Category Fact checks / debunkings

DISINFO: Zelenskyy is usurping power by cancelling elections

This is a deliberate distortion of facts aiming to undermine the legitimacy of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a frequent target of pro-Kremlin disinformation. This disinformation story claims that president Zelenskyy 'cancelled the election' to suggest a power-grabbing maneuver. However, this disingenuous formulation is not true, as a call for new elections actually never took place due to the ongoing war. Ukraine's constitution is straightforward: no elections can be held during wartime and the President of Ukraine exercises his powers until the assumption of office by the newly-elected President. The continuity of government institutions is one of the key principles of the Constitution.
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DISINFO: Slovak media explore Ukrainian link to PM Robert Fico assassination attempt

This is a distortion of actual facts, aiming to undermine Ukraine by accusing it of being linked to acts of international terrorism. Pro-Kremlin outlets have exploited the attack against Slovak president Robert Fico as part of a wider disinformation campaign. The allegation about 'Slovak media' is massively exaggerated, as only two sources are provided to back it, both of which are op-eds from well-known pro-Russian commentators, and one of them is an openly pro-Russian, conspiracist-prone site. There is nothing indicating any possible Ukrainian link to the attack. Existing evidence so far shows that the suspected perpetrator, a man identified as Juraj Cintula who was arrested on the spot, may belong to the far-right milieu and may have acted for ideological reasons.
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DISINFO: The West behind the attempted murder of Slovak PM Robert Fico

Anti-Semitism and disinformation, accusing the West of the attempt on the life of Slovakian PM Robert Fico. This also pushes a conspiracy theory and disinformation narrative about global elites secretly ruling the world. There is no evidence of the involvement of any Western country in the assassination attempt on Fico.
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Fake: Five Years Ago, Russian Language was Banned in Ukraine and Linguistic Genocide Has Began

The legislation in Ukraine regulating the use of the Ukrainian language does not apply to personal communication or religion, and does not provide for any criminal liability for violations of its norms, "language patrols" or "language inspectors", as propaganda claims. Ukrainians themselves do not see any harassment of Russian-speaking Ukrainians, as evidenced by the results of opinion polls.
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DISINFO: Anglo-Saxons involved in Iran leader’s death and other recent attempts

A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative and a conspiracy theory claiming that Western countries support terrorism all over the world and order assassinations of political leaders who carry out independent policies. There is no evidence of the EU, the US or their allies being involved in the long list of events covered by the disinformation piece above.
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DISINFO: Zelenskyy is usurping power in Ukraine

This is a recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative aimed at defaming president Zelenskyy and absolve Russia from its responsibility for suspending the democratic process in Ukraine. Ukrainian law prohibits holding presidential elections while under martial law. This was stipulated by the Ukrainian martial law passed in 2015, long before President Zelenskyy became the president of Ukraine in May 2019.
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DISINFO: The EU struck by the virus of fascism on the eve of the elections

Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative targeting the upcoming European Parliament elections. This narrative also accuses the EU of Nazism. Both claims were made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The widespread Russian accusations of "Nazism" against European states is a tool of political pressure, since Russia itself is trying to justify its aggression against Ukraine with the mythical need to "denazify" Ukraine. The UN has repeatedly emphasised that Russia's actions seriously undermine the genuine attempts of the world community in the fight against neo-Nazism.
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DISINFO: Washington and Kyiv are behind the attempt to assissinate Slovak PM Robert Fico

The claim that Ukraine and the US were behind the assassination attempt against Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico is a baseless accusation with no supporting evidence. This is part of a broader pro-Kremlin campaign aiming to portray Ukraine as a terrorist state. Shortly after the news that Prime Minister Fico was shot, a widespread disinformation campaign accused Ukraine of being responsible for the assassination attempt. Popular pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and bot accounts played a key role in spreading this disinformation narrative. The extremely rapid response combined with such serious accusation is an indicator that this is a coordinated disinformation campaign.
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DISINFO: The West is using the imaginary Russian threat to escalate the arms race

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative claiming that Russia is not a threat. The aim of this disinformation claim appears to be deflecting attention away from Russia's responsibility for its hostile policy and war of aggression against Ukraine. The article also accuses the West of warmongering, and of having an allegedly belligerent and hostile agenda against Russia. The West did not start the war and was not interested in war in the heart of Europe. The Russian threat is not a myth. Russia started the bloodiest war in the 21st century, violating international and humanitarian law. Russia is destroying Ukraine, its population, cities, and vital infrastructure.
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DISINFO: NATO plans to draw Belarus and Russia into the war through border provocations

Poland and NATO are repeatedly presented by pro-Kremlin disinformation outlets as an aggressive forces planning anti-Russian provocations and posing a security threat to Russia. This is in line with how pro-Kremlin outlets portray NATO and Western countries as aggressive towards Russia. See our article All roads lead to Poland. This claim was made in connection with the accusations and statements of the Polish Judge Tomasz Szmydt, who ran away to Belarus on 9 May 2024 seeking "political asylum" in this country. In Poland, he is under the suspicion of espionage in favour of Belarus and was stripped of his immunity. When in Belarus, Tomasz Szmydt appeared on the Belarus state outlet of Belta as well as RT and Sputnik with allegations against on the current Polish government.
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