Prilepin since the beginning of the year. They got him. Everything is just beginning for rashists. The surprise worked. Zakhar is in the hospital”, the latest post on Atesh’s Telegram channel reads. The claim can be neither verified nor disproven at the present moment.Russia has also accused Ukraine of the assassination. A senior Ukrainian official accused Russia of staging the incident. The Security Service of Ukraine told the online newspaper Ukrainian Pravda that officially it could “neither confirm nor deny” its involvement “in this or that explosion that happens to the occupiers and their accomplices.”Read other similar cases in our database: Western secret services are behind the assassination of Darya Dugina; British intelligence may be behind the assassination of Dugina; French secret services organised the murder of Darya Dugina; The US is behind the Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin. | Conspiracy theory, War in Ukraine, Anti-Russian, West |
15 | 05.05.2023 | Zelenskyy hides in Europe after the failed assassination attempt against Putin | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyy-hides-in-europe-after-the-failed-assassination-attempt-against-putin | observateurcontinental.fr,Ukraina.ru,t.me | Ukraine, Russia | French, Russian | President Zelensky wants to "hide" in European countries because of the drone attack on the Kremlin. "This attack was carried out to provoke Russia into harsh retaliatory measures. It was assumed that at a minimum, under these conditions, Zelensky would obtain agreements on additional armaments during his trip and, at a maximum, the involvement of NATO in the armed conflict with Russia".One of its main tasks today is to prevent the general situation from sliding towards negotiations. Doing so requires maintaining a level of confrontation that would make Russia reluctant to resume negotiations. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative supporting the theory of a failed Ukrainian attempt to kill Vladimir Putin and attacking Volodymyr Zelenskyy.This is an attempt to portray Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Finland and the Netherlands on 3 and 4 May 2023 as an attempt to flee the consequences of Ukraine's alleged drone attack against the Kremlin. There is no evidence to support this claim. Zelenskyy returned to Kyiv, and was already receiving visits from foreign dignitaries on 5 May 2023. The video of two drones, streaking across the night sky in Moscow, first appeared in the early hours of 3 May 2023 on Russian social media. The Kremlin released a statement calling it a “planned terrorist attack,” a deliberate attempt by Ukraine to assassinate Putin, but presenting no evidence.Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, reiterated the Ukrainian president's very clear statement that the Ukrainians are not involved in this attack.White House national security spokesperson John Kirby dismissed Russian "lies" and said there still was no conclusive evidence as to the authenticity of a video showing the drone at the Kremlin.Read other stories against Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy : The US plans to overthrow Zelenskyy in a new Maidan, Zelenskyy will sacrifice his people to save himself, Zelenskyy is the Nazi supreme in Kyiv, French studio releases animation series denouncing Zelenskyy's blood thirst, Zelenskyy fled Kyiv but was forced to return by the West, President Zelenskyy has left Kyiv. | West, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Terrorism, Anti-Russian, Russian superiority, Diplomacy with Russia |
16 | 04.05.2023 | The West will get rid of Zelenskyy and blame it on Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-will-get-rid-of-zelenskyy-and-blame-it-on-russia | raialyoum.com,arabic.rt.com,ale3lami.com,msdernet.xyz,egypt.shafaqna.com,VK.com Resource 2,sahafaty.com,sahafatak.net | US, UK, Ukraine, Russia | Arabic, Russian | Zelenskyy's death cannot happen without the US and West's consent. It can happen under the guise of a coup or Zelenskyy could be liquidated directly by his Western sponsors. Poisoning him or targeting him with a missile strike could lead to new false accusations against Russia.The West may not need to eliminate him. But, on the other hand, he is an excellent candidate for the role of the holy victim. They can get rid of him and accuse the Russian intelligence of that.Zelenskyy is well guarded by the British Army Special Forces, and as long as the West needs him, his safety is guaranteed. It is not ruled out that the British Special Forces would carry out the physical liquidation of Zelenskyy, as they could easily benefit from their presence near him. | A conspiracy theory provided with no evidence. The statement was made in the context of the unprovoked full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The claim taps into the frequent Kremlin trick of promoting conspiracies.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament. Ukraine has a functioning government and economy, it is a member of many international organisations (e.g. United Nations, Council of Europe), and a party to international agreements. Ukraine has bilateral diplomatic relations with the majority of countries.Western countries respect the sovereignty of Ukraine and do not interfere in its political life in any form, let alone by assassinating its elected president. Ukraine's sovereignty has been only violated by continuous acts of aggression by Russian armed forces since 2014 culminating in a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022.See a similar case that the US plans to overthrow Zelenskyy in a new Maidan. | Volodymyr Zelensky, West, Conspiracy theory, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration, Ukraine |
17 | 04.05.2023 | The preservation of Ukraine as a state is not in the plans of the US but pushing out people is | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-preservation-of-ukraine-as-a-state-is-not-in-the-plans-of-the-us-but-pushing-out-people-is | sputnik-ossetia.ru,geworld.ge | Ukraine, US | Russian, Georgian | The Americans need Ukraine only as an object of merciless exploitation of the available natural resources, but without the traditional population.Following such a neo-Nazi approach, Washington has already turned Ukraine into a territory that millions of people are leaving en masse, seeking protection abroad from socio-economic problems and pro-fascist oppression. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to falsely portray US as a "puppet master" and to question Ukraine's statehood and sovereignty. This is an attempt to deflect responsibility away from Russia who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, after eight years of proxy-conflict in eastern Ukraine. Russia also illegally annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.Ukrainian refugees are not leaving the country because of an alleged “plan” “orchestrated” by Washington but because the Russian military is shelling Ukrainian cities and has further illegally annexed some Ukrainian territory. During the summer 2022, at a peak of Russian military pressure, around 8,2 million Ukrainians had been forces to leave their country to settle primarily in neighbouring European states through the the EUs activation of the EU temporary protection directive and another ca. 8 million people were displaced inside Ukraine. See more UN Data here and EU infographic here. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Sovereignty, Puppets |
18 | 04.05.2023 | Zelenskyy will not return to Kyiv after the terrorist drone attack against Putin | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyy-will-not-return-to-kyiv-after-the-terrorist-drone-attack-against-putin | arabic.rt.com,alyemennet.net,sahafatoday.com,sahafaty.com,arab-j.net | Russia, Ukraine | Arabic | Kyiv crossed all red lines when it made an attempt to hit the Kremlin with two drones. Moscow has reserved the possibility of responding to the Kyiv regime's terrorist operation as it deems appropriate.Moscow's logical response to the terrorist attack against the Russian president should be the complete cancellation of any guarantees of Zelenskyy's safety. This means that the security guarantees will be lifted for all other figures in the Kyiv terrorist regime.Zelenskyy was aware of the impending attack on the Kremlin and understood what he would get personally so he was in no hurry to return to Kyiv.It is unlikely that Zelenskyy will reside somewhere in Europe. Most likely, he will sit in a bunker that can withstand even nuclear strikes. But he will not return to his headquarters on Bankova Street in Kyiv. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative supporting the theory of a failed Ukrainian attempt to kill Vladimir Putin and attacking Volodymyr Zelenskyy.This is an attempt to portray Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Finland and the Netherlands on 3 and 4 May 2023 as an attempt to flee the consequences of Ukraine's alleged drone attack against the Kremlin. There is no evidence to support this claim. Zelenskyy returned to Kyiv, and was already receiving visits from foreign dignitaries on 5 May 2023.The video of two drones, streaking across the night sky in Moscow, first appeared in the early hours of 3 May 2023 on Russian social media. The Kremlin released a statement calling it a “planned terrorist attack,” a deliberate attempt by Ukraine to assassinate Putin, but presenting no evidence.Josep Borrell Fontelles, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, reiterated the Ukrainian president's very clear statement that the Ukrainians are not involved in this attack.White House national security spokesperson John Kirby dismissed Russian "lies" and said there still was no conclusive evidence as to the authenticity of a video showing the drone at the Kremlin.Read other stories against Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy : The US plans to overthrow Zelenskyy in a new Maidan, Zelenskyy will sacrifice his people to save himself, Zelenskyy is the Nazi supreme in Kyiv, French studio releases animation series denouncing Zelenskyy's blood thirst, Zelenskyy fled Kyiv but was forced to return by the West, President Zelenskyy has left Kyiv. | Invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky |
19 | 04.05.2023 | The Night Wolves will reach Berlin despite the will of the Polish Russophobes | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-night-wolves-will-reach-berlin-despite-the-will-of-the-polish-russophobes | pl.sputniknews.com | Poland, Russia, Germany | Polish | Whether the Polish authorities want it or not, the Night Wolves will reach Berlin! When the Night Wolves go to Donbas to help suffering people or when they visit the desecrated graves of the Liberators at the Treptower Park, their motorcycles turn into chariots of fire flying across the sky, just like Elijah the Prophet, sowing good and punishing evil. The Russophobes should be afraid – the Night Wolves are coming straight to the Berlin monument of the soldier who saved the world from fascism and the German girl - from death. | This message is a part of the Kremlin’s common disinformation narrative about Russophobic Poland. The pro-Kremlin media regularly accuses the political elites of Poland of Russophobia and the implementation of anti-Russian policies.In 2015, the Polish authorities refused the members of the pro-Putin biker gang Night Wolves to enter their country because of their explicit pro-war position and regular anti-Western/anti-Ukrainian provocations. In 2023, the Night Wolves gang continues to be unwelcomed in the EU – its leader Aleksandr Zaldostanov, a personal “friend” of Putin, appears on the EU sanction list barring him from entering EU.The Treptower park memorial, like many others in Europe, continues to be a source of controversy with varying interpretations. Old memories of the Soviet conduct are being brought up again by the numerous atrocities conducted by Russian armed forces in the temporarily occupied areas of Ukraine.See other examples of similar messages claiming that Polish media promote the idea that the Russians are not people but “agents of the Kremlin”, the Polish authorities created an insane hysteria of intimidation with Russia, used for the needs of domestic politics and Poland started another wave of Russophobic political persecution of the Russian journalists. | WWII, Nazi/Fascist, Russophobia, Anti-Russian |
20 | 03.05.2023 | The US does not plan to preserve Ukraine as a state | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-does-not-plan-to-preserve-ukraine-as-a-state | cz.sputniknews.com | Russia, US, Ukraine | Czech | The US only needs Ukraine as an object of exploitation of natural resources without the indigenous population. This neo-Nazi political approach has already been used when Washington turned the country into a territory that millions of people are leaving in an effort to find protection abroad. These 30 years of upheaval orchestrated by Washington have resulted in a dramatic reduction in the number of inhabitants. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to portray the United States as a party to the conflict, and even more, as the aggressor. This is an attempt to deflect responsibility away from Russia who launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, after eight years of proxy-conflict in eastern Ukraine. Russia also annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.Ukrainian refugees are not leaving the country because of an alleged “plan” “orchestrated” by Washington but because the Russian military is shelling Ukrainian cities and has further annexed some of Ukrainian territory. There is no evidence which would suggest the US would plan to use Ukrainian territory for its own benefit. | Invasion of Ukraine, Sovereignty, Puppets |
21 | 03.05.2023 | The United States has begun to openly support the Nazis from Azov | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-united-states-has-begun-to-openly-support-the-nazis-from-azov | bgr.news-front.info | US, Russia, Ukraine | Bulgarian | Zelenskyy is of little use to the US, thus they decided to show support for the most hardened Azov neo-Nazis. Similar attempts to whitewash neo-Nazis by presenting them as 'patriots' are also being made in Europe. The West argues that this is no longer the same "bad" Azov, but a new force that fights against "Russian aggression" for Ukraine's freedom. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the West’s support for the alleged Nazi regime in Kyiv. The accusation of Nazism and building a link to Nazi Germany is one of the favorite techniques of pro-Kremlin outlets. Read our past analysis Nazi east, Nazi west, Nazi over the cuckoo's nest for a deeper dive into the narrative.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy.A law passed in Ukraine in 2015 banned Nazi and Communist ideologies. The law prohibits the public use and propaganda of Nazi and Communist symbols. Far-right groups do exist in Ukraine, like in any other country, but they have a minor influence on politics and social life.The Azov unit was formed in May 2014 in Mariupol from volunteers, initially as a battalion of the Special Purpose Police Patrol Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In September 2014, it was transformed into a battalion in a regiment structure, later to the National Guard of Ukraine. The battalion sized unit strength is estimated at around 900 - 1100 persons.Azov unit garnered controversy over the far-right politics of its initial founders, the use of neo-Nazi symbolism in some of its insignia, and the anti-Semitic views of some members. The unit was integrated into the National Guard of Ukraine in 2015. Since its integration, Azov regiment members have repeatedly denied being a far-right political unit, although they acknowledge that it includes individuals with such viewsSee other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that The West turns Ukraine into an anti-Russia neo-Nazi project, that Denazification will be a massive problem in Ukraine after the war, that Zelenskyy uses the same Nazi symbols as Hitler, or that Nazi groups burned the protesters in Odessa in 2014. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Nazi/Fascist, Azov Battalion |
22 | 03.05.2023 | The US is behind the Ukrainian drone attack on the Kremlin | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-is-behind-the-ukrainian-drone-attack-on-the-kremlin | news.am,RBC.ru,dp.ru,regnum.ru,news.rin.ru | Russia, US, Ukraine | Armenian, Russian | Attempts by Kyiv and Washington to disown their involvement in the drone attack on the Kremlin are ridiculous. [...] the decision about such attacks is made not in Kyiv, but in Washington. Is the US behind the drone attack, according to the Kremlin? Undoubtedly. Such decisions - the definition of goals and means - are all dictated to Kyiv from Washington. | Conspiracy theory, not backed by any evidence. Part of a wider disinformation campaign aiming to portray the US as responsible for the war in Ukraine, as well as presenting Ukraine as a US puppet.The video of two drones, streaking across the night sky in Moscow, first appeared in the early hours of 3 May 2023 on Russian social media. The Kremlin released a statement calling it a “planned terrorist attack,” a deliberate attempt by Ukraine to assassinate Putin, but presenting no evidence.The president was not injured, the Kremlin stressed, threatening that “Russia reserves the right to take countermeasures, wherever and whenever it deems appropriate.”Ukraine denied involvement in the alleged strike. "We don't attack Putin or Moscow. We fight on our territory. We are defending our villages and cities," President Zelenskyy stated. US dismisses Kremlin claim as 'ludicrous': "Obviously it's a ludicrous claim," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said. The United States has nothing to do with it. We don't even know exactly what happened here, but I can assure you the United States had no role in it whatsoever."US Secretary of State Antony Blinken cautions that any claims by Moscow should be taken with a “large shaker of salt.”Read other similar cases: The US is behind protests in Georgia; The US is behind the war in Ukraine; The US is behind the sabotage of the NS pipelines; the US is behind resignations of senior Ukrainian officials; the US is behind the 2014 Ukrainian Nazi coup. | Conspiracy theory, Intelligence services, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin, Anti-Russian |
