Category Coordinated disinformation

Why pro-Russian accounts are sharing a fake video of French farmers and manure

Pro-Russian social media users have been widely circulating what looks like a Euronews report showing French farmers dumping manure outside the Ukrainian embassy. French farmers began protesting for better pay in January and the video claims that the farmers took the drastic manure action after the Ukrainian ambassador penned a letter asking them to stop their protests. But this video is fake. It's one of a series of fake news reports aimed at making Ukraine look bad in the eyes of the West.

Read MoreWhy pro-Russian accounts are sharing a fake video of French farmers and manure

Did Volodymyr Zelensky just belly dance? Sorry, no: it’s a deepfake

Does Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky actually have a secret talent for belly dancing? That's what a number of accounts on Twitter and TikTok are saying, with video to prove it. However, it turns out that the viral video is actually a deepfake that's been circulated by pro-Russian accounts in an attempt to discredit the Ukrainian president.

Read MoreDid Volodymyr Zelensky just belly dance? Sorry, no: it’s a deepfake

FAKE: In Ukraine, women with a chemical education are being recruited for the war to prepare ‘provocations’

The Russian media quotes a Kremlin protege of the people’s militia in the so-called “LPR” that women who have an education in chemistry, biology or veterinary medicine are allegedly being recruited for the war in Ukraine. The publication adds that in this way Ukraine is preparing for “provocations” with chemical weapons.

This is a fake. There is no convincing evidence that women are being recruited into the Armed Forces of Ukraine to prepare “provocations” with chemical weapons.

Read MoreFAKE: In Ukraine, women with a chemical education are being recruited for the war to prepare ‘provocations’

FAKE: Only ‘pure-blooded Ukrainians’ can donate blood – photo of the announcement

An alleged announcement from the online service “Doc.ua” is being spread online that from March 1, 2023, the reception of donated blood will be carried out only when the donor is a “pure-blooded Ukrainian”. Foreign citizens are prohibited from being donors.

However, the service did not provide such announcements. In Ukraine, ethnicity is not included in the list of criteria for a potential blood donor.

Read MoreFAKE: Only ‘pure-blooded Ukrainians’ can donate blood – photo of the announcement

Coordinated disinformation networks flooded social media ahead of EU elections – Report

Dutch researchers have revealed that coordinated networks of accounts spreading disinformation flooded social media in France, Germany and Italy before the elections to the European Parliament.

Read MoreCoordinated disinformation networks flooded social media ahead of EU elections – Report

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