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

Veridica has been publishing updated news about Ukraine ever since its establishment. The developments in this country are monitored by the Bucharest-based team of journalists specializing in international news and current affairs, as well as by Ukrainian contributors. Ukrainian journalists and experts who have over the years contributed to Veridica provide us with a better understanding of the latest news from Kyiv, helping us offer in-depth coverage of the most important stories from Ukraine. Veridica’s news section includes analyses, editorials, video materials, debunked false narratives and press reviews. When writing articles about Ukraine, Veridica journalists work with both local (media outlets, local contributors and their sources) and international sources. Information from and about Ukraine is delivered in a broader context, in geographical terms (taking into account the local, regional and international contexts) as well as by providing a timeline and some background: to better understand present-day developments, it is important to know the events that determined the current state of affairs.

DISINFORMATION: The US is pushing Ukraine towards war with Russia, and Kiev's fate will be decided by negotiations between major powers
DISINFORMATION: The US is pushing Ukraine towards war with Russia, and Kiev's fate will be decided by negotiations between major powers

Ukraine is being pushed by the US towards war, and the Americans want to deploy in that country missiles targeting Russia, according to narratives promoted by the main Russian TV channel. It also claims that the fate of Ukraine will be decided by negotiations between the great powers.

DISINFORMATION: The British special forces will escalate the situation in Donbass without Kiev’s endorsement
DISINFORMATION: The British special forces will escalate the situation in Donbass without Kiev’s endorsement

British special troops have been deployed to Ukraine to organize diversions and escalate the situation in Donbass, according to the pro-Kremlin media, which resumed a string of narratives about a Western attack on the Russian-speakers in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Marin Gherman
08 Feb 2022
Will Romania go to war for Ukraine? What does a Romanian general say about the disinformation targeting the army
Will Romania go to war for Ukraine? What does a Romanian general say about the disinformation targeting the army

The crisis in Ukraine is also marked by an increased output of false narratives meant to discredit NATO and undermine confidence in it. Romania has also been the target of such narratives – claiming that it’s preparing for war, mobilizing its reservists, has a weak army, equipped with outdated equipment, etc. Veridica talked to the head of the Information and Public Relations Department of the Ministry of National Defense, Brigadier General Constantin Spînu, about the efforts made by the army to fight back the disinformation that targets it.

Marian Voicu
04 Feb 2022
FAKE NEWS: The US pushes Ukraine into a war with Russia, and NATO expands aggressively to the east
FAKE NEWS: The US pushes Ukraine into a war with Russia, and NATO expands aggressively to the east

NATO enlargement is a threat to Russia, and the United States is arming and preparing Ukraine for war, says the Kremlin's main propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov in a nearly two-hour show that reflects the Kremlin's views on international politics.

DISINFORMATION: Romania will be partitioned in case of a Russian invasion in Ukraine
DISINFORMATION: Romania will be partitioned in case of a Russian invasion in Ukraine

Romania will be partitioned by its neighbors if it decides to fight alongside NATO in a war against Russia. This false narrative was launched on the Romanian media market with a view to eroding public confidence in NATO, and to demonstrate that Russia is not the aggressor in the current crisis in Ukraine.

Petro Poroshenko stands accused of treason: a sign of judicial reform in Ukraine or political score-settling?
Petro Poroshenko stands accused of treason: a sign of judicial reform in Ukraine or political score-settling?

Petro Poroshenko allegedly abused his office to help the separatist regions in Donbas export coal to Ukraine, thus contributing to financing the rebel forces. The former president claims the inquiry is a political gunfight, and other voices have criticized the timing for making these allegations, considering the growing tensions on the Russian border.

DISINFORMATION: Ukraine is a Russian territory under foreign occupation that might launch a war against Russia
DISINFORMATION: Ukraine is a Russian territory under foreign occupation that might launch a war against Russia

“Russia is the last country in the world that would want a war with Ukraine”, the Kremlin-affiliated media writes, accusing Kiev of seeking to trigger a conflict. This false narrative is at odds with the situation on the ground, where Russia (a country that already attacked Ukraine in 2014) has amassed a sizable force.

Marin Gherman
01 Feb 2022
FAKE NEWS: NATO is sending troops to Eastern Europe, although no member state is under threat
FAKE NEWS: NATO is sending troops to Eastern Europe, although no member state is under threat

NATO is threatening Russia and is rallying a sizable force close to its borders, the Kremlin-linked media claims. In fact, NATO is merely consolidating its eastern flank, in response to Russia’s threats, whereas the troops the Alliance has mobilized represent a fraction of the over 100 thousand troops Moscow has massed.

FAKE NEWS: The weapons provided to Ukraine are obsolete and/or out of commission.
FAKE NEWS: The weapons provided to Ukraine are obsolete and/or out of commission.