23 | 03.05.2023 | Europe steals children evacuated from Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/europe-steals-children-evacuated-from-ukraine | tvcenter.ru | Ukraine, Europe | Serbian | After the start of the special operation in Donbas, the first lady of Ukraine tearfully called on Ukrainians to send their children to European families, where they will have reliable protection, shelter, and food. Five months have passed, and now European guardians are in no hurry to return their wards to their Ukrainian families. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation alleging that Europe steals Ukrainian children. This narrative is deployed to shift Russian responsibility for the massive deportation of Ukrainian civilians, including children. Europe does not steal children from Ukraine. Children from Ukraine and families with children receive refugee status in Europe. They are provided with shelter, help, and support. They are free to return to Ukraine with their families at any time. Conversely, the abduction and forced transportation of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories to Russia has been documented by the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Ukraine has already reported the actions of Russia’s children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova to the International Criminal Court (ICC).On 17 March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.The court alleges Vladimir Putin is responsible for war crimes, and has focused its claims on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. It says the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.In a statement, the ICC said it had reasonable grounds to believe Putin committed the criminal acts directly, as well as working with others. It also accused him of failing to use his presidential powers to stop children being deported.See similar disinformation narratives alleging that The West is taking away Ukrainian children like it did with indigenous people in America; that Ukraine steals Donbas children and gives them to British paedophiles; or that evacuation of children from Ukraine is in compliance with humanitarian law. | Ukraine, Stealing children |
24 | 03.05.2023 | The United States occupied Europe | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-united-states-occupied-europe | iz.ru,riafan.ru,tass.ru,slaq.am | Russia, US, Europe | Russian | European politics today is in the deepest moral and intellectual decline. Having created the mechanisms of NATO for its own needs, the United States, in fact, occupied Europe. NATO expansion allows Washington to put additional territories of Eastern Europe under its control. | A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the alleged lost sovereignty of the EU and its member states (more examples). Pro-Kremlin outlets often portray European states as vassals, puppet states or colonies of the US and NATO. The article also contains a recurring disinformation narrative portraying NATO as an aggressive organisation, aiming to encircle Russia.Contrary to the claim, the European Union is a sovereign entity created by the voluntary initiative of European nations.EU Member States are sovereign countries and make sovereign decisions about their own internal, economic, foreign and security policies. The European Union is explicit on the subject of national sovereignty: “the Member States all remain sovereign and independent states, they have decided to pool some of their 'sovereignty' in areas where it makes sense to work together.” The US is an important ally to the EU but EU policy is not determined by the US.NATO is a defensive alliance with primary aims to maintain peace and safeguard the independence, security and territorial integrity of its members. NATO constitutes a system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. Voluntarily, Central and Eastern European countries began seeking NATO membership in the early 1990s. This is an expression of free national political will. Furthermore, the claim about NATO "expansion" misrepresents the process of NATO enlargement. NATO does not "expand" but considers the applications of candidate countries that want to join.Read similar disinformation cases claiming that EU and NATO member states are subordinate to the US, while the US has long regarded the EU as a kind of protectorate, that lined up with the US, the EU never took independent decisions, that Europe is a colony of the United States, that When the US orders, the EU complies, and that Relations between the EU and US are relationship between a hegemon and vassals. | US presence in Europe, Puppets, NATO, Nikolay Patrushev, Eastern Europe, EU/NATO enlargement |
25 | 03.05.2023 | The West conducted medical experiments on Ukrainians for two decades | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-conducted-medical-experiments-on-ukrainians-for-two-decades | dnr-pravda.ru | Ukraine, US | Russian | The US Department of Defense, pharmacological corporations and other representatives of the “civilized” West have been conducting monstrous medical experiments on Ukrainians for almost two decades. | The article provides no evidence for its claims and promotes a recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about biological weapons being secretly developed by the US in countries bordering Russia with the new twist of experiments being conducted on Ukrainians. Ukraine has dozens of civilian public health laboratories that work to research and mitigate the threats of dangerous diseases, some of which receive financial and other support from the US, the EU and the World Health Organization (WHO), which pro-Kremlin disinformation falsely portrayed as military sites, deliberately blurring the line between biological weapons and biological research.Russia’s claims about a US-funded biological weapons programme in Ukraine have been widely refuted -including by the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu and by Russian biologists who examined Moscow’s “proof”. This particular disinformation claim aims to push back against those debunks by falsely claiming that civilian research programmes in Ukraine staged dangerous medical experiments on Ukrainians.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Americans inject Ukrainian soldiers with drugs and viruses for biological research, that US supported Yushchenko in return for biological weapons research in Ukraine, or that Poland uses Ukrainian scientists to prepare biological weapon provocations. | Biological weapons, experiments, Ukraine |
26 | 03.05.2023 | The West is forcing Ukraine to launch a counter-attack even though it is not ready | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-is-forcing-ukraine-to-launch-a-counter-attack-even-though-it-is-not-ready | arabic.rt.com,menkuwait.com,almatareed.org,raialyoum.com | Ukraine, Russia | Arabic | Ukraine is forced to launch a counter-attack against Russia, which is required by the West despite the Ukrainian army's lack of readiness for that. | Recurring disinformation narrative from key pro-Kremlin outlets seeking to deflect attention away from Russia's war of aggression by accusing the West of warmongering and direct involvement in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament that makes its own decisions. Ukraine has a functioning government and economy, it is a member of many international organisations (e.g. United Nations, Council of Europe), and a party to international agreements. Western countries respect the sovereignty of Ukraine. Ukraine's sovereignty has been only violated by continuous acts of aggression by Russian armed forces since 2014 culminating in a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022.The West is not a party to the conflict in Ukraine. Western nations did everything they could to prevent the war and have only been reacting to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, following the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.
See similar cases that Ukraine is forced to fight on behalf of NATO; Ukraine has become a private military company of NATO; NATO is using Ukraine to fight Russia; and that EU, US, and NATO use Ukrainians as cannon fodder. | West, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood |
27 | 02.05.2023 | Zelenskyy’s office threatened China with an economic crisis for supporting Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyys-office-threatened-china-with-an-economic-crisis-for-supporting-russia | actualidad-rt.com | Ukraine, China, Russia | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, China, Russia | Zelenskyy's office threatened China with an economic crisis for supporting Russia. The adviser to the head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Mykhailo Podolyak, believes that it is time for China to decide which side it is on in the Ukrainian conflict. | The allegation made in the headline of this disinformation story is false. Although the body of the article can be considered a factual report on Mykhaylo Podolyak’s statements, none of his reported comments can be considered as threatening China with an economic crisis, contrary to what the headline affirms. This disinformation story is a direct reaction to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s call to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and its goal is to portray the Ukrainian government as aggressive and unreasonable after China’s rapprochement.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives based in disingenuous distortions to attack Ukraine, such as claims that Zelenskyy gets military advice from his 9-year old son, that the UN published a report on Kyiv’s discrimination against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, that Spain launched a National Strategy on WMD out of concern about corrupt Ukraine, or that the Russian Embassy in Mexico called out a Ukrainian Nazi slogan used in the press. | null |
28 | 02.05.2023 | Biolabs in Ukraine are not for peaceful purposes | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/biolabs-in-ukraine-are-not-for-peaceful-purposes | t.me | Ukraine, US | Russian | Ukraine is in conflict since 2014 and, nonetheless, dozens of biolabs were placed there. Many were captured by the Russian army and evidence was presented at the UN. Western powers under the US hegemony have not offered any response. The types of pathogens in those labs are unknown, and the work is evidently not with peaceful, selfless or scientific purposes to improve the health of the population. If that were true, these biolabs would be transparent about their work and would have recognised public funding. | The claim is an attempt to advance the long-discredited pro-Kremlin narrative about US-funded biolaboratories with military purposes in Ukraine and other countries, which pro-Kremlin outlets and Russian authorities continue promoting despite repeated debunking.Contrary to what this disinformation story claims, there is nothing sinister about Ukraine’s civilian public health laboratories, whose work is indeed public and funded by global institutions. The country has dozens of civilian public health laboratories that work to research and mitigate the threats of dangerous diseases, some of which receive financial and other support from the US, the EU and the World Health Organization (WHO), which pro-Kremlin disinformation falsely portrayed as military sites, deliberately blurring the line between biological weapons and biological research.Calling for independent investigations, only to attack international bodies when results are negative for the Kremlin, is a frequent modus operandi of Russian authorities, as proven by the cases of the use of chemical weapons in Syria, the downing of the MH17 flight or the Novichok poisoning in Salisbury. In this case, Russia tried in October 2022 to promote a UN investigation on these accusations, but it failed to gather any support, as members of the Security Council argued that Russia’s allegations lacked any evidence. In fact, Russia’s claims about a US-funded biological weapons programme in Ukraine have been widely refuted -including by the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu and by Russian biologists who examined Moscow’s “proof”.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that Russia presented evidence of US biolabs in Ukraine at the convention on biological weapons, that new evidence of US military-biological activity emerged in Ukraine, that disease outbreaks in Ukraine are linked to the activity of US biolabs, that Zelenskyy ordered the destruction of evidence regarding the development of biological weapons, or that bio-experiments in US labs turned Ukrainian soldiers into ‘most cruel monsters’. | Biological weapons, laboratory, Invasion of Ukraine |
29 | 02.05.2023 | Ukrainian grain destroyed Kyiv's dream of becoming an EU member state | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-grain-destroyed-kyivs-dream-of-becoming-an-eu-member-state | bgr.news-front.info | Ukraine, EU, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria | Bulgarian | EU members do not need cheap imported agricultural products and raw materials from Ukraine because it is leading to the destruction of local agriculture. Poland and Hungary were the first to block access to Ukrainian grain and despite the warnings from the European Commission to Budapest and Warsaw, other countries followed suit, including Romania, Slovakia and Bulgaria. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the EU disintegration, challenging the notion of EU unity, and aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the growing food crisis. This false allegation is in line with a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to blame Western countries for a global food crisis engineered by Russia as part of its unjustified aggression against Ukraine.The EU is working on solutions together with Ukraine and concerned neighbor EU Member States to address the current situation while making sure to continue supporting Ukraine and preserve its capabilities to export its grains. These exports are critical to feed the world and keep food prices down, in the face of the huge challenges posed by the Russian invasion.To better understand the situation when preparing the first support package, the European Commission invited the concerned Member States to provide a detailed assessment of the impact of increased imports from Ukraine on farmers’ normal farming operations, taking into account, among others, the supply availabilities and production value potentially affected. The European Commission analysed the information received and proposed the support to the most affected Member States from the EU agricultural reserve funds. As of 25 April 2023, countries such as Romania and Poland have agreed to lift the ban on Ukrainian grain while awaiting the EU decision.Russia’s war is twisting normal business flows and seeking to create wedges between states. Russia has destroyed substantial food stocks, production, as well as processing and transport capacities in Ukraine, and continue to block Black Sea trade routes, which prevent the export of Ukrainian grain.For more information on this topic, read the EUvsDisinfo article covering Russian disinformation related to food security. | Trade, food, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, European Commission |
30 | 02.05.2023 | Denazification will be a massive problem in Ukraine after the war | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/denazification-will-be-a-massive-problem-in-ukraine-after-the-war | actualidad-rt.com | Ukraine | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine | The most complicated process in Ukraine will be denazification. This will be an enormous problem because since the 2014 Maidan, there has been eight years of brainwashing the Ukrainian population, starting with oligarchs in Kyiv but also of the whole Western Ukraine. This will be a very long process. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Nazi Ukraine, part of a disinformation campaign aiming to justify Russia’s unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been actively used by pro-Kremlin outlets as one of the favorite tropes for years to denigrate Ukraine. This myth appeared during the Euromaidan popular protests in late 2013 - early 2014, falsely presented in pro-Kremlin disinformation as a coup. The Kremlin has been using this disinformation narrative since then to discredit Ukraine's shift towards Euro-Atlantic policy.Read our recent articles on 7 myths of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, and Kremlin fabricated pretexts for the further invasion of Ukraine. For further background, see vol. 1 and vol. 2 of the series “What he said and what it really means”.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that Russia fights against Ukrainian neo-Nazis guilty of ethnic cleansing, that the special military operation aims to end the Nazi regime in Kyiv, that Zelenskyy uses the same Nazi symbols as Hitler, or that the West supported neo-Nazis in Ukraine, using them to weaken Russia. | null |
31 | 02.05.2023 | Washington is coercing nations to build alliances against Russia and China | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/washington-is-coercing-nations-to-build-alliances-against-russia-and-china | oroszhirek.hu | US, Russia, China | Hungarian | Washington is resorting to various forms of coercion as it seeks to build regional alliances against its geopolitical rivals, including Moscow and Beijing. They exert unprecedented pressure on independent nations through outright blackmail, threats, colour revolutions, coups and the spread of blatant disinformation. All these tools have long since become the West's trump card. | Pro-Kremlin outlets often use this narrative of different countries being under the American thumb or as so-called 'Western puppets', to imply that their national sovereignty is under threat and that they have limited powers. The narrative also hides a cynical disregard for ordinary people; for their free will and ability to express political desires for the countries in which they are citizens. It is also a narrative often aimed at driving wedges and fomenting tension between allies.Furthermore, pro-Kremlin media frequently falsely portray popular protests around the world as colour revolutions instigated from abroad, often by the US and the West. The disinformation narrative has been applied, among others, to reports about protests in Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus with the aim of portraying protest movements as aggressive actors supported by foreign powers who constantly prepare new coups.See similar cases that protests in Kazakhstan are a new Western attempt to organise a colour revolution, and that US-sponsored Kazakhstan protests aimed to undermine CIS stability. | Russophobia, US presence in Europe, Destabilising Russia, Puppets, Colour revolutions, Coup |
