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

WAR PROPAGANDA: Residents of the Zaporizhzhia region are waiting for the liberation of the cities of Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Odesa from the Ukrainian Nazis
WAR PROPAGANDA: Residents of the Zaporizhzhia region are waiting for the liberation of the cities of Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Odesa from the Ukrainian Nazis

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.

Marin Gherman
09 Sep 2022
DISINFORMATION: Romania and Europe will freeze next winter
DISINFORMATION: Romania and Europe will freeze next winter

Romania, just like the other European countries, will suffer terribly because of the gas price and Russia's decision to partially halt gas supplies to Europe, but this is only the fault of the European leaders, who punished Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine. The false narrative ignores the fact that Russia needs the Europeans’ money, and the latter have taken steps to avoid a major energy crisis.

Ukrainians believe in victory, are partial to Euro-Atlantic integration and keep a critical eye on the authorities
Ukrainians believe in victory, are partial to Euro-Atlantic integration and keep a critical eye on the authorities

Most Ukrainians believe their country will win the war against Russia, reads a recent survey carried out by the International Republican Institute. The study also reveals that Ukrainians continue to argue in favor of Euro-Atlantic integration, although their perception of NATO reported fluctuations due to delays or readiness to provide military assistance, and they remain critical of their elected officials, despite the war.

WAR PROPAGANDA: The IAEA mission praised the Russian army for defending the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant from Ukrainian bombing
WAR PROPAGANDA: The IAEA mission praised the Russian army for defending the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant from Ukrainian bombing

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.

Marin Gherman
07 Sep 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: Anthony Fauci has confirmed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was produced in Ukrainian labs
WAR PROPAGANDA: Anthony Fauci has confirmed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus was produced in Ukrainian labs

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.

Marin Gherman
05 Sep 2022
The Russian independent media writes about Moscow’s manipulation of the IAEA delegation to the Zaporizhzhya NPP, the indoctrination of Russian pupils and Ukrainian fighters at Azovstal
The Russian independent media writes about Moscow’s manipulation of the IAEA delegation to the Zaporizhzhya NPP, the indoctrination of Russian pupils and Ukrainian fighters at Azovstal

An “independent expert” dispatched by the IAEA at the Zaporizhzhya NPP is actually a primatologist with long-standing political ties in Russia, the Russian independent media writes. Veridica has selected a number of articles describing how Russian children are taught to love, fight and die for the motherland and about Ukrainian fighters at the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.

DISINFORMATION: Most Romanians want their country to leave NATO and the EU
DISINFORMATION: Most Romanians want their country to leave NATO and the EU

Most Romanian nationals want their country to leave NATO and the EU and there is no party that can politically capitalize on this move, according to a false narrative promoted by Gold FM, a radio station previously linked to promoting disinformation and fake news. The narrative is contradicted by surveys.

WAR PROPAGANDA: Terrorists are trained on EU territory with a view to launching attacks against the civilian population in Donbas
WAR PROPAGANDA: Terrorists are trained on EU territory with a view to launching attacks against the civilian population in Donbas

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.

Marin Gherman
30 Aug 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: Due to Kyiv’s neo-Nazi propaganda, Ukrainians don’t understand that Russia is here to liberate, not occupy them
WAR PROPAGANDA: Due to Kyiv’s neo-Nazi propaganda, Ukrainians don’t understand that Russia is here to liberate, not occupy them

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.

Marin Gherman
28 Aug 2022
Russia’s expansionism, Putin’s outposts in Europe and the Kosovo precedent
Russia’s expansionism, Putin’s outposts in Europe and the Kosovo precedent

Russia doesn’t recognize Kosovo as a sovereign state, but it’s using it to endorse the “independence” of separatist/captured territories in Georgia and Ukraine: Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Crimea and Donbas. Besides, the Serbian enclave in Kosovo, Mitrovica, can be used by Moscow as a genuine outpost on the border with a NATO-protected territory. Just like other “outposts” Putin is relying on in Europe, Mitrovica too can be useful when Moscow wants to get something done or simply wants to distract everyone’s attention – even from a war such as the one in Ukraine.

The Russian independent media about Russia’s significant losses in the war and the changes the conflict has produced in independent and state media
The Russian independent media about Russia’s significant losses in the war and the changes the conflict has produced in independent and state media

Russian experts and the independent media have analyzed the state of the Russian Federation’s army, which is sustaining heavy losses in the war launched against Ukraine. They also write about the obsolete Soviet weapons used by the Russians, which produce casualties among both the civilian population and among the attackers themselves. They also discuss how the war has changed the media landscape in Russia.