The military equipment Ukraine got from the United Kingdom is obsolete and/or out of commission, according to a piece of fake news carried by the Russian media. The United Kingdom is one of the NATO countries that, in the context of an impending Russian invasion, has provided Ukraine with deadly equipment in order to defend itself.

Marin Gherman
25 Jan 2022
How Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine is seen from the Republic of Moldova’s point of view
How Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine is seen from the Republic of Moldova’s point of view

The crisis in Ukraine has generated a great deal of concern in the Republic of Moldova as well, considering that a possible conflict might also spread to its territory, in Transnistria.

DISINFORMATION: Ukraine is preparing a massacre in Donbas
DISINFORMATION: Ukraine is preparing a massacre in Donbas

Ukraine is planning on massacring the civilian population in Donbas, according to the separatist and Russian state media. This false narrative comes in response to Ukraine’s decision to mobilize its territorial defense forces in the face of a high risk of Russia invading the region.

Marin Gherman
18 Jan 2022
The crisis in Ukraine: why a war is not to Russia’s advantage
The crisis in Ukraine: why a war is not to Russia’s advantage

NATO's refusal to accept Russia's latest demands against the background of the crisis in Ukraine has heightened fears that Moscow is preparing for war. It is a possible scenario, but one that would be extremely costly for Russia, even if it wins the fighting on the ground.

DISINFORMATION: NATO has a military base in Odessa, on Russia’s historical territory
DISINFORMATION: NATO has a military base in Odessa, on Russia’s historical territory

Odessa, a port-city in southern Ukraine, has been turned into a NATO military base, according to a new narrative published by the Russian media, which also condemns NATO military exercises in the Black Sea and labels Odessa and southern Ukraine Russian territories under foreign occupation.

Marin Gherman
04 Jan 2022
The Republic of Moldova in 2021: Top FAKE NEWS & DISINFORMATION debunked by Veridica
The Republic of Moldova in 2021: Top FAKE NEWS & DISINFORMATION debunked by Veridica

Most fake news and disinformation in 2021 revolved around the early parliamentary election of July, won by the pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) and lost by the Party of Socialists in the Republic of Moldova (PSRM), a pro-Russian party.

FAKE NEWS: Romania has sent military equipment and troops to Ukraine and NATO will let it stand alone
FAKE NEWS: Romania has sent military equipment and troops to Ukraine and NATO will let it stand alone

Romania has been dragged into a trap by its NATO allies to send military equipment, troops and instructors to Ukraine, but when Russia will start the war against this country, Bucharest will be left to stand alone, according to a false narrative published by Evenimentul Zilei.

FAKE NEWS: The United Kingdom wants NATO states to recognize they are responsible for the crisis in Ukraine
FAKE NEWS: The United Kingdom wants NATO states to recognize they are responsible for the crisis in Ukraine

The UK allegedly called on NATO to admit it stands accountable for the crisis in Ukraine and to recognize the West’s destabilizing actions, the Russian state media writes. This false narrative echoes an obscure British publication with no connection to government sources.

Marin Gherman
21 Dec 2021
FAKE NEWS: Romania will deploy military forces under EU command to Crimea
FAKE NEWS: Romania will deploy military forces under EU command to Crimea

Romanian troops are expected to take part in Ukraine’s military operation aimed at retaking Crimea.

Ukraine policy on Transnistria stirs things up for Chisinau
Ukraine policy on Transnistria stirs things up for Chisinau

Ukraine’s policy towards Transnistria also impacts the agenda of the Government in Chișinău, which would rather focus on domestic reforms. Kiev decided to ban the access of all vehicles registered in Transnistria from entering its territory starting September 1, although Chișinău authorities wanted to delay the measure.

FAKE NEWS: Romania is a US colony where censorship is being imposed
FAKE NEWS: Romania is a US colony where censorship is being imposed

Romania is a US colony that blindly takes all of Washington's orders and transposes a US model of censorship of the press and freedom of opinion

FAKE NEWS: Ukraine will draw Romania into a war with Russia
FAKE NEWS: Ukraine will draw Romania into a war with Russia

Romania will be drawn into a military conflict with Russia by Ukraine, a state that wants to reclaim the Crimean peninsula. It's all part of a plan devised by the Americans, who use intermediaries to provoke Russia at the Black Sea.

FAKE NEWS: Romania and Ukraine will have a common army and, together, the two countries are playing the US regional game against Russia
FAKE NEWS: Romania and Ukraine will have a common army and, together, the two countries are playing the US regional game against Russia

Romania is about to build a common army with Ukraine, and this is a plan devised by the US against Russia, a false narrative carried by media in Bucharest and Chisinau reads. The narrative quotes inexistent provisions of a military cooperation agreement between Romania and Ukraine.