32 | 02.05.2023 | Ukrainian refugee children are taken away in Germany | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-refugee-children-are-taken-away-in-germany | 5-tv.ru | Ukraine, Russia, Germany, EU | Russian | Ukrainian refugee children are brazenly taken away in Europe, especially in Germany, for excessive appetite and strong emotional attachment to their parents. […] There have been 79 such cases. The victims include people from Kyiv, Dnipro, and the western regions of Ukraine. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets, claiming that Ukrainian refugees suffer in Europe and their fundamental rights are not respected. Part of a wider set of pro-Kremlin narratives to undermine Ukrainians' confidence in Europe and Western popular support to Ukraine.There is no evidence of Ukrainian refugees living in Europe having their children taken away from them. The German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt) and the Youth Welfare Office (Jugendamt) are not aware of any such cases in the families of Ukrainian refugees.Various child protective services in Germany have not presented any confirmation that such cases have occurred. The German Criminal Police press service noted that it is unaware of any such cases. A review of various European media also shows that nobody has written about such cases, although journalists would clearly pay attention to such stories, especially 79 of them.German officials that do have the authority to remove children from their families state that this extreme measure is used only if the child is in serious danger. In other cases, experts decide together with the parents what kind of temporary assistance can be provided to the child. InfoMigrants released a short explanatory video that also debunks this claim.Read full debunk on this case at StopFake. | Refugees, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Western values, West, Human rights |
33 | 02.05.2023 | The US faked Kremlin plans for the Baltics to cover up its own problems | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-faked-kremlin-plans-for-the-baltics-to-cover-up-its-own-problems | baltnews.com | Russia, US, Ukraine, Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia | Russian | The US faked leaks of Kremlin plans for the Baltics. It was done for the purpose, using the traditional anti-Russian hysteria of the Baltic states, to shift the attention from leaked Pentagon documents about the Ukrainian counter-offensive to imaginary Kremlin problems. The US also used propagandists from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to improve anti-Russian moods. | The disinformation story presents the Baltic states as anti-Russian vassals and puppets of the US and includes a conspiracy theory.The article focused on the collaborative investigation of journalists from LRT, Delfi Estonia, Expressen, Centre „Dossier“, the Kyiv Independent, NDR (Norddeutscher Rundfunk), Frontstory.pl, Süddeutsche Zeitung, VSquare, WDR (Westdeutscher Rundfunk), Yahoo News, Re:Baltica. There is no evidence that the US is behind the leak of the documents referred to or that they are fake. The investigation was published in different media sources after an analysis of the documents by professional journalists.The leaked Kremlin documents showed Russia state authorities' plans to manipulate and increase influence in the Baltic states using different strategies. The plans were prepared before Russia‘s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.The US has no reasonable need to cover up the story about leaked documents with the intelligence assessment of the Ukrainian counter-offensive. After an official investigation, the suspect was arrested.See other examples of disinformation presenting the Baltic states as vassals of the US: The US and NATO want to turn the Baltic sea region into the anti-Russian powder keg; The Eastern European “limitrophes” are geopolitical scum unable to protect their borders; Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the Baltic states are American puppets. | Puppets, Conspiracy theory, Anti-Russian, Propaganda |
34 | 02.05.2023 | The neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv must be brought to an end | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-neo-nazi-regime-in-kyiv-must-be-brought-to-an-end | oroszhirek.hu | Ukraine, Russia | Hungarian | The Kyiv regime is aimed at consolidating the Nazi elite, supporting the fighting spirit of the troops and getting more support from sponsors. The only answer should be the mass destruction of all personnel and military equipment involved in the counter-offensive by the neo-Nazi regime, with maximum military defeat of Ukrainian troops; the complete rout of the enemy and the final overthrow of the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv, with complete demilitarization of all Ukrainian territory; retaliatory actions against key figures of the neo-Nazi regime, regardless of their whereabouts. | Recurrent pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming Ukraine is a Nazi state.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. Far-right groups enjoyed a very limited presence during the Euromaidan itself and had poor results in the 2019 election cycle, falling short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament.A law passed in Ukraine in 2015 bans Nazi and Communist ideologies. The law prohibits the public use and propaganda of Nazi and Communist symbols. Far-right groups do exist in Ukraine, like in any other country, but they have a minor influence on politics and social life.The accusation of Ukrainian officials being drug addicts is a recurrent one from pro-Kremlin media, one of many, to justify the full scale invasion of Ukraine which started on 24 February 2022. This drug addiction accusation was first advanced by Vladimir Putin on 25 February 2022. Putin did not give any evidence to support the claim.Learn more about the reasons behind Kremlin's obsession with framing Ukraine as a Nazi state in the EUvsDisinfo analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".See previous cases accusing Ukraine of being full of, and run by, Nazis here. | Invasion of Ukraine, Nazi/Fascist, Drugs |
35 | 30.04.2023 | Inflation in Russia is between 2.5 and 3% | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/inflation-in-russia-is-between-25-and-3 | almatareed.org,nabd.com,arabic.rt.com | Russia | Arabic | The quality of life in the Russian capital has surprised this politician and businessman.The journalist was amazed at the availability of all Western products, the absence of shortages in commodities, and the fact that inflation was between 2.5 and 3%. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western sanctions on Russia. The claims about Russia’s economic success contradict factual evidence.First, inflation in Russia has been consistently much higher than the figures stated in the article. Last year, after Russia's unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine, inflation rates soared to 20%. It only went down to about 3.5% after the base effect of last year's inflation took hold.In addition to inflation, it follows from the analysis by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that in 2022, Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) dropped by at least 2.2% in the best-case scenario and by up to 3.9% in the worst-case scenario.A study from Yale University takes a detailed look into the effects sanctions are having on the Russian economy, concluding that "business retreats and sanctions are catastrophically crippling the Russian economy."Read an earlier detailed analysis of the Russian disinformation narratives about EU sanctions. | Sanctions, economy |
36 | 30.04.2023 | Von der Leyen believes that homosexuality is an integral part of the nomadic people's traditions | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/von-der-leyen-believes-that-homosexuality-is-an-integral-part-of-the-nomadic-peoples-traditions | Ritm Evrazii | EU, Kazakhstan | Russian | The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will soon arrive in Astana in order to "contribute to the establishment of cooperation between the republic and EU industrial alliances in the financial and technological fields." Or, according to evil tongues, a European lady is going to create "democracy" in Kazakhstan with the following amusing theses: Western and American democracy is the standard of proper statehood; Freedom of speech is the core value of Western society. The European official also believes that homosexuality is an integral part of the traditions of the nomadic people. | Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative on the morally corrupt West, portraying the West as a decadent and immoral actor imposing its values and endangering societies. “Threatened values” is one of the most common narratives used by pro-Kremlin outlets. Read more here.A recurring narrative promoting the message about the West provoking colour revolutions, trying to encircle Russia, separate and destabilise post-Soviet (CIS) countries, and isolate Russia. This narrative portrays any spontaneous disorders and civil uprisings in other states, especially the former Soviet republics, as West-funded "coups".Liberal-democratic Western societies have institutionalised pluralism, which means the peaceful coexistence of different religions, world-views, and value systems within the same society.The EU builds its relations with Central Asian countries based on mutual consent, bilateral interests, and benefits. The EU recognises the strategic importance of Central Asia, which links the huge Asian continent with Europe. As the EU is working to make relations with Central Asia stronger and deeper, the European Union’s engagement with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has developed significantly since the countries' independence following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.The EU does not impose any action or programme on the partner countries. The overall aim of cooperation is to build a common area of shared democracy, prosperity and stability in line with each individual country's aspirations. Involvement in the EU initiatives does not exclude membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, CIS or CSTO. The EU is a supporter of regional integration in all areas of the world.Read other similar cases in our database: West has intensified its attempts to shake the CIS; the West increases pressure on CIS to break old ties; the EU uses CIS to contain Russia by all means: financial, economic, military, The same Western scriptwriters tried to organise coup d'état in Belarus and Kazakhstan; The Western mass culture today is a perversion, paedophilia in various open and concealed forms. | West, Ursula von der Leyen, European Union, European values, Western values, Colour revolutions, Central Asia, Coup, Encircling Russia |
37 | 29.04.2023 | Polish authorities are fighting with the Russian Embassy school like fascists | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/polish-authorities-are-fighting-with-the-russian-embassy-school-like-fascists | pl.sputniknews.com | Poland, Russia | Polish | The protest in front of the Polish Embassy in Moscow takes place against the decision of the Polish authorities to expel children and teachers from the school located at the Russian Embassy in Warsaw. This Polish behaviour should not be tolerated – the Polish authorities are fighting children, behaving like fascists. | A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative casting Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic States as countries that do not respect the history of WWII and its heroes (often, accusing them of supporting the Nazi ideology). The pro-Kremlin outlets regularly accuse the Polish authorities of Russophobia and inspiration of anti-Russian sentiments in order to reach particular domestic goals.On 29 April 2023, the Polish Police entered the former building of the secondary school run by the Russian Embassy in Warsaw. The Russian diplomats had no legal reason to use this building in line with an earlier Polish Court ruling. One of the rooms of this school contained Joseph Stalin’s bust – the propaganda of totalitarianism is a violation of Polish laws.Read similar cases accusing Poland of having sympathies to Nazism - Poland falsifies history destroying Soviet monuments and allowing the publication of Mein Kampf, The Polish society is being prepared for absolving the Nazis and The Polish authorities systematically re-write history, absolving the Nazis, the Third Reich and Hitler of their sins. | Diplomacy with Russia, Russophobia, Anti-Russian, Nazi/Fascist |
38 | 29.04.2023 | Russia should not maintain diplomatic relations with Russophobic Poland | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-should-not-maintain-diplomatic-relations-with-russophobic-poland | pl.sputniknews.com | Poland, Russia, Ukraine | Polish | There is no point in maintaining diplomatic relations with Poland. This state must not exist for Russia while there is no one but Russophobes in power, and Ukraine is full of Polish mercenaries, who should be ruthlessly exterminated like stinky rats. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about an alleged Russophobic and anti-Russian Poland. Pro-Kremlin outlets regularly accuse the Polish authorities of Russophobia and of inflaming anti-Russian sentiments in order to reach particular domestic goals. This claim, voiced by former President Dmitry Medvedev, now Deputy Chair of the Russian National Security Council, turns up the volume by suggesting to have Poland disappear. As such he deliberately ignite Russian historical revisionism fuelling hate towards the Polish state as such. The Polish authorities perceive Russia as a security threat because of the aggressive Russian actions, in particular in Crimea, Donbas and Eastern Europe.The 2020 National Security Strategy of Poland states that the most serious security threat for the country is the neo-imperial policy of the authorities of the Russian Federation, pursued by means of military force (aggression against Georgia, illegal annexation of Crimea and military actions in Eastern Ukraine). These aggressive actions of the Kremlin have violated the basic principles of international law and undermined the pillars of the European security system.Particularly in the context of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and armed military aggression in Ukraine, Poland supports the deployment of NATO troops on its soil as this step increases its domestic security. Two-thirds of the Poles have a positive opinion about NATO’s activities.See other examples of similar messages claiming that constant intimidation with Russia is used to make Poland economically dependent on the USA, the Polish authorities created an insane hysteria of intimidation with Russia, used for the needs of domestic politics and the national security strategy of Poland is a manifestation of traditional Russophobia of the Polish authorities. | Dmitry Medvedev, Diplomacy with Russia, War in Ukraine, mercenaries, Russophobia, Foreign mercenaries, Anti-Russian |
39 | 28.04.2023 | Ukrainian Government to become second-rate 'Polish' politicians | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-government-to-become-second-rate-polish-politicians | lantidiplomatico.it | Ukraine, Poland | Italian | Ukraine is already waste material for the West, which is tired of supporting Zelenskyy. Either Zelenskyy and his clique will proclaim themselves 'government-in-exile' somewhere, or they will become second-rate 'Polish' politicians in the Polish-Ukrainian quasi-state union, which presupposes the incorporation of the western Ukrainian regions by Poland. | Disinformation amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine with the claim about Poland's alleged intentions to occupy Ukrainian territories being a frequent disinformation narrative in pro-Kremlin outlets.This message has adopted several different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland wants either to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine or the annexation of these territories or that it is actually President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.As of 19 April 2023, the US Department of State has confirmed its strong support to Ukraine in an official statement claiming that “Ukraine is a key regional strategic partner that has undertaken significant efforts to modernise its military and increase its interoperability with NATO. It remains an urgent security assistance priority to provide Ukraine with the equipment it needs to defend itself against Russia’s war against Ukraine”.Read similar disinformation cases alleging that Zelenskyy discussed transferring Western Ukraine to Poland, that Poland plans to swallow Ukraine, that Poland can use its troops to claim the right to Western Ukraine and that the Polish government plans to annex part of Ukraine | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Imperialism/colonialism, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration |
