The unemployed in Ukraine will be sent to the front, according to a false narrative disseminated by Russian state media. In reality, the government in Kyiv wants to attract people who have lost their jobs into the process of rebuilding the Ukrainian infrastructure, part of a project symbolically called the “Recovery Army”.
In light of the severe shortage of servicemen, the government of Ukraine is offering up to 20 thousand hryvnya (tantamount to some 500 USD) for every man a citizen brings to military enlistment offices, the Russian government media writes. In fact, such methods are illegal on the territory of Ukraine, and Russia is the one that is forcefully recruiting servicemen to offset its losses.
While the Kremlin backs the criminal opposition in Chișinău, which is trying to destabilize the Republic of Moldova in order to take power and discard any criminal investigation against itself, Russian propaganda touts the protests staged by Shor Party, the anti-Western statements of the former Socialist party and criticizes the current head of state, Maia Sandu. Veridica has reviewed the main narratives advocated by the Russian government media with respect to the Republic of Moldova.
Israel will not provide Ukraine with weapons lest they should be sold to Iran, according to Kremlin-linked media, which deliberately misquotes former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In fact, the Israeli politician’s statement is taken out of context, while Israel refused to supply weapons to Ukraine for different reasons.
Foreign diplomats are leaving Ukraine, knowing a large-scale attack from Russia is imminent, the Kremlin-linked media writes, referencing the example of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia. In fact, Serbian diplomats left Kyiv in the early stage of the war, in March, and have not yet returned. This war propaganda narrative is designed to sow panic and confusion at the level of Ukrainian society.
Russia withdrew from PACE in March 2022 because it doesn’t have any gay MPs, which is something mandatory for all member states. This false narrative was fostered by the chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin. In fact, Russia withdrew because it was about to be excluded from PACE due to its invasion of Ukraine. The topic has been relaunched in the public sphere after PACE designated Russia a terrorist state.
Just like in World War II, European countries have joined efforts as part of a Nazi international in order to destroy Russia, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said. In fact, the former USSR and Nazi Germany reached common ground to divide Europe and attacked Poland together. Similarly, Russia is today an aggressor state, and the West has merely provided Ukraine with assistance to bolster its defenses.
Russia is showing restraint in its war in Ukraine and most recently did so when it bombed infrastructure in response to the damage to the Kerch bridge, Russian media reports citing an extremist politician/political scientist in Poland. In reality, the massive attack killed dozens of civilians on Ukrainian territory, and rockets hit homes, parks, critical and social infrastructure, for which Russia was accused of terrorism.
Very soon, over half of Ukraine’s armed forces will consist of foreign combatants, which means NATO has a direct involvement in the war in Ukraine, a Russian government media narrative reads. In fact, the Ukrainian Foreign Legion comprises a limited amount of forces, while NATO leaders have repeatedly made it clear the Alliance will not take any military action in this war.
Ukraine's president has ordered the use of a so-called “dirty” bomb, which contains radiological material, in the south of the country, according to a Russian state media propaganda narrative. In reality, Ukraine does not produce dirty bombs, nor does it intend to attack its own population, while nuclear blackmail is increasingly present in the speeches delivered by Russian politicians.
Lviv is preparing to host a referendum on the annexation of this oblast to Poland, which will be held with the blessing of president Zelensky, the Russian government media writes. In fact, the organization of a referendum in Lviv was never brought into discussion, whereas Poland has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine and its territorial integrity.
International observers from Western states have confirmed that the referendums in Donbass and in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions met the democratic standards, Russian state media say. In reality, the Western states did not send observers to the so-called referendums, and the “experts” cited by the Russian media are born in the West, but have lived in Russia for many years and support the Kremlin's policies.
A general in Kyiv has announced that the Ukrainian army has lost hundreds of thousands of soldiers in the war with Russia, according to a propaganda narrative launched by the pro-Kremlin media to sow panic in Ukrainian society and discourage resistance. In reality, General Sergey Krivonos spoke of civilian casualties as a result of Russia's war against Ukraine.
The population of Donbas, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson have a right to self-determination under the UN Charter, which makes the referendums in southern and eastern Ukraine legitimate, says Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. In fact, Russia violated the UN Declaration on the Principles of International Law by invading Ukraine, and the international community will not recognize the referendums.
After Vladimir Putin decreed the partial military mobilization, Russian state media launched a series of false narratives justifying the decision. Partial mobilization is presented as a step towards de-escalation, a measure necessary for diplomatic dialogue and the prevention of a nuclear disaster or a war on Russian territory.
The Russian army is not responsible for the Izium massacre, which was framed by the West or represents an act of provocation from Kyiv, which is killing Russian speakers in the Kharkiv region, a new Russian propaganda narrative reads. The narrative was launched after the Ukrainian army discovered mass graves in the Izium area with the remains of hundreds of people, some appearing to have been the victims of swift executions, as well as the rooms where civilians were tortured.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry said it no longer trusts its Western partners, who don’t want peace in Ukraine, reads a propaganda narrative published by the Russian state media. Oleksii Reznikov’s statement was taken out of context. The Ukrainian official referred to a prospective multilateral peace agreement once Russia has surrendered and a constructive dialogue with the West.