FAKE NEWS: Russia, the victim of Western propaganda
FAKE NEWS: Russia, the victim of Western propaganda

The military exercises Moscow organizes in Crimea are legitimate since they take place on Russian soil, Russia’s Ambassador in Bucharest, Valery Kuzmin said in an interview, rehashing a number of Kremlin propaganda theses, including a few related to World War II.

Russia’s relations with the West are more complicated in the Putin era than during the Cold War
Russia’s relations with the West are more complicated in the Putin era than during the Cold War

In a little over four years, Russia has become increasingly belligerent towards the West, hitting a new milestone, which is interesting, to put it mildly: three hundred and eleven (!) Russian diplomats have been expelled from the United States and Europe due to their actions in these states.

FAKE NEWS: Russia will border Romania after it will occupy a big part of Ukraine
FAKE NEWS: Russia will border Romania after it will occupy a big part of Ukraine

Romania will neighbor Russia, once the Russian army have conquered a large part of Ukraine and cut its access to the Black Sea. Also, Russia will conquer the east and south of Ukraine, along with the Transnistria region in the Republic of Moldova.

FAKE NEWS: Zelensky is selling his country to American multinational corporations
FAKE NEWS: Zelensky is selling his country to American multinational corporations

President Volodymyr Zelensky is selling his country to American multinational corporations, Ukraine is being turned into a colony of the West, and Russia will be wrongfully driven out of its traditional sphere of historic influence. The Russian media has been promoting these narratives, starting from an interview Yulia Svyrydenko, the Deputy Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, gave to the “Atlantic Council”. Her statements are taken out of context.

Marin Gherman
11 Mar 2021
FAKE NEWS: In the eyes of the USA, Transylvania doesn’t belong to Romania, just as Crimea doesn’t belong to Russia
FAKE NEWS: In the eyes of the USA, Transylvania doesn’t belong to Romania, just as Crimea doesn’t belong to Russia

Sputnik writes that the United States would validate the idea that Transylvania doesn’t belong to Romania, because the embassy didn’t delete a certain commentary posted by a Romanian on Facebook. In fact, Sputnik is trying to link the status of Crimea, occupied and annexed by Russia, to that of Transylvania.

FAKE NEWS: The Ukrainians shot down MH17 mistaking it with Putin’s plane
FAKE NEWS: The Ukrainians shot down MH17 mistaking it with Putin’s plane

As a Dutch Court is handling the case of the civilian airline passenger Boeing MH17, which was shot down over Ukraine in 2014, the narratives concerning the incident are resurfacing. This time it is claimed that the aircraft was mistaken for the Russian President’s plane. The Russian media is also highlighting a turn of events that may be soon witnessed as the reports filed by a Russian company were admitted.

DISINFORMATION: the EU Association Agreement, a catastrophe for Ukraine
DISINFORMATION: the EU Association Agreement, a catastrophe for Ukraine

The EU and Ukraine reconfirmed their readiness to continue cooperation under the Association Agreement, which was an opportunity for a new disinformation campaign launched by the Russian press against Ukraine and the EU. "A catastrophe that’s been lasting for five years now, in every sphere of life", "a wrong foreign policy choice made by Ukraine" – are some of the reactions in the Russian press. Elements of typical narratives are present, such as: "fake state", "coup d'etat", "Russophobia", "poverty", etc.

Marin Gherman
23 Feb 2021
DISINFORMATION: Sanctions have strengthened Russia’s economy and the EU supports Russophobia in Ukraine and the Baltics
DISINFORMATION: Sanctions have strengthened Russia’s economy and the EU supports Russophobia in Ukraine and the Baltics

Sergei Lavrov claims that European and American sanctions had no ground or effect, and the deterioration of the Brussels-Moscow relations occurred as a result of the EU's direct support for the coup in Ukraine. In fact, Ukraine, the EU and the US have criticized Russia for its proven support for the Donbass mercenaries and denounced the illegal, internationally unrecognized and unprecedented in post-War Europe annexation of Crimea.

Marin Gherman
16 Feb 2021
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu and Zelensky have agreed to attack Transnistria
FAKE NEWS: Maia Sandu and Zelensky have agreed to attack Transnistria

According to a Telegram post of a Russian TV station, the president of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, is considering a military attack on the separatist region of Trasnistria and has tried to rally Kiev’s support. The story has prompted a true media frenzy in Chișinău and Moscow, having been redistributed by a large number of media outlets. Chișinău authorities have dismissed this scenario, which they say carries little weight.

FAKE NEWS: The Americans want to attack Russia, but their tanks are as bad as the Nazis’
FAKE NEWS: The Americans want to attack Russia, but their tanks are as bad as the Nazis’

American tanks couldn’t invade Russia and would be facing the same difficulties German armored divisions did during the Second World War. This fake news underscores narratives about the attack plans of NATO and the USA, while also referring to metanarratives linked to the Second World War.