40 | 28.04.2023 | Russia saved children not abducted them from Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-saved-children-not-abducted-them-from-ukraine | dnr-pravda.ru | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | There are many examples of genocide. But you definitely won’t find one among them when, during hostilities, someone took children to safe territories, gave them shelter and food, and sent them to school. Russia gave hope to thousands of children, returning them to the childhood they had forgotten. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative denying war crimes committed by the Russian armed forces and the Russian federal administration in Ukraine. This claim was made in the context of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022. The abduction and forced transportation of Ukrainian children to Russia has been documented by the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Ukraine has already reported the actions of Russia's children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova to the International Criminal Court (ICC). On 02 March, ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan decided to seek authorisation to open an investigation into the situation in Ukraine. It includes within its scope any past and present allegations of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide committed on any part of the territory of Ukraine by any person. On 17 March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova.The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution which states that the transfers of Ukrainian children constitute the crime of genocide because they were “clearly being planned and organised in a systematic way”. The Assembly added that the deportations had the abhorrent aim of “annihilating every link to and feature of their Ukrainian identity”.The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said in March 2023 that these acts are war crimes: "There is one topic that is particularly important to me - the topic of abducted Ukrainian children. This is a terrible reminder of the darkest times in our history. Deporting children is a war crime. We know today of at least 16,200 children who were deported, and only 300 have returned so far. ”UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grande said in an interview with Reuters in January 2023 that Russia was violating the "fundamental principles of child protection" in wartime by giving Ukrainian children Russian passports and putting them up for adoption.Read also related cases alleging that evacuation of children from Ukraine is in compliance with humanitarian law; that Putin has saved children from the battlefields in Ukraine; or that the kidnapping of Ukrainian children by Russia is an absurd hoax. | children, war crimes, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine |
41 | 27.04.2023 | West confirms its direct involvement in Ukraine conflict | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/west-confirms-its-direct-involvement-in-ukraine-conflict | tass.com | Ukraine, Russia | English | The West is openly stating that it will do everything possible to make the counteroffensive of the Ukrainian armed forces a success. Western nations are openly demanding that the Russian side suffer the maximum possible losses. They are once again loudly confirming their direct involvement in the conflict. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that Russia is at war with the entire West. This claim was made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.In reality, the West is providing Ukraine with financial and military aid, but no Western troops are fighting on the frontline. Western nations assist Ukraine for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, to stop Russia's unprovoked and unjustified aggression.Ukrainian and Western officials often meet to discuss cooperation, as well as the occasional contacts between the Ukrainian top brass and their NATO counterparts. Ukrainian servicemen are being trained in some NATO member states, but there are no troops of NATO members on the front line. Last year's (2022) Ukrainian counter-offensive was led only by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Read similar disinformation cases claiming that NATO is a party in the Ukraine conflict, the West is fighting Russia with the help of the Kyiv regime, and that NATO instigated a war in Ukraine to weaken Russia. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, NATO |
42 | 27.04.2023 | Europe suffered more from sanctions than Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/europe-suffered-more-from-sanctions-than-russia | alkalimaonline.com,q8yusa.com,arabic.rt.com | Europe, Russia, US | Arabic | The United States believed that the Russian economy would be destroyed by sanctions and the ruble would turn into rubble. However, none of this happened. Moscow weathered the sanctions far better than the US-allied Western European countries, whose economies dried up without Russian energy imports. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about backfired Western sanctions on Russia. The claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.Following Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, as of early May 2023, the Council has adopted ten packages of sanctions against Russia and Belarus. The sanctions aim at weakening Russia’s ability to finance the war and specifically target the political, military and economic elite responsible for the invasion, as the EU Council explains.The claim about the dire economic situation in western countries contradicts factual evidence. It follows from the analysis by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) that in 2022, Russia’s gross domestic product (GDP) dropped by at least 2.2% in the best-case scenario and by up to 3.9% in the worst-case scenario.A study from Yale University takes a detailed look into the effects sanctions are having on the Russian economy, concluding that "business retreats and sanctions are catastrophically crippling the Russian economy."According to the latest European Commission data, growth in the EU and the euro area is estimated at 3.5% for 2022, which is said to be “quite outstanding outturns, proving the remarkable resilience of the EU economy to the headwinds unleashed by Russia's war against Ukraine and in particular the energy crisis”.Read an earlier detailed analysis of the Russian disinformation narratives about EU sanctions and a few related cases: the EU’s economy is crumbling as a result of anti-Russian sanctions; The New York Times reports that Russia is barely affected by sanctions; Sanctions are beneficial to Russia so the West should recognise Crimea as Russian; The EU lost more from sanctions than Russia, European sanctions against Russia do not work. | Sanctions, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine |
43 | 26.04.2023 | Neo-Nazi Europe seizes property from Russian Jewish anti-fascists | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/neo-nazi-europe-seizes-property-from-russian-jewish-anti-fascists | yapolitic.ru | Ukraine, Russia, EU, Italy | Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation:
Ukraine, Russia, EU, Italy | European Nazis have seized the property of Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov just because he is a Jew and an anti-fascist. It is not surprising that the Europeans have robbed Jews again. It is the most common and natural step of European Nazis. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets accusing the West of being Nazi and anti-Semitic. This claim was made in the context of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. This trick seek to divert attention away from Russia's responsibility for atrocities commited in Ukraine. Commenting on the confiscation of his property in Italy, Russian propagandist Vladimir Solovyov said during his TV show on 26 April 2023: “I am a Jew and an anti-fascist. Should I be surprised that European Nazis took away my property from me and imposed sanctions on me? This is the most common and natural step of European Nazis. Has anything new happened in the history of the Jewish people? The Europeans have robbed the Jews.”In reality, the EU has imposed sanctions and restrictions on Solovyov and some other Russian key propagandists and individuals because of their active and important contribution to undermining the territorial integrity of Ukraine including their of support for Moscow’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It has nothing to do with his ethnic or religious origin. Several villas belonging to Solovyov have been confiscated in Italy. Solovyov’s rhetoric during his shows is far from being anti-fascist. He and his guests propagate hate speech against Ukrainians, entice violence and regularly call for Ukraine to be destroyed in the most brutal manner, preferably with nuclear arms. Appeals are often made during his shows for the use of weapons of mass destruction against Ukraine's Western allies.Read more similar disinformation cases claiming that More and more European countries embrace Nazism, the West turned a blind eye to Nazism, and Ukrainians and Western Europeans are the direct descendants of Hitler. | null |
44 | 26.04.2023 | The West wants to turn Ukraine into a radioactive graveyard | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-wants-to-turn-ukraine-into-a-radioactive-graveyard | bgr.news-front.info | Ukraine, UK, Russia | Bulgarian | The UK, along with other Western countries, is escalating the "proxy war" in Ukraine, which they themselves unleashed. The West has assigned Ukraine the role of not only an anti-Russian military testing ground, but also a radioactive graveyard. The UK Ministry of Defence announced that deliveries of Challenger 2 tank ammunition to Ukraine include depleted uranium shells and their use by the Kyiv regime won’t be monitored. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation fearmongering about nuclear weapons. Russia uses this alleged high environmental risk to saber-rattle with its nuclear arsenal.The depleted uranium shells the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is sending to Ukraine are not prohibited by any international agreement."They are not meant to poison people. They are used because of their capability to pierce armour," says Dr Marina Miron from Kings College London. See also this article from the BBC in which a former British Army tank commander and chemical weapons expert Col Hamish de Breton-Gordon states that "depleted uranium rounds used by Challenger 2 tanks contained only trace elements of depleted uranium. He added it was "laughable" to suggest depleted uranium rounds were in any way linked to nuclear weapons, which uses enriched uranium".Furthermore, on 21 March 2023, the UK MoD already answered Russian claims about the deployment of depleted uranium shells to Ukraine and the interpretation of such kind of ammunition as a “nuclear weapon”. “It is a standard component and has nothing to do with nuclear weapons or capabilities. Russia knows this, but is deliberately trying to disinform”, explained a spokesperson for the UK MoD.In 2007, the UN General Assembly launched a study to find out the health effects of depleted uranium weapons. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) found no significant poisoning was caused by exposure to depleted Uranium. Depleted uranium has a higher density than ordinary steel. It's about 2,5 times denser that steel and about 1,5 times denser than lead. This allows a tank shell to gain more momentum and penetrate armour more effectively.Related cases: Depleted uranium rounds are 'dirty' nuclear bombs, UK delivery of depleted uranium tank shells will lead to a nuclear catastrophe, UK will supply Ukraine with taboo genocidal weapons. | Nuclear issues, Warmongering, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Military |
45 | 26.04.2023 | Ukrainian grain sent to Spain to be used as pigfeed | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-grain-sent-to-spain-to-be-used-as-pigfeed | bgr.news-front.info | Spain, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey | Bulgarian | The EU is struggling to create a corridor for the delivery of Ukrainian grain by sea so that the poorest countries do not starve. But the grain hardly gets there - instead it is being sent mainly to Spain, where it is used as pig feed. The Kyiv regime just wants more money: Spain paid more, thus Ukraine shipped the grain to them, not to poor African countries. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the food crisis and supply insecurity by claiming that most of Ukraine's grain is sent to rich Western countries. However, it is Russia trying to suffocate the Ukrainian economy including via food exports through the Black Sea with Russian attacks and blockade of certain harbours, agriculture infrastructure, farming land and machinery. Moreover, Russia uses food security related disinformation as a cynical tool to prop up its tarnished global image. The fact stands that Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has destabilised global food markets and is driving food prices up due to increased cost of production, transport and freight insurance. Russia has destroyed substantial food stocks, production, as well as processing and transport capacities in Ukraine. The database of the UN Black Sea Grain Initiative showcases that as of 4 May 2023, out of some 1058 shipments, less than half (or 434) arrived in EU members. These accounted for 39% of the 30 million metric tons of grain products delivered under the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The rest of the shipments were delivered to developing countries, such as China, Turkey, Egypt, Bangladesh, and India. Notably, the database does not consider the true final destinations, as the grain products will be redistributed from some of these harbours to other countries.Together with the Solidarity Lanes, the reopening of the Black Sea ports have helped to push down historically high market prices and enabled Ukraine to export more than 58 Million tons of grain, oilseeds and related goods between May 2022 and end of March 2023.The overall Food Price Index published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) has shown that the prices of global food staples have continued declining in recent months and as of April 2023 are slightly below pre-spring 2022 levels. This is a decrease of about 19% from the peak reached in March 2022.Furthermore, the UN FAO price index for cereals has also stabilized around pre-Spring 2022 levels (index 147.3) down from a peak in May (index 173.5). Despite this stabilization, domestic food prices remain very high in many countries across the world and keep food import bills high. The best way to improve the critical global food security situation is by Russia stopping its aggression.See other similar disinformation narratives in our database, such as claims that the West deprives poor countries of food; Western sanctions cause a food crisis and price growth and the food crisis has nothing to do with the Russian special operation. | Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, food, Trade |
46 | 25.04.2023 | Ukraine and the West don’t contribute to global food security | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-and-the-west-dont-contribute-to-global-food-security | sputniknews.lat | Ukraine, US, EU, Europe, Russia | Spanish | Ukraine and the West don’t contribute to global food security. The Black Sea Grain Initiative was signed mostly to deliver agricultural products to the countries of the Global South, but most of the Ukrainian products have been really destined to Europe. Due to the blocking of Russian exports and the sanctions still imposed on shipowners and bankers, Russia signed on 18 March an extension of the BSGI for 60 days, in face of the barriers pushed by Washington, Brussels and London in practically all economic sectors. | The claims are either false or a gross distortion of facts, aiming to portray the West as a selfish actor in contrast to Russia’s “solidarity” with developing countries. In reality Russia is cynically trying to suffocate the Ukrainian economy including food exports. It is Russia’s blockade of several Black Sea ports what has led to big amounts of Ukrainian grain ending up in European countries due to logistical bottlenecks. This has pushed a part of Ukraine’s export onto roads and rail, where the EU Solidarity Lanes have been crucial to secure transport of Ukrainian food to the world market since May 2022The EU is taking further actions to facilitate the transit of Ukrainian grain exports via the Solidarity Lanes so that they reach those countries in need. This includes continued work on lowering overall logistics costs, better coordinating transit and enhancing infrastructure in ports, border interconnections and other conduits under the EU Solidarity Lanes, as well as supporting the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). The EU has been at the forefront of the global response to support countries affected by food insecurity. Through the comprehensive Team Europe response, the EU and its Member States are providing around EUR 18 billion to address urgent and longer term needs (for 2021-2024). Around half of this support goes to Africa and EU’s Southern Neighbourhood in the Middle East, the regions most affected by the deterioration of food insecurity. Through the Team Europe response, the EU and Member States mobilised a very significant contribution of 9 billion EUR in 2022 to respond to the food crisis. Meanwhile, Russia’s contribution has been zero.The best Russia could do to help global food insecurity is to stop its war in Ukraine. See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the EU is causing a global food shortage by keeping all the grain from Ukraine, that Ukrainian grain goes to Europe instead of poor and developing countries, that the actions of Western countries led to the blockade of grain supplies, or that EU sanctions undermine global food security. | food, West, Western values, Invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine |
47 | 25.04.2023 | The FBI document on the CIA support to 9/11 attackers shows US weakness | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-fbi-document-on-the-cia-support-to-9-11-attackers-shows-us-weakness | sputniknews.lat | US | Spanish | The publication of the document which shows that the CIA supported two of the 9/11 attackers shows the current weakness of the United States. The document shows the testimonies of several FBI members who show that Nawaf Hazmi and Khalid Mihdhar could have been recruited by the US intelligence service. There were several bank accounts in the US at their name and the rent of an apartment in San Diego at the CIA’s request. Besides, the FBI agents affirm that the Agency obstructed their investigations, which increases the suspicion that they want to hide their relation with Al Qaeda. | This is an attempt to exploit a baseless disinformation narrative previously launched by this same pro-Kremlin outlet (see here for our previous debunk). The alleged document was not produced by the FBI, nor says what this disinformation story claims. It doesn’t show “CIA support for two of the 9/11 attackers” nor says that the bank accounts or the San Francisco apartment were prepared for Hazmi and Mihdhar “at the CIA request”. Mentions to these individuals being “recruited by the US intelligence services” and the CIA wanting to “hide their relation with Al Qaeda” are also gross manipulations that don’t appear in the original document at all. But repeating disinformation messages not backed by any evidence as if they were established facts while introducing minor variations is a frequent pro-Kremlin disinformation technique.The goal of this intentional distortion is to promote the narratives that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job and that the US supports terrorism.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that 9/11 was planned by the US to use it as a pretext to attack Afghanistan, that 9/11 was not orchestrated by Al Qaeda and the US only profits from it, that the US government silenced hackers that threatened to expose its involvement on 9/11 attacks, or that US authorities are supporting the terrorists who destroyed American skyscrapers on 9/11. | 9/11, Terrorism, Terrorism financing, Al-Qaeda, Jihad, CIA, FBI |
