Category International community

How to Terminate Russian Disinformation

By Zviad Adzinbaia, for CEPA

Russia's failed invasion of Ukraine can pave the way to ending the Kremlin's weaponized disinformation against the West.
Twitter limited more than 300 Russian government accounts last month, including that of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The move followed the European Union's (EU) 27 February ban on Russia's two state-run propaganda outlets, RT and Sputnik, three days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Meta followed by "restricting access to RT and Sputnik across the EU."

These measures set a precedent to clear Russia's disinformation networks from Western media and social media space.

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Fake: Germany Begins Ukrainian Refugee Selection

Germany is not conducting any kind of selection of Ukrainian refugees. Germany continues to receive all refugees from Ukraine. Ukrainians do not have to apply for asylum, they are granted temporary protection status which includes all social benefits provided for in Germany's Residence Law Article 24. Once registered with the authorities, these protections are valid for one year and may be extended for up to three years.

Read MoreFake: Germany Begins Ukrainian Refugee Selection

Video featured since 2020 in reports about Turkish attack in Syria, does not show Ukraine

After Russia pressed on with its invasion of Ukraine, a video surfaced in social media posts in various languages claiming it shows a Ukrainian drone attack on Russian tanks. But the footage -- which has been viewed tens of thousands of times -- has been shared in a false context. It has circulated since March 2020 in reports about a Turkish drone assault on Syrian forces.

Read MoreVideo featured since 2020 in reports about Turkish attack in Syria, does not show Ukraine

No credible reports indicate that Starlink was used in Russian ship attack

• There are no credible government or media reports that indicate the Starlink satellite service was used to facilitate the attack on the Russian ship Moskva.

• The Russian government did not order the destruction of the Starlink satellite service. That claim originated on a fraudulent website falsely identifying itself as the official website of a Russian political party.

Our ruling
A Facebook post says, "Space X's Starlink internet constellation has angered Russia as it was reported that the Starlink satellite constellation was used to guide the fire" on the Russian ship Moskva.

But there are no credible government or media reports that indicate the Starlink service was involved in the attack on Moskva. The claim that a Russian official ordered the destruction of the Starlink satellite service originated on a fraudulent website.

We rate this claim False.

Read MoreNo credible reports indicate that Starlink was used in Russian ship attack

FACT CHECK: No, The Rothschild Family Does Not Own Reuters And The Associated Press | Check Your Fact

Verdict: False
There is no evidence the Rothschild family owns Reuters or AP. Reuters is owned by the Thomson Corporation and the AP is a non-profit cooperative formed by various newspapers and broadcasters.

Read MoreFACT CHECK: No, The Rothschild Family Does Not Own Reuters And The Associated Press | Check Your Fact

Fake: Ukrainian Officials Sell Javelins to Hamas and Hezbollah Militants

There is absolutely no evidence that substantiates information disseminated online that Ukraine sold high precision weapons to Islamists under the guise of "surplus". Lists of military equipment that Ukraine sells abroad are published in the public domain. There are no Javelins on the list.

Read MoreFake: Ukrainian Officials Sell Javelins to Hamas and Hezbollah Militants

Posts do not show ‘Putin condemning Denmark for plundering Indonesian oil tanker’

A video has been viewed millions of times in social media posts that claim it shows Russian President Vladimir Putin angrily condemning Danish authorities for "plundering" an Indonesian tanker after it collected oil from Russia. This is false; the footage shows a ship that was blocked off the coast of Denmark in March 2022 by Greenpeace activists who were calling for a ban on the import of fossil fuels from Russia. The clip of Putin was taken from an unrelated speech he gave in March 2021, in which he accused the West of trying to "cancel" Russian culture.

Read MorePosts do not show ‘Putin condemning Denmark for plundering Indonesian oil tanker’

Social media posts overplay North Korea’s support for Russian invasion of Ukraine, analysts say

Social media posts claim North Korea has decided to send troops to Ukraine to support Russia, citing a report by Russian state media. However, the report makes no mention of North Korea sending troops to Ukraine. There have been no official reports or statements to support the claim, as of April 26. North Korean experts told AFP it was "highly unlikely" that Pyongyang would deploy troops to Ukraine.

Read MoreSocial media posts overplay North Korea’s support for Russian invasion of Ukraine, analysts say