Fact check: Russia’s influence on Africa
Russia seeks to gain influence in Africa in several ways, from disinformation campaigns to sending Wagner Group mercenaries. Why is Africa so important to Vladimir Putin?
Russian propaganda
Read MoreFact check: Russia’s influence on Africa
Fake: Wikipedia Article Shows Kyiv Knew in Advance Odesa Transfiguration Cathedral Strike
Information about the destruction of the Odesa Transfiguration Cathedral
appeared in the Wikipedia article about the church shortly after it became
clear which buildings were damaged by the Russian attack on Odesa during
the night of July 23. Ukrainian Wikipedia administrator Anatoliy Lutsyuk
explains that the editing history of Wikipedia uses UTC time, which
currently is three hours ahead of Kyiv time.
Fake: Russia Has Never Used Cluster Bombs Against Ukraine
Numerous reports from international human rights organizations prove that
since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has
regularly deployed cluster bombs against Ukrainian civilians and Ukrainian
civilian infrastructure. One such cluster munitions attack was the April
8, 2022, Russian missile strike on the Kramatorsk railway station, which
killed at least 58 civilians and injured some 100 people.
No, Zelensky hasn’t “canceled” Ukrainian elections
Accusations have circulated on social media that President Zelensky of Ukraine has cancelled elections in Ukraine, and extended martial law in order to remain in power.
In fact, holding elections now, under wartime conditions, would almost guarantee another Zelensky victory. It would also be illegal under Ukrainian laws that predate Zelensky's time in power.
Fake: Ukraine Secretly Transplants Soldiers’ Organs
Ukrainian legislation has prohibited organ transplants of servicemen who
died during hostilities in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions since 2019. A
new draft law under review is designed to clarify previously adopted norms,
broadening the ban on organ removal from servicemen who died in the line of
duty anywhere in Ukraine, where hostilities are taking place.
Did Elijah Wood Tell Zelensky via Instagram to Go to Rehab?
Apart from the fact that the video has been bizarrely edited, it does not mention Zelensky, only someone named Vladimir, and is attributed to an Instagram account with no web presence.
Elijah Wood does not have a public Instagram account and the video being shared of him online, allegedly asking Zelensky to seek treatment, is the only recording available. The video appears to have been spread as a Russian propaganda effort and to promote a dubious documentary that falsely credits Tom Cruise as its star.
Although Newsweek is yet to hear from Wood's representatives for comment, we are confident that the video and claims surrounding it are, respectively, inauthentic and false.
Fake: Zelenskyy’s office is discussing splitting up Ukraine
The Ukrainian government has repeatedly emphasized that it is not going to cede its territory to Russia for peace. For Ukraine, there is only one acceptable way to end the Russian war: the undisputed victory of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the de-occupation of all Ukrainian lands.
Joe Rogan Claims U.S. Accidentally Sent $6.2 Billion to Ukraine
The U.S. did not accidentally send $6.2 billion to Ukraine. An overestimation of the cost of some military hardware meant that $6.2 billion was not spent in the transfer of U.S. stocks to Ukraine.
While the DOD has said that this can now be used toward future stock drawdowns authorized by the president, that does not mean $6.2 billion has been sent accidentally, and all that implies, to Ukraine.
Fake: Sumy Region Residents are Compelled to Pay for “Forced Evacuation”
These reports are a complete fabrication. Evacuation from the border areas of Sumy region has not yet begun. The local authorities are still compiling lists of those willing to move to safer regions, after which free transfers and accommodation will be organized for internally displaced persons (IDPs). Sumy Regional Military Administration emphasizes that there will be no emergency or forced evacuation. If someone decides to refuse to be evacuated, it is enough to write a request.
Resource: “Vatnik Soup” – a guide to pro-Russian propagandists
A project by Finnish academic Pekka Kallioniemi:
"#vatniksoup is a Twitter thread series (and a hashtag!) where I’ll introduce pro-Russian actors and propagandists from around the world, be they so-called “independent journalists”, politicians, military personnel or just regular grifters looking to get some easy money.
The series also has introductions and deeper insights on how online propaganda and disinformation works and is spread. For example, I’ll talk about troll farms, social media manipulation and Russia’s online information operations."