48 | 25.04.2023 | Ukrainian grain fills European granaries and breaks EU unity | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-grain-fills-european-granaries-and-breaks-eu-unity | sputniknews.lat | Ukraine, EU, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia | Spanish | The Ukrainian grain, far from feeding the poorest in the world as announced, is breaking the relations between Western and Eastern Europe. Despite that the food agreement was implemented with the pretext of the urgency of supplying Ukrainian grain to the countries most in need, European granaries are already full. This big surplus topped the EU deposits to the point that European farmers stood up against their governments while the latter argue whose fault is this. Several countries such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria and have already temporarily banned imports of Ukrainian grain. However, this decision caused friction with the European authorities. Ukrainian grain has become the bone of contention in the relations among European countries, leading to a fracture in the EU. | The claims are a distortion of facts, part of a wider disinformation campaign about Ukrainian grain exports and its effect on global food security. The ultimate goal of this disinformation story is to portray Europe as a selfish actor in contrast to Russia’s “solidarity” with developing countries. But in fact, the temporary ban imposed by some EU countries was not due to Europe somehow hoarding Ukrainian grain instead of allowing it to be sent to developing countries, as this disinformation story implies. On the contrary, it is Russia’s blockade of several Black Sea ports what has led to big amounts of Ukrainian grain ending up in central Europe due to logistical bottlenecks.This disinformation story also promotes another recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about EU disintegration. In fact, the EU is working on solutions together with Ukraine and concerned neighbour EU Member States that address the current situation while making sure to continue to support Ukraine and preserve its capabilities to export its grains. To better understand the situation when preparing the first support package, the European Commission invited the concerned Member States to provide a detailed assessment of the impact of increased imports from Ukraine on farmers’ normal farming operations, taking into account, among others, the supply availabilities and production value potentially affected. The European Commission analysed the information received and proposed the support to the most affected Member States from the EU agricultural reserve funds. Some of these countries have agreed to lift all restrictions while awaiting for a solution.See other examples of similar disinformation narratives, such as claims that the EU is causing a global food shortage by keeping all the grain from Ukraine, that Ukrainian grain goes to Europe instead of poor and developing countries, that the actions of Western countries led to the blockade of grain supplies, or that EU sanctions undermine global food security. | EU disintegration, Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, food |
49 | 25.04.2023 | Ukraine displays weapons it used in Donbass, claiming they are Russian | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-displays-weapons-it-used-in-donbass-claiming-they-are-russian | Pervyi Kanal | Ukraine, Russia | Russian | The wreckage of a tactical missile is passed off as Russian during NATO Secretary General's visit to Kyiv.But here's the problem. Kramatorsk. It has been proven that the missile used for shelling the train station was Ukrainian. The same Tochka U missile, that we [Russia] have decommissioned long time ago. The characteristic rudders in the tail section are clearly visible - our [Russian] modern Iskanders do not have such. The Ukrainian government shamelessly shows NATO Secretary General their own [Ukrainain] weapons, which they fired at civilians in Donbass, Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk regions, pretending those are Russian missiles. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative accusing Ukraine of carrying out atrocities during the course of the war, including against its own population, and then blaming Russia. This particular claim was made in the context of the visit by NATO Secretary General to Kyiv in April 2023, which was exploited to lob accusations against Ukraine in order to justify Russia’s war of aggression against it.On April 8, 2022, a Tochka-U missile hit the railway station in Kramatorsk, filled with civilians trying to evacuate from the combat area to the western regions of Ukraine. The strike killed 60 civilians, including 7 children. Contrary to pro-Kremlin claims, there is strong evidence that Russian forces attacked the Kramatorsk railway station with a Tochka-U missile, killing over 57 waiting civilians and injuring over 114 civilians, according to the Governor of Donetsk Region as of 11 April 2022.Contrary to the presented claims, the Soviet Tochka-U missile system is still in use by the Russian army, as evidenced by video footage of transports through Belarus as of March 2022. See the full debunk from StopFake (German) (Russian) or Bellingcat.See more debunks about the Kramatorsk attack here. | war crimes, Invasion of Ukraine, NATO |
50 | 25.04.2023 | Ukraine is only a hammer to hit Russia with for the West | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-is-only-a-hammer-to-hit-russia-with-for-the-west | arabic.rt.com | Russia, Ukraine, Poland | Arabic | The West tasked Zelenskyy to advance the troops. The Ukrainian army is well aware of what will happen to it, but has no way out. The West does not care at all how much manpower the Ukrainian army loses. What is more important is a moral victory over Russia. Nobody takes Ukraine seriously in the West. It is just a hammer that can be used to hit Russia until the hammer breaks. The Ukrainians will finish, the Poles will be next. According to some reports, there are between 10,000 and 20,000 Poles already fighting in Ukraine. So the world war is now unfolding, and all major operations are yet to come. | Recurring disinformation narrative from key pro-Kremlin outlets RT seeking to deflect attention away from Russia's war of agression by accusing the West of direct involvement in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The accusation of the West wanting war with Russia plays on the besieged fortress-mentality to encourage Russians to enlist. The West is not a party to the conflict in Ukraine. Western nations did everything they could to prevent the war and have only been reacting to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, following the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. In several Western countries instructors train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use modern weapons and NATO officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but no troops from NATO countries are fighting on the front.Read more disinformation cases about the Russian unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. | West, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukraine, Abandoned Ukraine, NATO |
51 | 25.04.2023 | China declared Crimea is Russia, Ukraine is not a country | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/china-declared-crimea-is-russia-ukraine-is-not-a-country | Sputnik on Twitter,Ukraina.ru,fr.sputniknews.africa | Ukraine, Russia, China, France | French, Russian | Crimea was at the very beginning Russian. It was Khrushchev who gave Crimea to Ukraine in the days of the Soviet Union.As for the sovereignty of the countries of the former USSR: they have no effective status in international law because there is no international agreement to concretise their status as sovereign countries.The Chinese ambassador's statement was a cold shower for the hotheads in the West who are in a feverish anti-Russian delirium. The leaders of all the major powers of the world are well aware that the return of the peninsula to Russia was a just historical step based on democratic will. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation message about Crimea and the Sovereignty of Ukraine as well as all former USSR members.PRC Ambassador to France, Lu Shaye made statements on TV channel LCI on 21 April 2023 that raised concern around the world. The statements were corrected by Lu Shaye's own ministry in Beijing:Asked if China stood behind the envoy’s remarks, the foreign ministry’s spokesperson Mao Ning said China had been one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with former Soviet states.“The Chinese side respects the status of the member states as sovereign states after the collapse of the Soviet Union,” Mao said, adding that on the issue of territorial sovereignty, Beijing’s position was consistent and clear.China respects the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries and upholds the purposes and principles of the United Nations charter, she said, describing the country’s stance on Ukraine as objective and fair.Very few countries ( 7 out of 192 according to Sputnik itself) around the globe recognise Russian annexation of Crimea and no major power does.No international body has recognised the so-called Crimea referendum, announced on 27 February 2014, and held on 16 March 2014. On 27 March 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it stated that the referendum in Crimea was not valid and could not serve as a basis for any change in the status of the peninsula. On 17 December 2018, the UN General Assembly confirmed its non-recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea.The European Union does not recognise and continues to strongly condemn this violation of international law, which remains a challenge to the international security order. In response to the illegal annexation of Crimea, the EU has imposed restrictive measures against the Russian Federation. In June 2021, the European Council decided to renew the sanctions introduced in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation until 23 June 2022.See other cases of disinformation about the illegal annexation of Crimea and Ukrainian sovereignty : Crimea joined Russia as a result of a 2014 referendum held after Western-backed coup d’etat in Ukraine , The accusations about Moscow violating the Budapest Memorandum are anti-Russian propaganda , The referendum in Crimea solved the Crimean issue once and for all , Crimea became a federal Russian territory after a referendum that took place in 2014. | Crimea, Sovereignty, USSR, Budapest memorandum, Manipulated elections/referendum, Referendum |
52 | 24.04.2023 | It is time to recognize that the Nazis, not NKVD, are responsible for the WWII Katyn massacre | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/it-is-time-to-recognize-that-the-nazis-not-nkvd-are-responsible-for-the-wwii-katyn-massacre | LDiena.lt | Poland, Germany, USSR | Lithuanian | It was Nazis, and not Soviet NKVD, who shot officers of the Polish army in Katyn in 1941. It is time to recognize it on an official level. The decisions of the Nuremberg Tribunal show the Nazis are guilty for Katyn too. | This message is part of the Kremlin’s policy of historical revisionism and an attempt to distort the truth about the Soviet crimes committed against Poland. The Katyń Massacre is a symbol of the criminal policy of the USSR against the Polish nation. In Spring 1940, almost 22.000 Polish prisoners of war were executed by the NKVD in Katyn, Kharkiv and Kalinin (Tver). The Massacre was carefully considered and organised by the Soviet leadership. Up until 1991, the Soviet authorities refused to accept responsibility for this crime, blaming Nazi Germany for the mass-murders of Polish prisoners of war. In 1992, Russian President Boris Yeltsin submitted official documents confirming the Soviet responsibility for this crime to Polish President Lech Walesa. Read more about the Katyń Massacre here.Throughout 2020, the Russian authorities took several measures regarding the Katyń Massacre, which may be considered as historical revisionism. In May 2020, the municipal authorities of the city of Tver ordered the removal of two plaques commemorating the memory of the victims of the Katyń Massacre. In November 2020, the Russian authorities organised a conference on the Katyń Massacre – several participants of the conference promoted the idea that the USSR and the NKVD were not responsible for this crime. These statements are an evident example of historical revisionism promoted by Russia – the Polish authorities continue to demand an investigation into this Soviet crime against the Polish nation.The Polish Institute of Historical Remembrance protested against the Russian attempts to distort the truth about Soviet crimes.See other disinformation messages connected to the Kremlin’s historical revisionism: Poland re-writes the history claiming that the USSR attacked it in September 1939; Accusing USSR of WWII outbreak, Poland distracts attention from its pre-war “miscalculations” and The pre-war Polish leadership bears all the blame for the tragedy of this country during WWII. | Katyn, Historical revisionism, Nazi/Fascist |
53 | 24.04.2023 | The West carried out the 2014 Maidan coup that ousted Yanukovych | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-carried-out-the-2014-maidan-coup-that-ousted-yanukovych | lantidiplomatico.it | Ukraine, Russia | Italian | Between 2005 and 2014, a revival of Nazi ideology began in Ukraine. Ukraine was transformed into 'anti-Russia' with nationalist and liberal-democratic slogans.In 2014, Western politicians and special services, with the help of Ukraine's corrupt elite, carried out a pro-Nazi coup d'état, using liberal slogans about Ukraine's European choice as cover. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was removed from power by a group of putschists who used Nazi groups with the support of Western diplomats and special services. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the 2013-14 protests in Kyiv falsely portrayed as a coup d'état led by US and the West, about the West’s support for the allegedly Nazi regime in Kyiv and a recurring narrative about the war in Ukraine, trying to deflect Russia’s responsibility for its unprovoked military aggression.Framing all popular protests against Russia’s interests as a foreign-led ‘colour revolution’ is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative. No evidence is provided to back up the claims.There was no coup d’état in Ukraine in 2014, and no US involvement in the events taking place. Pro-Kremlin outlets falsely portray the Euromaidan revolution as a coup d’état, the popular demonstrations that began in Kyiv in November of 2013 and brought hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians on to the streets to protest against a political decision of Viktor Yanukovych’s government, which at the last minute withdrew from a long-negotiated political association and free trade pact with the EU, choosing instead to accept a $15 billion economic bailout to Russia.Pro-Kremlin media frequently falsely portray popular protests around the world as instigated from abroad, often by the US and the West. The disinformation narrative has been applied, among others, to reports about protests in Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Belarus, Venezuela, Slovakia, Hong Kong, with the aim of portraying protest movements as aggressive actors who constantly prepare new coups.Read similar cases claiming that the West’s main activity in the post-Soviet states is organisng revolutions, that Biden promised loyalty to the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv; the West turned a blind eye to Nazism, that Russia fights against Ukrainian neo-Nazis guilty of ethnic cleansing, that a violent coup d’état took place in Ukraine in 2014, and that the West supported neo-Nazis in Ukraine, using them to weaken Russia. | West, Coup, Nazi/Fascist, Euromaidan, War in Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, Anti-Russian |
54 | 24.04.2023 | Zelenskyy is the heir of German Nazism | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/zelenskyy-is-the-heir-of-german-nazism | oroszhirek.hu | Ukraine, Russia, Germany | Hungarian | German journalists in Die Welt are calling on the Ukrainian Nazi leader not to repeat the German Führer's mistakes in Stalingrad. Honest people: they have finally realised that this actor is a real, proven fascist, the true heir of the German National Socialists. The defeat of his regime will be the same as in Stalingrad. | The claim that President Zelenskyy is a Nazi is one of the Kremlin’s most common disinformation narratives to justify its full-scale war against Ukraine with the lie that Russia is carrying out the “denazification” of Ukraine.In reality, Ukraine is not a Nazi state, does not have a Nazi ruling elite and Nazism is not Ukraine’s ideology. Read a more detailed debunk here, as well as our analysis titled "Why does Putin portray himself as the tamer of neo-Nazism".The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been the cornerstone of Russian disinformation about the country since the very beginning of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests, when it was used to discredit the pro-European popular uprising in Kyiv and, subsequently, the broader pro-Western shift in Ukraine's foreign policy. Far-right groups enjoyed a very limited presence during the Euromaidan itself and had poor results in the 2019 election cycle, falling short of the 5% minimum guaranteeing entry into parliament.A law passed in Ukraine in 2015 bans Nazi and Communist ideologies. The law prohibits the public use and propaganda of Nazi and Communist symbols. Far-right groups do exist in Ukraine, like in any other country, but they have a minor influence on politics and social life.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.Read also similar cases: The far-right coup government in Kyiv emerged from the 2014 Maidan uprising, Zelenskyy's regime is based on Nazism and hatred towards Russians, Ukrainians imbued with destructive Nazi ideology, Bandera's sympathisers have large influence on Ukraine, Crimean Platform: the West nurtures neo-Nazi mood in Ukraine. | WWII, Volodymyr Zelensky, Nazi/Fascist, Invasion of Ukraine |