WAR PROPAGANDA: The USA will cause a nuclear disaster in Ukraine to conceal evidence of their biological weapons laboratories
WAR PROPAGANDA: The USA will cause a nuclear disaster in Ukraine to conceal evidence of their biological weapons laboratories

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.

Marin Gherman
25 Aug 2022
The impact of the first six months of war in Ukraine on the Republic of Moldova
The impact of the first six months of war in Ukraine on the Republic of Moldova

Sharing a 1000-kilometer long border with Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova has been affected by the war started by Russia on February 24 too. Veridica has spoken with several analysts in Chisinau to learn more about the main problems facing the Republic of Moldova, a state that is simultaneously facing an economic and an energy crisis, while at the same time trying to deal with a significant number of Ukrainian refugees.

Moscow is pulling Bulgaria back, as the country is heading to snap elections
Moscow is pulling Bulgaria back, as the country is heading to snap elections

After ousted PM Kiril Petkov’s coalition was adamant in its pro-West and pro-EU position, current interim government, selected by President Radev and led by caretaker PM Donev, is making chaotic moves, risking further instability.

Finland and Sweden in NATO – on their way to become a fundamental pillar of Baltic security
Finland and Sweden in NATO – on their way to become a fundamental pillar of Baltic security

By joining NATO, Finland and Sweden would make the Alliance the main power in the Baltic Sea. Together, the two countries boast efficient and highly trained air, sea and ground forces, a good defense industry, and quick response capabilities. They occupy strategic position. And they would greatly consolidate the security of NATO’s most vulnerable member states – the Baltic countries.

The Russian independent media: how the Kremlin is recruiting murders from prisons to reinforce its army ranks and how the Russian army uses state-of-the-art Western technologies
The Russian independent media: how the Kremlin is recruiting murders from prisons to reinforce its army ranks and how the Russian army uses state-of-the-art Western technologies

Before the war started, the Russian army was already in a tight spot, as a serviceman fighting in Ukraine revealed. The topic is discussed at length by the Russian independent media, which also writes about “Putin’s chef”, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is also in charge of the Wagner mercenary outfit, recruiting criminals, including murders, from Russian prisons. Another issue discussed by the Russian independent media is that of Western combat equipment used by the Russian army, considering the Russian military industry lacks the necessary technology.

Opinion barometers after six months of war: Ukrainians are breaking up with the “Russian world” for good and want to be part of the EU, but not at any cost
Opinion barometers after six months of war: Ukrainians are breaking up with the “Russian world” for good and want to be part of the EU, but not at any cost

Putin's objective to bring the neighboring country back into Moscow's orbit and into the so-called “Russian world” seems, more than ever, doomed to failure: Ukrainians no longer believe in the possibility of a reconciliation with Russia even after the fall of the Putin regime. The majority of Ukraine's population now wants European integration, but does not seem willing to accept all the EU's conditions.

Marin Gherman
15 Aug 2022
The anti-oligarch law in Ukraine: a necessary measure, or a step towards an authoritarian regime?
The anti-oligarch law in Ukraine: a necessary measure, or a step towards an authoritarian regime?

In recent years, Ukraine has taken a series of measures to secure its information space, affected both by Russian manipulation and disinformation campaigns, and by the influence of some oligarchs pursuing their own interests. The measures include a law aimed at taking the media away from the control of oligarchs. The effect has been more state control over the media, and the question arises whether it is a temporary situation, justified by the war, or a regression of Ukrainian democracy.

WAR PROPAGANDA: EU states will ask Ukraine to surrender to Russia
WAR PROPAGANDA: EU states will ask Ukraine to surrender to Russia

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.

Marin Gherman
12 Aug 2022
FAKE NEWS: Zelensky makes laws to extend the war with Russia for another 50 years
FAKE NEWS: Zelensky makes laws to extend the war with Russia for another 50 years

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is preparing a law that will extend the war with Russia for another 50 years, according to a false narrative appearing in Bucharest. It was published by Sorin Roșca Stănescu, a former collaborator of the communist political police and a criminal convict who has spread lots of disinformation in the public space.

Russian independent media: urban legends about the war and disinformation carried by the Amnesty International report
Russian independent media: urban legends about the war and disinformation carried by the Amnesty International report

Urban legends about Ukrainians and the war in Ukraine end up being used as war propaganda by Moscow, the Russian independent media writes, also proving why the Amnesty International report criticizing Ukraine manipulates and misinforms public opinion and how the Putin regime is using nuclear weapons as a threat.

