Ukraine crisis: Latest news, analysis, video interviews, video reports

Why Kyiv’s security framework is unlikely to create “a new NATO”
Why Kyiv’s security framework is unlikely to create “a new NATO”

Ukraine has been willing, in negotiations with Russia, to drop its aspirations to join the North Atlantic Alliance if it receives the security guarantees which is trying to present to the population as a "NATO of its own". The solution is less feasible now, when the parties seem to be negotiating rather to gain time.

Marin Gherman
14 Apr 2022
The Republic of Moldova wants to ban the symbols of the Russian army and to block Moscow’s propaganda. How are the pro-Russian politicians reacting to this
The Republic of Moldova wants to ban the symbols of the Russian army and to block Moscow’s propaganda. How are the pro-Russian politicians reacting to this

The Republic of Moldova is intensifying its efforts to combat Russian propaganda. The Chisinau Parliament adopted, in first reading, a series of normative acts which, on the one hand, ban symbols associated with the Russian army and the invasion of Ukraine, and on the other hand, provide the state institutions with new tools to stop propaganda in the audio-visual media and online environment.

A brief story history of Russian propaganda in Latvia since the 1990s and how it intensified as the crisis in Ukraine deepened
A brief story history of Russian propaganda in Latvia since the 1990s and how it intensified as the crisis in Ukraine deepened

Despite the fact that during the last eight years the Russian propaganda has targeted mainly Ukraine, Kremlin did not forget the Baltic States and Latvia. On the one hand Latvia itself was targeted, on the other propaganda and disinformation about Ukraine and NATO were promoted as well.

DISINFORMATION:  NATO will not defend its members in the event of a conflict with Russia
DISINFORMATION: NATO will not defend its members in the event of a conflict with Russia

NATO is a weak organization that, in the event of a conflict with Russia, will not even defend its own members, as it has not defended Ukraine, writes in a comment ehomd.info, a web page blocked by the Intelligence and Security Service after the start of the war in Ukraine for spreading fake news.

Veridica
11 Apr 2022
DISINFORMATION: Kyiv is torturing war prisoners and refuses to observe the Geneva Convention
DISINFORMATION: Kyiv is torturing war prisoners and refuses to observe the Geneva Convention

Kyiv has officially refused to comply with the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war and Russian soldiers are being “tortured” by Ukrainian “neo-Nazis”. The false narrative has been launched by the Russian Ministry of Defense and distributed by the Russian media.

Marin Gherman
09 Apr 2022
Three Soviet myths taken over by Putin’s propaganda that were shattered after the invasion of Ukraine
Three Soviet myths taken over by Putin’s propaganda that were shattered after the invasion of Ukraine

Russia, USSR’s successor, has carried over many of the latter’s myths under Vladimir Putin, particularly those regarding its might and military strength. These myths are deeply ingrained in the collective mindset of people in ex-Soviet space. Still, the invasion of Ukraine has started shattering many of these myths, including those about the victorious army, the liberating soldier and the brotherhood of people.

WAR PROPAGANDA: US experts believe that the massacre in Bucha is “Ukrainian propaganda” made-up
WAR PROPAGANDA: US experts believe that the massacre in Bucha is “Ukrainian propaganda” made-up

The Russian press is spreading false narratives about the atrocities in Bucha, using various US “experts” to illustrate their arguments about “a provocation staged by Ukraine”.

Marin Gherman
08 Apr 2022
“The People’s Republic of Kherson” – another failure disowned by the Russians. Moscow’s attempt to create new separatist entities and Ukraine’s resistance
“The People’s Republic of Kherson” – another failure disowned by the Russians. Moscow’s attempt to create new separatist entities and Ukraine’s resistance

Despite its overwhelming superiority in terms of military strength, Russia did not attain any notable objective in Ukraine, primarily due to the Ukrainians’ staunch resistance. Evidence of that can be found in the territories occupied by the Russian army, where the population refuses to accept occupation forces and the few local collaborators the Kremlin is trying to impose in key leadership positions.