55 | 24.04.2023 | Russia is at war not just with Ukraine but the whole West | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/russia-is-at-war-not-just-with-ukraine-but-the-whole-west | oroszhirek.hu | Ukraine, Russia, Europe, US, The Netherlands | Hungarian | According to Dutch intelligence, Russia is not only fighting Ukraine, but the West. A report published this week claims that Russia sees itself at war not only with Ukraine but also with the West, while the West says the conflict is also about its norms, values, freedom and prosperity. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about Ukrainian statehood and war in Ukraine. The title of the article claims that Russia is not only fighting Ukraine, but the West, but in reality, the report only writes about a confrontation between the West and Russia, while the Kremlin views this as a war.The West supports Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Some NATO member states provide Ukraine with military assistance to help Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s attack, but they are not involved in direct fighting. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. Western instructors train Ukrainian soldiers on how to use modern weaponry and NATO officials have frequent political contacts with Ukrainian counterparts, but there are no troops from NATO countries fighting on the front. This support allows the Ukrainian armed forces to continue defending the country against the Russian aggression.Furthermore Ukraine is independent country, that has an independent foreign and security policy, which is not dictated by the United States. Pro-Kremlin outlets often use this narrative of different countries being under the American thumb or as so-called 'Western puppets', to imply that their national sovereignty is under threat and that they have limited powers. The narrative also hides a cynical disregard for ordinary people; for their free will and ability to express political opinions for the countries in which they are citizens.See similar narratives here: the US is preparing a ram against Russia, Ukraine has become a vassal of Germany, Ukraine is under the external control of the US and EU, Ukraine is under external control, Ukraine is a toy of the US and NATO used for geopolitical pressure on Moscow . | Invasion of Ukraine, West, Secret services |
56 | 24.04.2023 | Ukrainians hate NATO because it is destroying Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainians-hate-nato-because-it-is-destroying-ukraine | LDiena.lt | Ukraine | Lithuanian | Ukrainians hate the head of NATO Jens Stoltenberg and think that NATO is implementing an aggressive policy. They think that NATO destroyed Afghanistan and now will destroy Ukraine too. They see NATO as a toy of the US. NATO does not guard but enslaves Europe. | This recurring mix of narratives presents NATO as a puppet of the US and accuses NATO of warmongering in Ukraine.The claims in the article are presented without any evidence. In fact, a poll in October 2022 showed that 83 per cent of inhabitants of Ukraine support the idea of NATO membership.Ukraine has been cooperating with NATO since the 1990s. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, NATO and its Allies have provided unprecedented levels of support. Some NATO member states provide Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.See other examples of disinformation about NATO and the war in Ukraine: NATO does everything to prolong the war in Ukraine; For the West, Ukraine is a platform for conflict against Russia; Western military aid to Ukraine makes NATO complicit in war crimes. | NATO, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Jens Stoltenberg |
57 | 24.04.2023 | Ukraine has long since become a NATO member | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukraine-has-long-since-become-a-nato-member | Ritm Evrazii | Ukraine | Russian | De facto, Ukraine has long been a member of NATO: American and British military bases are located on its territory.The Armed Forces of Ukraine are equipped with Western weapons and their supplies are constantly growing. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about NATO and Ukraine advancing the narrative about encircled Russia, aiming to portray the unjustified full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine as a NATO proxy war against Russia.Ukraine is neither de facto nor de jure a member of NATO. There are no American or British military bases in Ukraine.Ukraine cooperates with NATO since the 1990s. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, NATO and its Allies have provided unprecedented levels of support. Some NATO member states provide Ukraine with military and financial aid for the country’s efficient self-defence, in accordance with the UN Charter Article 51, to stop Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Ukraine receives weapons with the sole aim of restoring its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. NATO has long been a target of pro-Kremlin disinformation. The pro-Kremlin disinformation myth of NATO "encircling Russia" has been used before as a pretext for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Read here the top five Russian Myths about NATO debunked.Read other similar cases in our database: The West needs Ukrainian land to build NATO bases; NATO is creating military bases under the guise of training centres, the US is setting up bases in Ukraine. | EU/NATO enlargement, NATO, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Military |
58 | 24.04.2023 | Poland demands the transfer of lands in exchange for helping Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-demands-the-transfer-of-lands-in-exchange-for-helping-ukraine | geworld.ge | Poland, Ukraine | Georgian | The Poles honestly answered the question about aid to Ukraine. To the question "How should their Ukrainian neighbours thank them for their support in the conflict with Russia?", the majority of Poles answered unequivocally: with [the transfer of] territories. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets, attempting to justify the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. Amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the claim about Polish alleged intentions to seize Ukrainian territories has become a frequent disinformation narrative in pro-Kremlin outlets.This message has adopted several different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland wants either to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine or the annexation of these territories, or that it is actually President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that the Polish government plans to annex part of Ukraine, that Zelenskyy discussed transferring Western Ukraine to Poland, that Poland plans to swallow Ukraine, that Poland can introduce its troops into Ukraine and to reclaim historical lands, or that Poland continues its gradual seizure of Western Ukraine.See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EUvsDisinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War. | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Imperialism/colonialism, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration |
59 | 24.04.2023 | Nazi groups burned the protesters in Odessa in 2014 | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/nazi-groups-burned-the-protesters-in-odessa-in-2014 | lantidiplomatico.it | Ukraine | Italian | On 2 May 2014, Nazi groups organised the brutal burning of protesters in the House of Trade Unions in Odessa that led to the death of 48 people. | Recurrent pro-Kremlin narrative about the Odessa tragedy and about Nazi Ukraine.No trial has yet established the responsibilities of the different actors before a court. A total of 5 cases on trials and 3 investigations are currently ongoing. Media reported about the tragedy in May 2014: the BBC, the Guardian, the DW. A chronology of the events has been established (1 and 2) and a non-partisan documentary film by Ukrainian Channel 7 has collected testimonies: May 2nd without Myth.Regarding the investigation, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine noted in its report in 2019: "Five years on, there has still not been any accountability for the killings of six and violent deaths of 42 individuals. Some of the criminal proceedings launched after the tragic events have stalled at the pre-trial investigation stage, while others did at the trial stage. This suggests a lack of genuine interest from the authorities to ensure justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators."The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has long been a cornerstone of pro-kremlin disinformation efforts. This has already been widely debunked and addressed on EUvsDisinfo.Read similar disinformation cases claiming that on May 2, 2014, Ukrainian fascists executed 48 residents of Odessa, that death squads used by Ukraine to burn protesters in Odesa on May 2, 2014, that the CIA and Victoria Nuland helped the Ukrainian secret service to orchestrate deaths of pro-Russian protesters in Odesa in May 2014 and that The Nazis of Pravy Sektor are responsible for the massacre in Odessa on 2 May 2014. | Nazi/Fascist, Odessa tragedy, Odessa |
60 | 23.04.2023 | The West is aware of the fact that weapons provided to Ukraine are being sold on the black market | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-is-aware-of-the-fact-that-weapons-provided-to-ukraine-are-being-sold-on-the-black-market | cz.sputniknews.com | Russia, Ukraine | Czech | The West is aware of the fact that weapons provided to the Ukrainian army are being sold on the black market. Western media are silencing it. According to Seymour Hersh, large numbers of weapons were supplied to Ukraine and various commanders were given weapons which they then personally re-sold to someone or simply delivered to the black market. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the necessity to stop support and deliveries of weapons to Ukraine.There is no evidence which would suggest a state-organised or at least widespread black-market trade of Western weaponry. Russian and pro-Russian media outlets and officials have repeatedly stated that this is happening – and also without any evidence. Multiple journalists have investigated these claims but they have not found any large scale “operations” of this kind.U.S. defense attaché Brigadier General Garrick M. Harmon arrived in Kyiv in August 2022 for arms control and monitoring.It has been documented that Western equipment has reached the front line and made a difference in the fight.The issue of corruption in Ukrainian institution is a great concern for the EU and is addressed accordingly. Since 2014, the EU has provided over €5 billion to Ukraine through five MFA programmes to support the implementation of a broad reform agenda in areas such as the fight against corruption, an independent judicial system, the rule of law, and improving the business climate. In September 2022 additional €5 billion have been adopted for this purpose. Additionally, Ukraine confirmed experienced investigator Oleksandr Klymenko as the head of its Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday 28 July 2022. The EU also funds the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI) in Ukraine. | West, Invasion of Ukraine |
61 | 23.04.2023 | Poland forms an international corps for the occupation of Western Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/poland-forms-an-international-corps-for-the-occupation-of-western-ukraine | russian.rt.com,tverskaya13.ru,eadaily.com,voennoedelo.com,ukraina.ru | Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania | Russian | The Polish Ministry of Defense is inviting volunteers to the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian corps with a base in Polish Lublin and Ukrainian Yavoriv. According to the plan, a corps of 20-25 thousand people will be put on alert as early as July this year and is likely to be involved in some "international operations" on the territory of Ukraine. It is noteworthy that in addition to the Poles, the basis of the corps will be citizens of Ukraine and Lithuania with Polish roots. In order to create Polish units as part of the LITPOLUKRCORPS International Corps, the Polish Ministry of Defense is already conducting a large-scale propaganda campaign among its citizens. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation claim presenting Poland as a state with imperial ambitions. Amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the claim about Polish alleged intentions to seize Ukrainian territories has become a frequent disinformation narrative in pro-Kremlin outlets.This message has adopted several different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland wants either to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine, or annex these territories, or that it is actually President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land.The Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Peacekeeping Unit (LITPOLUKRBRIG) was established in the fall of 2014 to participate joint training and exercises, or potentially to be deployed to international operations mandated by the United Nations Security Council. The unit is not recruiting volunteers. Also, there is no evidence that the unit plans to annex Western Ukraine. Read the full debunk at Myth Detector.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland demands the transfer of lands in exchange for helping Ukraine, that the Polish government plans to annex part of Ukraine, that Zelenskyy discussed transferring Western Ukraine to Poland, that Poland plans to swallow Ukraine, that Poland can introduce its troops into Ukraine and to reclaim historical lands, or that Poland continues its gradual seizure of Western Ukraine. | Imperialism/colonialism, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration |
62 | 23.04.2023 | Ukrainian grain is breaking the European Union up | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-grain-is-breaking-the-european-union-up | raiseyasi.com,almatareed.org,arabic.rt.com,nabd.com,VK.com Resource 2 | Ukraine, Poland, Bulgaria, EU, Hungary | Arabic, Russian | Ukrainian grain, in fact, broke the European Union and the European division of labour. In addition, this situation destroyed the usual model of interaction with the supranational European government. The European Commission is procrastinating in negotiations on an import ban, and plays on the side of Western European countries.It is clear that the European Commission reacted very slowly to this issue. As a result, countries began making decisions to ban imports independently of the Commission. Now, everyone is forced to agree one way or another among themselves. Otherwise, Eastern European countries will start blocking other European Commission decisions. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the EU disintegration, challenging the EU unity, aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the growing food crisis. This false allegation is in line with a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to blame Western countries for a global food crisis engineered by Russia as part of its unjustified aggression against Ukraine. The claim has been neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.The EU is working on solutions together with Ukraine and concerned neighbour EU Member States that address the current situation, while making sure to continue to support Ukraine and preserve its capabilities to export its grains. These exports are critical to feeding the world and keeping food prices down, in the face of the huge challenges posed by the Russian invasion.To better understand the situation when preparing the first support package, the European Commission invited the concerned Member States to provide a detailed assessment of the impact of increased imports from Ukraine on farmers’ normal farming operations, taking into account, among others, the supply availabilities and production value potentially affected. The European Commission analysed the information received and proposed support to the most affected Member States from the EU agricultural reserve funds.On 21 April, 2023, Romania and Poland lifted the ban on Ukrainian grain while awaiting the EU decision.It’s important to recall that the reason for the issue is Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine which agricultural export used to feed 400 million people around the world, including in some countries with food supply vulnerabilities. Russia stopping this war is the best way to improve the critical global food security situation.It is Russia cynically trying to suffocate the Ukrainian economy incl. the food export via the seaborne export through the Black Sea with Russian attacks and blockade of certain harbours, agriculture infrastructure, farming land, and machinery. This has pushed a part of Ukraine’s export onto roads and rail, where the EU Solidarity Lanes have been crucial to secure the transport of Ukrainian food to the world market since May 2022. Russia’s war is twisting normal business flows and seeking to create wedges between states.The EU is taking further actions to facilitate the transit of Ukrainian grain exports via the Solidarity Lanes so that they reach those countries in need. This includes continued work on lowering overall logistics costs, better-coordinating transit, and enhancing infrastructure in ports, border interconnections, and other conduits under the EU Solidarity Lanes, as well as supporting the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). | European Commission, European Union, food, EU disintegration, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukraine |
63 | 21.04.2023 | The Polish government plans to annex part of Ukraine | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-polish-government-plans-to-annex-part-of-ukraine | asd.news | Poland, Ukraine | Russian | Poland considers part of Ukraine to be its territory. [...]