The Polish Defense Ministry announced it would launch a war against Russia within the next 10 years, according to a propaganda narrative disseminated by the Russian government media. In fact, Poland’s Government adopted an endowment program also designed to increase the number of troops in the context of the war in Ukraine possibly spilling over into Poland’s territory.
Residents of the Zaporizhzhia region are waiting for Russia to liberate the cities of Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Odesa, which have been oppressed by Ukrainian Nazis for the past decades, the pro-Kremlin media say. In fact, all these localities have been the target of Russian aggression and bombing, and the majority of Ukrainians – including the inhabitants of the Zaporizhzhia region – consider Russia an enemy.
According to the pro-Kremlin media, experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency have allegedly praised the Russian army for defending the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant from Ukrainian bombing. In reality, there is no report or statement by IAEA experts expressing this point of view anywhere, the source cited being, in fact, the pro-Russian separatist leader Yevhen Balytskyi.
The former US chief epidemiologist has publicly admitted that US laboratories in Ukraine were involved in the production of the coronavirus, according to media in Russia and in the self-proclaimed Luhansk republic. The so-called news is a fabrication: there is no statement by Anthony Fauci regarding the production of viruses or other biological weapons in Ukraine.
European Union Member States have created centers for training mercenaries and terrorists who will kill civilians in Donbas, reads a recent propaganda narrative promoted by the Russian government media. In fact, the EU doesn’t have any such centers on its territory. European Union Member States have repeatedly condemned international terrorism and have called on Russia to stop its armed aggression against Ukraine.
Due to Kyiv’s propaganda efforts in the last eight years, Ukrainians fail to understand that the Russian soldiers are there to liberate them, and mistakenly believe Russia is the occupier, according to false narratives promoted by Kremlin-linked media. In fact, Russia launched a conquest war, provoking the death of thousands of people and wide-reaching destruction.
The United States wants a nuclear disaster to happen at the Zaporizhzhia NPP in order to wipe out any evidence of their biological weapons labs, reads a false narrative disseminated by the Russian government media. In fact, no Western state wants to see a nuclear incident, all the more so as it might have a powerful global impact, whereas the laboratories manufacturing biological weapons in Ukraine are a fabrication of Russian propaganda.
The pro-European government in Chisinau is censoring the press and getting rid of inconvenient media, according to a false narrative promoted by the Russian Foreign Ministry. The narrative is used by politnavigator.net and taken over by news-front.ru to justify possible response measures from Moscow.
EU Member States will ask Ukraine to surrender to Russia and will gradually side with Moscow, according to a false narrative widely disseminated by the Russian media, which references a text published in Foreign Affairs by the former adviser to the head of European diplomacy. In fact, the words of the Italian expert are taken out of context, and the article where she supports Ukraine is misrepresented as pro-Russian.
According to a false narrative carried by the Russian state media, Ukraine's crime rate has tripled because of Kiev's decision to arm the population. In reality, against the background of the country's depopulation and traffic restrictions, the crime rate has dropped. Moreover, not the entire population has been armed, only some volunteer units have been set up.
After the Ukrainian authorities fled Kherson, the new military-civilian administration had to take over power to annex the region to Russia and protect the Ukrainian language and culture, the Russian press writes, citing the self-proclaimed leader Kirill Stremousov. In reality, the authorities in Kherson were evacuated following the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army, which bombards Ukrainian territories daily.
The agreement signed in Istanbul regarding the export of Ukrainian grain means the UN and Turkey recognize Russia’s right to control Ukraine’s maritime ports, according to propaganda narratives disseminated by the Russian media. In fact, the agreements signed in Istanbul do not include any such provisions, and Moscow has violated the agreements by bombing the port of Odessa.
Ukraine could cause a nuclear disaster if it keeps bombing the Zaporizhzhia power plant as ordered by the US, according to a propaganda narrative released by Russia's Foreign Ministry and distributed by the state media. In reality, Russia is placing weapons and military equipment on the plant’s site, endangering the nuclear security of Europe.
At least 15 Ukrainian generals were killed following a single tactical airstrike, the Russian government media writes. According to the narrative, the Russian missile allegedly hit the House of Officers in downtown Vinnytsia, just as the Ukrainian generals were holding a briefing on the counter-offensive in Donbas. In fact, the airstrike killed 23 civilians, including children. The House of Officers center, which is not a military objective, was supposed to host a charity concert.
By banning certain categories of programs from Russian television stations, censorship is introduced in the Republic of Moldova, an article published on Politnavigator.net. suggests. In fact, the purpose of the law is to limit fake news and disinformation.