Category Russian propaganda

Anti-Russian Ð¡onspiracy: Russia’s Ukrainian Grain Narratives

Ukrainian grain and Russia's blockade of Ukrainian ports have become one of the central themes for Russian propaganda since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The range of Russian narratives on this topic is vast: from statements that Russia is "not involved" in the shelling of Ukrainian grain storage facilities and grain export port infrastructure, to stories about a "global conspiracy" against Russia, which is "not allowed to trade" grain, stolen from temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories.

StopFake collected and analyzed the main Russian narratives about Ukrainian grain.

July 25, 2022

Russian propaganda Fact checks / debunkings Ukraine Russia

Fake: Temporarily Occupied Part of Zaporizhzhia Region “Establishes International Contacts”

The international community does not recognize occupied Crimea or other Ukrainian occupied territories as independent republics, or the territory of Russia. Vladimir Rogov, quoted by Russian propaganda about alleged international contacts, is under European sanctions for threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, and has no authority to "establish contacts" with anyone, because he does not represent any official authorities.

July 25, 2022

Russian propaganda Fact checks / debunkings Faked news reports Methods European Union Ukraine Russia International community

Odesa Missile Strike Fakes: “Ukrainians bomb themselves,”, “HIMARS hit Odesa” and “UN not condemning…

On July 24th Russia's Defense Ministry confirmed that Odesa was shelled by Russian armed forces. The information that a warehouse was hit with Harpoon missiles is likely untrue. The Ukrainian Military's press office said that Russian Kalibr cruise missiles damaged a pumping station. The types of explosions that rocked the port of Odesa do not indicate that an ammunition depot was struck. The United Nations Secretary-General AntÃ³nio Guterres explicitly condemned the strikes on the port. This attack took place less than 24 hours after Russia signed an agreement freeing up grain export from Ukrainian ports.

July 24, 2022

United Nations Disinformation Russian propaganda Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

Fake: Ukrainian Refugees Brawl on Italian Highway

Ukrainians were not involved in any way in the video that was published by Russian propagandists showing protesters blocking traffic. It was not Ukrainians who were blocking the road to traffic, but local environmental activists from the Extinction Rebellion organization.

July 19, 2022

Disinformation Russian propaganda Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Faked news reports Methods Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community Italy

Fake: US Kyiv Embassy and Odesa Consulate Evacuated

Russian claims that the US Embassy in Ukraine has evacuated its staff and ceased working is not true. Both the embassy and its consulates continue working. Claims that the Odesa consulate has closed are completely ridiculous, as that particular office closed four years ago in 1918.

July 18, 2022

Disinformation Russian propaganda Fact checks / debunkings Misconceptions Ukraine Russia

Manipulation: Ukraine Gives Poland Right to Distribute Ukrainian Passports

Starting in August, Ukrainians who were granted asylum in Poland will be able to process identification cards through the foreign division of Ukraine's State Migration Service. The Polish government has absolutely nothing to do with this new program.

July 15, 2022

Russian propaganda Fact checks / debunkings Ukraine Russia

Manipulation: EU Afraid of Ukrainian Weapon and Drug Smuggling

To strengthen border security in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, on July 11 the EU launched a Support Hub for internal security and border management in Moldova. Neither the program nor the announcement mention Ukraine reselling western weapons or being involved in drug trafficking.

July 13, 2022

Disinformation Russian propaganda Media taken out of context Fact checks / debunkings Methods European Union Misconceptions Ukraine Russia International community

Land documents claiming Ukrainian officials bought fancy properties in Switzerland are forged

A Swiss land registry official said that documents claiming to show purchases of luxury properties by Ukrainian officials are forged.

The documents contain errors, such as the wrong digit count in numbers identifying the property.

A Swiss newspaper said the false claims were the work of a blogger loyal to the Kremlin.

Our ruling
A website claimed that three high-ranking Ukrainian officials had purchased luxury property in the resort town of Gstaad, Switzerland.

A Swiss land registry official said the documents cited as evidence were forged; errors in them prove that they did not come from the registry, the official said.

We rate this claim False.

July 13, 2022

Corruption Disinformation Russian propaganda Coordinated disinformation Fact checks / debunkings Narratives Outrageous luxuries Misconceptions Ukraine Russia

Fake: 50% of Ukrainian Refugees Plan to Stay in Poland

News sites have taken recent polling data about Ukrainian refugees in Poland and distorted the findings to form a completely wrong conclusion. Among the surveys conducted of Ukrainian refugees in Poland, only 17% said they plan to stay in Poland.

July 12, 2022

Russian propaganda Fact checks / debunkings Minorities in Ukraine Poland Ukraine Russia International community

Fake: Ukrainian Refugees Cut Swastika in German Field

Ukrainian refugees are accused by Russian social media users of mowing a huge swastika into a field in Brandenburg, Germany. These accusations are unfounded. According to German media, the Nazi symbol, which has been banned in Germany since the end of WWII, could have been made by a local villager.

July 11, 2022

Disinformation Antisemitism Russian propaganda Nazism Fact checks / debunkings Germany Misconceptions Ukraine Russia Hatred and bigotry International community