DISINFORMATION: Zelensky conditions the right of the Romanian community in Ukraine on Bucharest’s help
DISINFORMATION: Zelensky conditions the right of the Romanian community in Ukraine on Bucharest’s help

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky makes the protection of the rights of the Romanian minority in Ukraine conditional on the aid that Romania should provide to the Kyiv authorities in this war.

The Republic of Moldova – between Ukraine’s pressure and the dependency on Russian gas
The Republic of Moldova – between Ukraine’s pressure and the dependency on Russian gas

In recent weeks, the Republic of Moldova has seen increasing pressure from Ukraine. Kyiv is persistently calling on Chișinău to take measures in order to rally itself to the international sanctions imposed on Russia. Such a move would be however irrelevant in economic terms, and wouldn’t represent such a strong signal not even at political level. Instead, it could cause bigger troubles for the pro-European government,

FAKE NEWS: The USA is sending to Ukraine Afghan military who fled their Taliban-occupied country
FAKE NEWS: The USA is sending to Ukraine Afghan military who fled their Taliban-occupied country

The Russian media is distributing propaganda narratives, according to which the USA will deploy former military of the Afghan armed forces to Ukraine. In fact, the USA has not and will not deploy troops to the territory of Ukraine in the context of the war with Russia.

Marin Gherman
06 Apr 2022
From Vladimir Putin's Cancer to FSB’s Involvement in Boris Nemtsov's Assassination: Stories from the Russian Independent Media
From Vladimir Putin's Cancer to FSB’s Involvement in Boris Nemtsov's Assassination: Stories from the Russian Independent Media

The Proekt team, declared an undesirable organization in the Russian Federation last year, returns with an extensive investigation into Vladimir Putin's health problems. The Insider writes how, before being assassinated, the politician Boris Nemtsov was pursued by FSB agents later involved in the poisoning of Alexei Navalny. Russian publicists are also pondering the chances of Putin being tried by the Hague Tribunal for war crimes.

Volodymyr Zelensky’s messages to the world: calls for help, references to political symbols and historical events, denouncement of Russia’s war crimes
Volodymyr Zelensky’s messages to the world: calls for help, references to political symbols and historical events, denouncement of Russia’s war crimes

Zelensky spoke up for Ukraine in front of numerous legislative and international bodies. Each time, the message carried a call for help and a plea to stop Russia. The speeches that conveyed this message were adapted to the specific audiences Zelensky addressed, including references to historical figures and events, as well as shared ideas and values.

Marin Gherman
04 Apr 2022
DISINFORMATION: Ukrainian refugees take advantage of Moldovans’ hospitality
DISINFORMATION: Ukrainian refugees take advantage of Moldovans’ hospitality

Ukrainian refugees are aggressive and disturbing, and the hosts are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with them. In the Republic of Moldova, they vandalize Soviet monuments and pick up fights with the locals, writes the Russian publication mk.ru, citing social media, but without providing any proof for such allegations. In the Republic of Moldova, several such pieces of disinformation have been debunked by the media.

Veridica
04 Apr 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: 95% of Ukrainians are waiting to be liberated by Russia, says the Luhansk separatist leader Marat Bashirov.
WAR PROPAGANDA: 95% of Ukrainians are waiting to be liberated by Russia, says the Luhansk separatist leader Marat Bashirov.

Most Ukrainians are waiting to be liberated by Russia, which has been forced to launch a special operation and is the victim of Ukraine’s aggression, says the Luhansk separatist leader. These false narratives are amplified by the Russian media.