Nothing is surprising about the fact that Poland increases its involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Warsaw thus begins to realise its long-standing dream of the "Polonisation" of Western Ukraine. | This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets, attempting to justify the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the claim about Polish alleged intentions to occupy Ukrainian territories has become a frequent disinformation narrative in pro-Kremlin media.This message has adopted several different and sometimes contradictory forms, including allegations that Poland wants either to create a puppet proxy-state in Western Ukraine or the annexation of these territories or, as the present case demonstrates, that it is actually President Zelenskyy who wants to cede this land.Poland adheres to international law regarding state borders and fully supports the independence and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries. Poland, as well as the EU and the US respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Ukraine's sovereignty has been violated as a result of continuous acts of aggression by the Russian armed forces since 2014, culminating with a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine starting on 24 February 2022.Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Zelenskyy discussed transferring Western Ukraine to Poland, that Poland plans to swallow Ukraine, or that Poland can use its troops to claim the right to Western Ukraine. | Ukrainian statehood, Ukrainian disintegration, Imperialism/colonialism, Invasion of Ukraine |
64 | 21.04.2023 | The war in Ukraine was pre-planned by western strategists back in 2021 | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-war-in-ukraine-was-pre-planned-by-western-strategists-back-in-2021 | sputnik.by,ru.sputnik.kg | Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Germany | Russian | Western strategists pre-planned the Ukrainian conflict long before the Russian special military operation started. The goal was to address the geopolitical challenges as the Covid-19 pandemic failed to do so. Anglo-Saxons planned to drag the EU and Germany into conflict with Russia thanks to the “Ukrainian card”. In December 2021, western geopolitical drills “Collective power” took place in Jerusalem. The pandemic and disruption of supply chains failed to justify the incoming financial collapse. Once the drills finished, a powerful pumping of Ukraine with weapons started and western media began hysteria about imminent Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Hence, the Jerusalem drills put a bet on a military conflict as a solution to the problems which the pandemic failed to address. | This is a big conspiracy accusing the West of anti-Russian policies in an attempt to deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions and invasion of Ukraine. Putin’s personal decision to invade Ukraine and start the largest military conflict in Europe since WWII is attributed to a closed geopolitical event of the western actors which allegedly took place in Israel in 2021.Pro-Kremlin media have repeatedly disseminated stories claiming the US planned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent energy crisis, citing a fabricated document allegedly produced by the RAND Corporation and made public via a leak – a conspiracy previously debunked by StopFake and Myth Detector. See our earlier disinformation case dedicated to this story.The term “Anglo-Saxons” in such cases normally stands for the US and UK and often means “evil”, “belligerent” and “morally corrupt” Westerners, as explained in our earlier analysis. As a negative catch-all term, the “Anglo-Saxons” term is a useful building block for pro-Kremlin conspiracy theories. You can find plenty of examples in our database.See other examples of disinformation accusing Anglo-Saxons acting against Russia: Anglo-Saxons want to involve Ukraine in a war against Slavs; United Europe is a vassal of the Anglo-Saxons and they team up against Russia; Events in Kazakhstan are an attempt of Anglo-Saxons to encircle Russia; Anglo-Saxons invade the sphere of Russia’s national interests in Ukraine and the Balkans; Anglo-Saxons are on the edge of an anti-Russian attack. | Anglo-Saxon, Conspiracy theory, War in Ukraine, Anti-Russian, coronavirus |
65 | 21.04.2023 | Ukrainians are historically Russians and need protection against western imperialism | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainians-are-historically-russians-and-need-protection-against-western-imperialism | podcasts.google.com,deezer.page.link,fr.sputniknews.africa,castbox.fm | Ukraine, Russia | French, English | Ukrainians asked Russia for assistance against Western Imperialism, Russia has no choice but to help them because Ukrainian are historically Russians.There is no imperial will of Russia in Ukraine. This territory is dwelled by Russian speaking and Russians, in history it used to be totally Russian. And it was not occupation or colonization. History itself teaches us that Russia began in Kiev. Not in the Donbass but on the shores of Dniepr before it went to Moscow. Russia has no choice, it is stuck in a situation created by the West itself on the borders of Russia. Ukraine is a territory of people speaking Russian, and for those not speaking Russian they are Slavic cousins, their ancestors were Russian and were at the origin of the Russian people. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative negating the existence of the Ukrainian people and culture, combined with a narrative about the mythical roots of Russia. This historical revisionism is used to justify the full-scale invasion of Ukraine initiated by the Kremlin.Russia and the Kyivan Rus are different historical entities, though Moscow has long used the historic Kyivan Rus state to justify expansionism. Ukraine did not ask for the 2014 hybrid intervention of little green men nor the 2022 full scale military invasion. If there had been popular support for such interventions, the war would not be so long and destructive.The myth ow Western imperialism and Russian anti-Imperialism has been analyzed previously:The Kremlin regime has long sought to publicly style itself as anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist. However, Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine exposed Russia’s own imperial and colonial ambitions vis-à-vis its neighbours in Europe, Caucasus and Asia.As historian Serhii Plokhy explains Russian elite failed to reinvent itself into a Russian nation at the end of Soviet Empire hence the will to rebuild the lost empire. This vision was expressed in 2021, when Putin published a lengthy article called "On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians." It was said that Ukrainians or "Little Russians" were part of a big Russian nation. What he meant was that Ukrainians were Russians and had no right to exist.High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell referred to the Russian actions in Ukraine as “an imperial attitude”:"I see how powerful is the Russian narrative that wants to reduce the war in Ukraine to a conflict between the West and Russia is powerful. Accusing us of double-standard.We must debunk this narrative and explain how Russia acts as an imperialist power. President Macron referred to a neo-colonial power.Yes, it is what it is. Let’s call it by its name: It is an imperial attitude from a powerful neighbour that wants to take control of some country that belongs to its political sphere."Read also related cases: There has never been a Ukrainian nation, Ukraine was created by Russia, it is historically fair that it becomes Russian again, Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine are three Russian political nations, The idea of Ukraine is based on a mythologised lie. | Historical revisionism, West, Imperialism/colonialism, humanitarian aid, Invasion of Ukraine, Military, War in Ukraine, Africa |
66 | 20.04.2023 | The West is preparing provocations to destabilise the CIS | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-is-preparing-provocations-to-destabilise-the-cis | news.am,news.am,life.ru,gazeta.ru,livenews.am | Armenia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Russia | Armenian, Russian | Western countries are preparing provocations to destabilise the situation in the CIS space.These attempts to destabilise the situation in the Commonwealth of Independent States are obvious and not hidden. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about belligerent West trying to encircle Russia, separate and destabilise post-Soviet (CIS) countries and isolate Russia.No evidence is provided to support the claims. Relations between EU and CIS countries are based on mutual consent, bilateral interests, and benefits. For example, the Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative that aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU) and its Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Belarus has suspended its participation as of June 2021.The EU or the US do not impose any action or program on the partner countries. The overall aim of the cooperation is to build a common area of shared democracy, prosperity, and stability in line with each individual country's aspirations and wishes. Involvement in the EU initiatives does not exclude membership in the Eurasian Economic Union, CIS, or CSTO.After the annexation of Crimea to Russia in 2014, the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine decided to terminate Ukraine's chairmanship in the CIS and started the process of completely ending its participation in the structures of the CIS. In 2019 Ukraine actually completed its withdrawal from CIS. On 28 February 2022, shortly after it was invaded by Russia, Ukraine applied for membership of the European Union.After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Moldova was considering whether to continue being a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) amid Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. Moldova applied for membership in the European Union in March. On April 20, 2023, Moldova confirmed that it is in the process of terminating some agreements signed under the umbrella of the Russia-led Commonwealth of Independent States.Read other similar cases in our database: West has intensified its attempts to shake the CIS; the West increases pressure on CIS to break old ties; the EU uses CIS to contain Russia by all means: financial, economic, military. | West, Encircling Russia, CIS, Conspiracy theory, European Union |
67 | 20.04.2023 | UKs Ben Wallace states the main goal of this war: the destruction of Russia | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/uks-ben-wallace-states-the-main-goal-of-this-war-the-destruction-of-russia | russtrat.ru,russtrat.ru | Russia, UK | Russian | On April 18, in Washington, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace expressed confidence in the planned counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and at the same time made it clear that the war in Ukraine is likely to continue in 2024. [...]London is giving a public signal: regardless of the outcome of the “counteroffensive” of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the war must continue. Indirectly, Wallace also declares the main goal of this war - the destruction of Russia. In this scenario, Ukraine is an obedient tool in Anglo-Saxon hands. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation claim accusing the West of anti-Russian policies, aggressive Russophobia and allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda to destroy, ruin Russia, aiming to portray Russia as a victim and deflect any responsibility for Moscow’s illicit actions. See also Russian Myths: no.5 Encirclement.This is a misrepresentation of the statement of the UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, made in Washington. Wallace did not call for the destruction of Russia, and in general, the West has never strived to destroy Russia as a state. From the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the emergence of a new and democratic Russia and up to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine in 2014, the West has been trying to establish good-neighbourly relations with Moscow. According to the 1997 Founding Act on Mutual Relations, Cooperation and Security between NATO and the Russian Federation, Russia was viewed as a partner of the alliance.The EU has conducted half-year summits with the Russian leadership for years until 2014 in an effort to enhance relations. EU has also tried to change the course of Russia's aggressive actions and give diplomacy a chance, such as with the efforts of HRVP Josep Borrell - see here.The West emphasises that they are not striving for the collapse of Russia or for some kind of reformatting of it. US President Joe Biden, speaking in Warsaw, addressed Russian citizens, assuring them that the US does not seek to destroy or control Russia. French President Macron stated that "Russia must be defeated, but not crushed."The sharp deterioration in relations between the West and Russia is directly linked to Moscow's illegal actions. A number of issues affect bilateral relations, including Russia’s aggressive actions in Ukraine, in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood, Syria, Libya, and elsewhere, and repeated malign activities including disinformation campaigns.For background, read our analysis: The “Russophobia” Myth: Appealing to the Lowest Feelings. | Anti-Russian, Russophobia, West, War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, Anglo-Saxon, Destabilising Russia |
68 | 20.04.2023 | The „Katyn tragedy” is a German provocation promoted by the USA during the Cold War | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-katyn-tragedy-is-a-german-provocation-promoted-by-the-usa-during-the-cold-war | pl.sputniknews.com | Poland, Germany, Russia, US | Polish | According to the explanation presented by Russian experts, the mass execution in Katyn was carried out by the Nazis, and the “Katyn case” was a Third Reich provocation conducted in order to divide the anti-Hitler coalition. This provocation was presented by Germany as “Moscow atrocities” against Poland.Later, the USA actively promoted the Katyn issue during the Cold War in order to strengthen anti-Soviet sentiment in Poland and it against the USSR. It is not an accident that this topic was chosen for anti-Soviet and anti-Russian propaganda - the Katyn case was one of the triggers for the collapse of the Warsaw Bloc and the collapse of the Soviet Union. | This message is part of the Kremlin’s policy of historical revisionism and an attempt to distort the truth about the Soviet crimes committed against Poland. The Katyń Massacre is a symbol of the criminal policy of the USSR against the Polish nation. In Spring 1940, almost 22.000 Polish prisoners of war were executed by the Soviet NKVD in Katyn, Kharkiv and Kalinin (Tver). The Massacre was carefully considered and organised by the Soviet leadership. Up until 1991, the Soviet authorities refused to accept responsibility for this crime, blaming Nazi Germany for the mass-murders of Polish prisoners of war. In 1992, Russian President Boris Yeltsin submitted documents confirming the Soviet blame for this crime to Polish President Lech Walesa. Read more about the Katyń Massacre here.Throughout 2020, the Russian authorities took several measures regarding the Katyń Massacre, which may be considered as historical revisionism. In May 2020, the municipal authorities of the city of Tver ordered the removal of two plaques commemorating the memory of the victims of the Katyń Massacre. In November 2020, the Russian authorities organised a conference on the Katyń Massacre – several participants of the conference promoted the idea that the USSR and the NKVD were not responsible for this crime. These statements are an evident example of historical revisionism promoted by Russia – the Polish authorities continue to demand an investigation into this Soviet crime against the Polish nation.The Polish Institute of Historical Remembrance protested against the Russian attempts to distort the truth about Soviet crimes.See other disinformation messages connected to the Kremlin’s historical revisionism: Poland re-writes the history claiming that the USSR attacked it in September 1939; Accusing USSR of WWII outbreak, Poland distracts attention from its pre-war “miscalculations” and The pre-war Polish leadership bears all the blame for the tragedy of this country during WWII. | Historical revisionism, war crimes, USSR, Joseph Stalin, Nazi/Fascist, Anti-Russian, Cold War |
