Category European Union

Fabricated quote about defeating Russia to ‘avenge Napoleon, Hitler’ attributed to EU diplomat

As Western countries pledged to step up deliveries of weapons to Ukraine, social media users in Thailand shared a fabricated quote that the European Union's most senior diplomat Josep Borrell called to "keep using Ukrainians as our bait" in order to defeat Russia and "avenge Napoleon and Hitler". While Borrell mentioned Napoleon and Hitler in a speech about the war in Ukraine, he was speaking in the context of Russia's past military victories and did not say they should be "avenged".

February 7, 2023

Disinformation NATO Fact checks / debunkings European Union Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

Fake: Posters in Stuttgart Airport Calling on German Government Not to Send Tanks to…

A doctored image is being circulated online. According to the Stuttgart
Airport press service, the monitor featured in the doctored image only
broadcasts commercial advertisements or periodic notifications to
passengers about security checks and operational changes.

January 24, 2023

Disinformation Military aid Russian propaganda Coordinated disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Germany European Union Misconceptions Ukraine Russia Aid to Ukraine International community

Fact check: Does the EU prioritize Ukrainian refugees?

Claim: Ukrainian refugees are given priority.

DW fact check: True

November 12, 2022

United Nations Fact checks / debunkings European Union Ukraine International community

Finland did not advise citizens to ‘urgently buy iodine tablets after escalation of war in Ukraine’

Several Thai posts have shared a misleading claim that the Finnish government advised its citizens to urgently buy iodine tablets after an escalation of the war in Ukraine. It circulated in October 2022 after the Nordic country updated its guidelines on the use of iodine in case of a radiation hazard. A government official told AFP that events in Ukraine would not compromise radiation safety in Finland. They added that their guidelines aim to ensure there is protection for the most vulnerable in case of an emergency resulting from a nuclear reactor accident, as they are heavily dependent on nuclear power.

October 26, 2022

NATO Escalation / WWIII Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Putin Methods European Union Narratives Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community Finland

Manipulation: European Countries Reneging on Military Promises to Ukraine

A recent Politico article has given rise to Russian propagandist manipulation about European promises to Ukraine. The article makes no mention about discarded European promises and focuses on two problems: the current depletion of weapons stocks in those countries that have been actively helping Ukraine since the beginning of the war, and the delay in the transfer of weapons from Germany and France to Ukraine. Because of this, six European countries did not make new weapons commitments in July, however, they did not renounce their previous ones. A pause in military transfers is not a point of no return, it is just that, a pause, to be renewed in the future.

August 18, 2022

Disinformation Military aid Russian propaganda Coordinated disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Germany European Union Misconceptions Poland Ukraine Russia Aid to Ukraine UK International community France Italy Spain

Fake: European Parliament Finds No Evidence Russia Sponsors Terrorism

Russian media claims that the European Parliament found no evidence that Russia sponsors terrorism is the opinion of only one parliamentarian - Gunnar Beck, a member of the pro-Russian Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) party. Beck however did not say anything about the European Parliament and its decisions regarding Russia and terrorism.

August 13, 2022

Russian propaganda Attacks on civilians Genocide vs Ukraine (2022-)Fact checks / debunkings Genocide Germany European Union Ukraine Russia War crimes International community Lithuania

Manipulation: EU Demands Ukraine Make Concessions to Russia, Says Former Foreign Affairs Advisor

On the contrary, former EU foreign affairs advisor Nathalie Tocci urges EU countries to maintain their unity and warns against any concessions to Russia, especially if hostilities in Ukraine diminish. Tocci emphasises that when the violence subsides, the West must show its true resilience and redouble its support for Kyiv, not only to ensure that Russia loses this war, but that Ukraine actually wins it.

August 11, 2022

Disinformation Russian propaganda Coordinated disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Negotiations and peace deals European Union Narratives Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

Manipulation: Majority of Europeans Against New Russian Sanctions

According to a YouGov poll, the idea of introducing new additional sanctions against Russia has strong support among Europeans: 74% of those surveyed in Poland, 75% in the UK, 76% in Spain, 55% in Germany, 56% in Italy, 62% in France, all support the introduction of additional economic sanctions against Russia in their country. What the Europeans are unwilling to support are further sanctions against Russia if it would negatively impact their own standard of living. It was this single indicator - one of many in the survey - that the Kremlin media focused on, portraying it as the overall European sentiment on sanctions, thereby manipulating the integrity of the YouGov survey data.

August 10, 2022

Disinformation Russian propaganda Coordinated disinformation Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Germany Methods European Union Misconceptions Poland Ukraine Russia UK International community France Italy Spain

Manipulation: Gazprom Cannot Supply More Gas Because of Russia Sanctions

Sanctions and Siemens turbine "technical problems" are not an impediment to the normal operation of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. The significant reduction in Russian gas supplies to Europe and Germany in particular, happened for political reasons and not because the turbine hasn't been repaired, as Russia claims. The Russian Federation continues to use its energy resources as a tool to blackmail EU countries for their support of Ukraine.

August 10, 2022

Disinformation Coordinated disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Germany European Union Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

Manipulation: Europe Refuses to Recognize Russia’s War in Ukraine as Aggression, Declines ‘Special Tribunal”

Russian media manipulatively distorted the sense of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba's statement about a possible special Russia tribunal to address war crimes and atrocities committed by the Russian military in their war against Ukraine. The European Union, the United States and many other countries support the establishment of such an international tribunal, and while all agree that it is a necessity, the format of the court is still under discussion.

August 7, 2022

Disinformation Russian propaganda Coordinated disinformation Fact checks / debunkings USA European Union Misconceptions Ukraine Russia War crimes International community