WAR PROPAGANDA: Ukraine's crime rate has tripled following the arming of civilians
WAR PROPAGANDA: Ukraine's crime rate has tripled following the arming of civilians

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.

Marin Gherman
09 Aug 2022
Ukraine's wartime press: hit by “deoligarchization”, underfunded and increasingly controlled by authorities
Ukraine's wartime press: hit by “deoligarchization”, underfunded and increasingly controlled by authorities

In recent months, the press in Ukraine has gone through a series of important changes, as it had to adapt to the new realities dictated by the war – funding cuts, personnel problems, involvement in the effort to mobilize the population. On the other hand, the media landscape is also feeling the impact of the “deoligarchization” law, promulgated by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in November 2021, before the start of the war.

Marin Gherman
08 Aug 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: Ukrainian authorities have abandoned Kherson. The region will unite with Russia, which will protect the Ukrainian language
WAR PROPAGANDA: Ukrainian authorities have abandoned Kherson. The region will unite with Russia, which will protect the Ukrainian language

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.

Marin Gherman
05 Aug 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: The UN and Turkey recognize Russia’s right to control Ukraine’s maritime ports
WAR PROPAGANDA: The UN and Turkey recognize Russia’s right to control Ukraine’s maritime ports

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.

Marin Gherman
04 Aug 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: At the behest of the US, Kyiv will cause a nuclear war in Zaporizhzhia
WAR PROPAGANDA: At the behest of the US, Kyiv will cause a nuclear war in Zaporizhzhia

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.

Marin Gherman
02 Aug 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: With a single missile, Russia killed at least 15 Ukrainian generals at Vinnytsia, putting a stop to the Ukrainian counter-offensive in Donbas
WAR PROPAGANDA: With a single missile, Russia killed at least 15 Ukrainian generals at Vinnytsia, putting a stop to the Ukrainian counter-offensive in Donbas

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.

Marin Gherman
29 Jul 2022
WAR PROPAGANDA: Zaporizhzhia has established contact with at least 15 countries, including EU members
WAR PROPAGANDA: Zaporizhzhia has established contact with at least 15 countries, including EU members

The Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia has established international contacts with at least 15 states, including EU members, writes the Russian state press, citing a separatist leader from Ukraine. In reality, EU states do not recognize Russia's occupation bodies in Ukraine as legitimate bodies of power, and personal sanctions have been introduced against Russian collaborators in Zaporizhzhia.

Marin Gherman
27 Jul 2022
European solidarity, tested by the Russian gas crisis
European solidarity, tested by the Russian gas crisis

The war in Ukraine brought back into focus an issue that had been known for a long time: Europe’s dependence on Russian gas. First, the possibility of European sanctions was raised, then Moscow reduced supplies, which caused panic in some Western capitals. What can Europeans do to escape Russian blackmail and how much should they fear the coming winter?

Russian independent press about the “volunteers” sent to the occupied territories in Ukraine and blackmailing Europe
Russian independent press about the “volunteers” sent to the occupied territories in Ukraine and blackmailing Europe

The Russian independent press reports that Russian doctors, teachers, civil servants and builders are being sent to the occupied territories of Ukraine to prepare “the union with Russia”. Meanwhile, Western sanctions are hitting the Russian economy and the well-being of the population, experts say. President Putin, however, continues to blackmail Europe with cold in the winter and famine.

DISINFORMATION: The weapons delivered to Ukraine transit the territory of Moldova
DISINFORMATION: The weapons delivered to Ukraine transit the territory of Moldova

The weapons delivered to Ukraine might be transiting the territory of the Republic of Moldova, says the pro-Russian politician Igor Dodon, in an interview given under house arrest. His statements were also taken over by the official press of the Russian Federation and aim to disinform and accuse the pro-European government in Chisinau of wanting to involve the country in the war.

WAR PROPAGANDA: Poland will work with Hungary and Romania to capture parts of Ukraine
WAR PROPAGANDA: Poland will work with Hungary and Romania to capture parts of Ukraine

The Russian state media, quoted by some publications in Romania, has disseminated a propaganda narrative, launched by the Foreign Intelligence Service in Russia, according to which Poland will work more actively with Hungary and Romania in order to take over Western Ukraine. In fact, Poland is one of the staunch supporters of Ukraine’s efforts to fend off the Russian invasion.

Marin Gherman
18 Jul 2022