Marin Gherman
01 Apr 2022
The impact of the war on Ukrainian society: an outburst of hatred towards Russia and a spectacular increase in Zelensky’s approval rating
The impact of the war on Ukrainian society: an outburst of hatred towards Russia and a spectacular increase in Zelensky’s approval rating

The war had a powerful impact on the perception of Ukrainians, something which has been confirmed by opinion polls published after February 24. From a politician with plummeting numbers, Volodymyr Zelensky’s approval rating has now reached unbelievably high levels. Russia is now hated by most Ukrainians, who also distance themselves from the Moscow Patriarchy

Marin Gherman
31 Mar 2022
The war in Ukraine is pushing Bulgaria away from Russia but the move is threatening the ruling coalition in Sofia
The war in Ukraine is pushing Bulgaria away from Russia but the move is threatening the ruling coalition in Sofia

The invasion is having long-term effects on the relationship between Bulgaria and Russia. Pro-Ukraine demonstrations and numerous volunteer initiatives for the Ukrainian refugees have spread all over the country, and patience for the controversial Russian ambassador to Sofia is running out, as the government mulls plans to finally diversify its gas resources..

Memories of past aggressions made even pro-Russian Czechs take a stand against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Memories of past aggressions made even pro-Russian Czechs take a stand against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

The Czech Republic was quick to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and prime-minister Petr Fiala even took a risky trip to a besieged Kyiv, to show his support. The most surprising Czech reaction came from president Milos Zeman, a staunch pro-Russian who unequivocally condemned the invasion and asked for a firm response to Putin.

Michael Švec
30 Mar 2022
DISINFORMATION: NATO is fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian
DISINFORMATION: NATO is fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian

NATO / US are forcing Ukraine to fight against Russia for the latter to be defeated and Vladimir Putin overthrown. The narrative falls into the category of Russian propaganda that seeks to shift responsibility for the war from the aggressor to the victim (Ukraine) and its supporters (NATO). In Romania, the narrative is promoted by Ion Cristoiu, an active promoter of pro-Russia disinformation in the public space.

In the Republic of Moldova, the Russian war propaganda is unreservedly assumed by the pocket parties alone
In the Republic of Moldova, the Russian war propaganda is unreservedly assumed by the pocket parties alone

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has caused a stir in the Republic of Moldova as well, as the country has Russian troops on its territory, a frozen conflict and an aggressive separatist entity backed by Moscow. The scenario of an invasion is increasingly less likely, given the difficulties the Russian troops have encountered in Ukraine, which does not mean though that the risk of some of the challenges escalating is not there.

WAR PROPAGANDA: The UN supports the genocide targeting Russian speakers in Ukraine
WAR PROPAGANDA: The UN supports the genocide targeting Russian speakers in Ukraine

The Russian media accuses the UN of having allegedly encouraged the “genocide” organized by Ukrainian “Nazis” against Russian speakers in Ukraine, since the Security Council did not adopt the resolution regarding the ceasefire proposed by Moscow. The UN General Assembly previous adopted a resolution – ignored by Russia – in which it called for a termination of the conflict.

Marin Gherman
29 Mar 2022
Kiev, Odessa, Lvov versus Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv. Ukraine’s other war
Kiev, Odessa, Lvov versus Kyiv, Odesa, Lviv. Ukraine’s other war

The war in Ukraine has brought to the attention of journalists and communicators an issue that had been a concern for Kiev for several years: the spelling of proper names. People and localities alike are better known by their Russian names. Ukraine insists that the spelling should be in Ukrainian.

Marin Gherman
28 Mar 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: A Russian official has called for the “denazification” of the Baltic States, Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Kazakhstan
WAR PROPAGANDA: A Russian official has called for the “denazification” of the Baltic States, Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Kazakhstan

A local official from Moscow has called for the denazification of Poland, the Baltic States, the Republic of Moldova and Kazakhstan, by applying the same method used in the case of Ukraine, namely a Russian military intervention. The Russian state media, agencies such as TASS or RIA Novosti, have ignored the initiative.

Veridica News
28 Mar 2022
The weirdest narratives of Russian propaganda during the war in Ukraine
The weirdest narratives of Russian propaganda during the war in Ukraine

Viruses synthesized to target certain populations and areas transported by birds instead of missiles, an army of Satanists fighting on the side of Ukrainian forces and “delicate” bombings carried out by the Russian army – these are some of the weirdest narratives launched by Russian propaganda after the invasion of Ukraine.