69 | 19.04.2023 | The West turns Ukraine into an anti-Russia neo-Nazi project | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-turns-ukraine-into-an-anti-russia-neo-nazi-project | pl.sputniknews.com | Ukraine, Russia, EU, US | Polish | The neo-Nazi regime established in Kyiv is not self-sufficient, and it follows orders from external supervisors in order to turn Ukraine into an anti-Russia project.The overseas supervisors turn a blind eye to the neo-Nazi essence of Ukraine and push it further down the path of self-destruction because of the complete readiness of the current Ukrainian leadership to deny everything related to Russia, destroying the true history of this country. | This is part of a disinformation campaign aiming to justify Russia’s unjustified military invasion of Ukraine, labelled in Kremlin misleading parlance as a “special military operation”. It is also consistent with disinformation narratives about Nazi Ukraine and it being a non-sovereign, West-ruled country.The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine has been actively used by pro-Kremlin outlets as one of the favorite tropes for years to denigrate Ukraine. The myth of Nazi-ruled Ukraine appeared during the Euromaidan popular protests in late 2013 - early 2014, falsely presented in pro-Kremlin disinformation as a coup. The Kremlin has been using this myth since then to discredit Ukraine's shift towards Euro-Atlantic policy.Read our recent articles on 7 myths of pro-Kremlin disinformation about the Russian military buildup near Ukraine, and Kremlin fabricated pretexts for the further invasion of Ukraine. For the background, see vol. 1 and vol. 2 of the series “What he said and what it really means”. | Anti-Russian, West, Nazi/Fascist, Puppets, Sovereignty |
70 | 19.04.2023 | Kyiv demands bribes from grain shipowners | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/kyiv-demands-bribes-from-grain-shipowners | raiseyasi.com,arabic.rt.com,addiyar.com,sana.sy,nna-leb.gov.lb,sahafahh.net,darelhilal.com,thawra.sy | Ukraine | Arabic | In Kyiv, not only do they disregard humane considerations, but also basic decency and morals; they are striving to forcefully exploit the Black Sea Grain Initiative by abusing procedural rules or asking for bribes from the shipowners. Everything in order to squeeze out the maximum profit. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the growing food crisis and supply insecurity by claiming that Kyiv demands bribes from grain shipowners. This accusation was provided with no evidence whatsoever. The claim was neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.This allegation goes in line with a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to blame Western countries for a global food crisis engineered by Russia as part of its unjustified full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In fact, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has destabilised global food markets and is driving food prices up due to increased cost of production, transport and freight insurance. Russia has also destroyed substantial Ukrainian food stocks, production, as well as processing and transport capacities in areas occupied in Ukraine. Further, Russian threats to shipping transport in the Black Sea reduced the export capacity from free Ukraine.Read similar cases that: Latvia, Estonia and other Western countries are causing global food shortage; the food crisis has nothing to do with the Russian special operation; Russia's actions did not and cannot affect the food problem in the world; and that the West blames Russia for the food crisis which was caused by sanctions. | food, Trade, Black Sea, Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Ukraine |
71 | 19.04.2023 | The US plans to overthrow Zelenskyy in a new Maidan | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-us-plans-to-overthrow-zelenskyy-in-a-new-maidan | arabic.rt.com,nabd.com | Ukraine, US | Arabic | Riots or rebellions may occur, but it will not be a "holy Maidan". No Maidan can be established without the approval of the American embassy. There is a message to Zelenskyy from Washington that they are not happy with him there. The United States may have, if not already, a plan to remove the Kyiv leader from power. The Americans will not simply let Zelenskyy win the elections scheduled for fall 2024 in Ukraine. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative questioning Ukrainian statehood and sovereignty. The statement was made in the context of the unprovoked full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine. The claim has been neither counterbalanced nor critically challenged in the article.Ukraine is a sovereign and independent state with a democratically-elected president and parliament, meaning that it is the Ukrainian voters who decide who the president is. Ukraine has a functioning government and economy, it is a member of many international organisations (e.g. United Nations, Council of Europe), and a party to international agreements. Ukraine has bilateral diplomatic relations with the majority of countries.Ukraine's sovereignty has been only violated by continuous acts of aggression by Russian armed forces since 2014 culminating in a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022.See similar cases that the West has turned Ukraine into a puppet; Ukraine is a colony with a puppet regime; Ukraine is a Western puppet that creates problems for Russia; and that the US has turned Ukraine into a puppet. | Volodymyr Zelensky, Euromaidan, Invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian statehood, Ukraine |
72 | 19.04.2023 | The West is taking away Ukrainian children like it did with indigenous people in America | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-west-is-taking-away-ukrainian-children-like-it-did-with-indigenous-people-in-america | pl.sputniknews.com | Ukraine, EU, US | Polish | It is important to prevent and stop the expansion of the policy of Western countries regarding the illegal taking away of children and the separation of families in Ukraine. “White Angels” - special groups in Ukraine that carry out forced evacuations of children from towns and villages located in the special military operation zone. It is similar to the US and the first British colonies in North America, where indigenous children were abducted and placed in special boarding schools far from their native lands. The practice of forced assimilation was replaced by a governmental program called the Indian Adoption Project, placing indigenous children in foreign families. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation about alleged Western and Ukrainian children deportations – this narrative is deployed in the context of Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.The pro-Kremlin media accuse Ukraine and Western countries of crimes against children, massive deportations and organ trafficking – at the same time, the Russian responsibility for the massive deportation of Ukrainian civilians, including children, and war crimes is well documented.The comparison of Western humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian children with the actions of the US/UK aimed at the assimilation of the indigenous population in North America is an evident manipulation.The abduction and forced transportation of Ukrainian children to Russia has been documented by the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Ukraine has already reported the actions of Russia’s children’s ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova to the International Criminal Court (ICC).On 17 March 2023, the ICC issued arrest warrants for two individuals in the context of the situation in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova.The court alleges Vladimir Putin is responsible for war crimes, and has focused its claims on the unlawful deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia.It says the crimes were committed in Ukraine from 24 February 2022 - when Russia launched its full-scale invasion.In a statement, the ICC said it had reasonable grounds to believe Putin committed the criminal acts directly, as well as working with others. It also accused him of failing to use his presidential powers to stop children being deported.Read also related cases: Children’s medical records found in Mariupol suggest an organ trafficking ring, Wounded Ukrainian warriors’ blood is pumped out and internal organs sold, Ukraine’s Health Ministry allows dead Ukrainians to be sold for organs, Ukrainians deported children from Donbas and probably sold their organs. | Stealing children, children, Human rights, War in Ukraine |
73 | 19.04.2023 | The annexation of Crimea brought peace and prosperity to this region | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/the-annexation-of-crimea-brought-peace-and-prosperity-to-this-region | pl.sputniknews.com | Russia, Ukraine | Polish | The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Empire 240 years ago brought peace, prosperity and security to this region. Even today, 240 years after Catherine II signed the historical manifesto, the inhabitants of Crimea admire the genius of the empress, who foresaw the future for hundreds of years ahead. Today it is impossible not to remember how in 1991, Crimea and other Russian lands were thrown out of the Russian universe in a drunken madness. Although, in the end, Crimea, the Russian ancestral land, returned home. | Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the illegal annexation of Crimea and an attempt to distort the historical truth about the XVIII century Russian incorporation of Crimea.The Crimean Peninsula was incorporated into the Russian Empire in 1783. The Russian control over the Peninsula did not bring the local population any “peace and prosperity”. Immediately after the Russian takeover, the local peoples living in Crimea (Crimean Tatars, Karaims, Greeks, Armenians, etc.) faced large-scale deportations. Throughout the XVIII and XIX centuries, at least 400.000 Crimean Tatars were forced to leave Crimea, moving to present-day Turkey. In a similar way, the local Karaims and Greeks were resettled to other parts of the Russian Empire.As a result of these massive deportations and migration, Moscow managed to increase the number of ethnic Russians living in Crimea (who had never lived in this area before the XIX century). Moscow managed to establish a relative majority of ethnic Russians living in Crimea only after the genocidal 1944 deportation of all the Crimean Tatars living in this region.This article acknowledges the fact that Russian control over Crimea was established only 240 years ago – yet claims that Crimea “has always been Russian” and is “Russian ancestral land”. The history of the Crimean Peninsula lasts for over 2.500 years.See previous disinformation narratives in our database alleging that Crimean people chose to be with Russia; that Crimea’s reunification with Russia was legal; that Ukraine was led by nationalist extremists and fascists; or that Crimea never belonged to Ukraine or that Crimea is a Russian sovereign region. | Crimea, illegal annexation, Historical revisionism |
74 | 19.04.2023 | Die Welt proposed to kill Putin | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/die-welt-proposed-to-kill-putin | Rossiya 1 | Russia, Germany | Russian | The West does not hide that it is preparing for a full-scale world war. They do everything to make it come as soon as possible. Die Welt published an article, with a headline, in which they are directly calling for the assassination of the supreme commander [Vladimir Putin]. | The claim is untrue. Die Welt published an opinion called "The post-Putin scenario" (this pro-Kremlin media outlet might be referring to it, without specifying the article). The article does not call "to kill Putin".The author of this op-ed warns about attempts to try and change the Russian political regime artificially: "Many current focal points and long-term important issues had to recede into the background - because a Russian President living in his alternative reality is launching a war of annihilation in Europe. Of course, it is primarily up to Russia's citizens to make decisions about their government or those in power. It would be easiest if the people in Russia could simply vote out the current regime. But free and fair elections are not possible in Russia. <>And yet every Russian citizen has to make a very fundamental choice: do they want to continue to accept Putinism, or do they want to distance themselves from it? Those Russians who have bravely organised themselves into smaller protest groups or who have moved their media offices to Georgia or Lithuania have made their choice. But millions haven't, or haven't yet."The opinion concludes: "Every democratic country - whether in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa or Latin America - should be invited to take an active part in maintaining and improving a rules-based international order and thus against Russian Putinism".Political forecasts for "Russia's future after Putin" cannot be equated with calls to "kill Putin". Vladimir Putin, born in 1952, will run for the next election in 2024. Since Russia is a democracy on paper, other candidates will be allowed, as well as non systemic opposition, as it is called in Russia, may also campaign. Die Welt's article clearly refers to legal mechanisms of condemning Russia's war crimes and political processes which await Russia in the future.See more about Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Russia's war crimes in Ukraine. See more disinformation claims on Vladimir Putin and their debunks. | Invasion of Ukraine, War in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin |
75 | 19.04.2023 | Ukrainian grain further increases the divide between Old Europe-Eastern Europe | https://euvsdisinfo.eu/report/ukrainian-grain-further-increases-the-divide-between-old-europe-eastern-europe | russtrat.ru | EU, Poland, Ukraine | Russian | On April 15, Poland temporarily banned the supply of Ukrainian grain, sugar, dairy products, seeds, flax and hemp, fruits, vegetables, wine, meat, and bee products. By April 17, the embargo was approved by Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia, and later by Bulgaria.[...] Brussels categorically opposed the grain restrictions imposed by Poland.We have an increase in the split along the Old Europe-Eastern Europe line, the need to find 100-200 million euros to compensate farmers, a decrease in the inflow of foreign currency to Ukraine, and local political crises in Poland and Romania. | Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the EU disintegration, challenging the EU unity, aiming to deflect Russia’s responsibility for the growing food crisis. This false allegation goes in line with a wider pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign aiming to blame Western countries for a global food crisis which is aggravated and engineered by Russia as part of its unjustified aggression against Ukraine.The EU is working on solutions together with Ukraine and concerned neighbour EU Member States that address the current situation, while making sure to continue to support Ukraine and preserve its capabilities to export its grains. These exports are critical to feeding the world and keeping food prices down, in the face of the huge challenges posed by the Russian invasion.To better understand the situation when preparing the first support package, the European Commission invited the concerned Member States to provide a detailed assessment of the impact of increased imports from Ukraine on farmers’ normal farming operations, taking into account, among others, the supply availabilities and production value potentially affected. The European Commission analysed the information received and proposed support to the most affected Member States from the EU agricultural reserve funds.On 21 April, 2023, Romania and Poland lifted the ban on Ukrainian grain while awaiting the EU decision.It’s important to recall that the reason for the issue is Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine which agricultural export used to feed 400 million people around the world, including in some countries with food supply vulnerabilities. Russia stopping this war is the best way to improve the critical global food security situation.It is Russia cynically trying to suffocate the Ukrainian economy incl. the food export via the seaborne export through the Black Sea with Russian attacks and blockade of certain harbours, agriculture infrastructure, farming land, and machinery. This has pushed a part of Ukraine’s export onto roads and rail, where the EU Solidarity Lanes have been crucial to secure the transport of Ukrainian food to the world market since May 2022. Russia’s war is twisting normal business flows and seeking to create wedges between states.The EU is taking further actions to facilitate the transit of Ukrainian grain exports via the Solidarity Lanes so that they reach those countries in need. This includes continued work on lowering overall logistics costs, better-coordinating transit, and enhancing infrastructure in ports, border interconnections, and other conduits under the EU Solidarity Lanes, as well as supporting the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI). | War in Ukraine, Invasion of Ukraine, food, EU disintegration, Eastern Europe |
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