Category Russian propaganda

Video Shows Climate Protest in Austria, Not ‘Crisis Actors’ in Ukraine

Video Shows Climate Protest in Austria, Not ‘Crisis Actors’ in Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered a barrage of false claims on social media, including posts that purport to show a video of “crisis actors” portraying dead victims of the fighting. The video used in the posts is from a climate protest held in Vienna, Austria, weeks before the war in Ukraine began.
Read MoreVideo Shows Climate Protest in Austria, Not ‘Crisis Actors’ in Ukraine
Marjorie Taylor Greene Parrots Russian Talking Point on Ukraine

Marjorie Taylor Greene Parrots Russian Talking Point on Ukraine

Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene parroted a Russian talking point with her claim that Ukraine is a country whose “government only exists because the Obama State Department helped to overthrow the previous regime.” FactCheck.org presents the history of this Russian propaganda talking point, and explains why it is false.
Read MoreMarjorie Taylor Greene Parrots Russian Talking Point on Ukraine
Social Media Posts Misrepresent Victims of Hospital Bombed in Mariupol

Social Media Posts Misrepresent Victims of Hospital Bombed in Mariupol

Russian planes bombed a hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 9, killing three people and injuring at least 17, including two pregnant women seen in photos shared around the world. Social media posts falsely claimed one woman “posed” as the two women. One of the women died of her injuries, along with her baby; the other gave birth to a daughter.
Read MoreSocial Media Posts Misrepresent Victims of Hospital Bombed in Mariupol
Article screenshot: FactChecking Claims About the Conflict in Ukraine

FactChecking Claims About the Conflict in Ukraine

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, following months of military buildup and, as we’ve written, repeated denials by Russian officials that their country planned to invade. As is often the case with major news events, we have seen several false and misleading claims made on social media and by politicians related to the conflict.
Read MoreFactChecking Claims About the Conflict in Ukraine
Article screenshot on CNN website

Newly declassified US intel claims Russia is laundering propaganda through unwitting Westerners

CNN reports: Russian intelligence is operating a systematic program to launder pro-Kremlin propaganda through private relationships between Russian operatives and unwitting US and western targets, according to newly declassified US intelligence. [...] The official stressed that the Western voices that eventually became mouthpieces for Russian propaganda were almost certainly unaware of the role they were playing. “At the end of the day, this unwitting target is disseminating Russian influence operation, Russian propaganda to their target public,” the US official said. “Ultimately, a lot of these are unwitting people — they remain unaware who is essentially seeding these narratives.”
Read MoreNewly declassified US intel claims Russia is laundering propaganda through unwitting Westerners

Russia’s Eliminationist Rhetoric Against Ukraine: A Collection

Dating at least to 2008 or 2009, increasingly hostile language laid the groundwork for rejecting Ukraine’s existence as a state, a national group, and a culture. What follows is a compilation of publicly available statements (readers are invited to submit by email any that we may have missed). Experts such as Francine Hirsch, a professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of “Soviet Judgment at Nuremberg,” have pointed to such language as evidence of genocidal intent toward the Ukrainian people. Whether and how the concept of “genocide” applies to Russia’s campaign against Ukraine is the subject of debate, notwithstanding the reference in Article II of the Genocide Convention to “the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group, as such.”
Read MoreRussia’s Eliminationist Rhetoric Against Ukraine: A Collection
Illustration of a hand putting a ballot into a ballot box.

No, Zelensky hasn’t “canceled” Ukrainian elections

Accusations have circulated on social media that President Zelensky of Ukraine has cancelled elections in Ukraine, and extended martial law in order to remain in power. In fact, holding elections now, under wartime conditions, would almost guarantee another Zelensky victory. It would also be illegal under Ukrainian laws that predate Zelensky's time in power.
Read MoreNo, Zelensky hasn’t “canceled” Ukrainian elections

Resource: “Vatnik Soup” – a guide to pro-Russian propagandists

A project by Finnish academic Pekka Kallioniemi: "#vatniksoup is a Twitter thread series (and a hashtag!) where I’ll introduce pro-Russian actors and propagandists from around the world, be they so-called “independent journalists”, politicians, military personnel or just regular grifters looking to get some easy money. The series also has introductions and deeper insights on how online propaganda and disinformation works and is spread. For example, I’ll talk about troll farms, social media manipulation and Russia’s online information operations."
Read MoreResource: “Vatnik Soup” – a guide to pro-Russian propagandists