DISINFORMATION: The mines launched by Ukraine could blow up the Black Sea, causing a cataclysm in Europe
DISINFORMATION: The mines launched by Ukraine could blow up the Black Sea, causing a cataclysm in Europe

The mines Ukraine has planted in the Black Sea could set off the hydrogen sulfide deposits in the sea and thus cause a cataclysm in Europe. The false narrative was promoted in Romania by Sorin Roșca Stănescu on Cozmin Gușă’s radio show. Both have previously fostered disinformation and fake news and have aligned themselves to Russia’s positions.

WAR PROPAGANDA: Ukrainian forces have destroyed Mariupol
WAR PROPAGANDA: Ukrainian forces have destroyed Mariupol

Mariupol has been destroyed by Ukrainian (nationalist) forces in the city, desperate for not getting any reinforcements from Kyiv, the Russian government media writes. The narrative is meant to draw attention away from the fact that the Russian army shelled the city systematically, without caring about killing civilians or causing damage.

Marin Gherman
24 Mar 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: To drag NATO into the war, Ukraine will attack the United States Embassy in Lviv and will blame Russia for it
WAR PROPAGANDA: To drag NATO into the war, Ukraine will attack the United States Embassy in Lviv and will blame Russia for it

Ukraine will attack the US Embassy in Lviv and will blame Russia with a view to forcing NATO to enter the war, according to a recent propaganda narrative fostered by the Russian state media, which quotes a statement of the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman.

Marin Gherman
23 Mar 2022
How pro-war Russian propaganda is taught in schools. Reports by Russian independent media
How pro-war Russian propaganda is taught in schools. Reports by Russian independent media

In the articles selected this week by Veridica, journalists are calling on their peers who sided with the Putin regime to tell the truth. They describe how war is being presented in schools across Russia and argue that information justifying the Russian aggression in Ukraine was introduced in school curricula a few years back.

Historian: I see lots of resemblances between the Soviet-Afghan war and the one waged by Russia in Ukraine
Historian: I see lots of resemblances between the Soviet-Afghan war and the one waged by Russia in Ukraine

Through its tactics in Ukraine, the Russian military is reminiscent of the Soviet army in Afghanistan rather than a modernized force. Veridica spoke with Chisinau military historian and researcher Ion Xenofontov to see the similarities and differences between the two wars fought by the former USSR and its legal successor, Russia.

WAR PROPAGANDA:  Ukraine wants to procrastinate the war and uses its citizens as human shields, whereas Russia is protecting civilians
WAR PROPAGANDA: Ukraine wants to procrastinate the war and uses its citizens as human shields, whereas Russia is protecting civilians

The Russian media writes Kyiv alone is to blame for the prolonged conflict in Ukraine. The narrative is used alongside older propaganda messages, according to which Moscow is carrying out a special military operation aimed at protecting civilians, whom Kyiv is using as human shields.

Marin Gherman
22 Mar 2022
DISINFORMATION: Russians in the Diaspora face discrimination
DISINFORMATION: Russians in the Diaspora face discrimination

Russian Embassies in a number of countries have called on Russian ethnics to report every case of discrimination. By means of such messages, launched after the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow claims the Russian-speaking population is discriminated against, in order to intimidate countries such as the Republic of Moldova, but also to discourage Russian citizens who plan on leaving Russia.

Veridica
21 Mar 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: Russia has discovered nationalist concentration camps in eastern Ukraine
WAR PROPAGANDA: Russia has discovered nationalist concentration camps in eastern Ukraine

A concentration camp was discovered in the region of Luhansk, where Russian speaking people were tortured, according to a false narrative disseminated by the Russian state media. It presents Russia as a state that, through its “special military operation” in Donbass, freed the local population and chased away “the Nazis” and “the nationalists”.

Marin Gherman
20 Mar 2022