Category Russian propaganda

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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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: 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: Boris Johnson called on Kyiv not to sign any peace deal with Russia and just fight

A recurring disinformation narrative in pro-Kremlin outlets claiming that Ukraine and its allies are not interested in peace. The claim, which is also timed to smear Ukraine ahead of the international peace conference hosted in Switzerland 15-16 June 2024, is part of an ongoing pro-Kremlin disinformation campaign in Russia's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The claim seeks to paint the Ukrainian government as warmongering and Russia as peace-lover / peace proposer. It also attempts to portray Ukraine as a Western puppet state.
Read MoreDISINFO: Boris Johnson called on Kyiv not to sign any peace deal with Russia and just fight

DISINFO: The Switzerland peace conference is set up to issue useless ultimatums to Russia

This is an pre-emptive attempt to discredit the peace summit which Switzerland will host on 15-16 June 2024. Following Ukraine's request, Switzerland has invited over 160 delegations from around the world to join for the first Summit on Peace in Ukraine. The invitees include members of the G7, G20, BRICS, many other countries from all continents, as well as the EU, three international organisations and religious representatives. According to the Swiss government, the summit aims to create a framework favourable to comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine, as well as "a concrete roadmap for Russia's participation in the peace process." If the summit does not provide fruitful results, it will be because of Russia's impossible preconditions for a peaceful settlement. Russia refuses to engage in any talks before the "unconditional surrender of the Kiev [sic] regime."
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DISINFO: NATO promotes fascism in Europe and uses proxy wars to destroy Russia

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives portraying the war in Ukraine as a proxy war and blaming NATO and the so-called "Collective West" for it, accusing the EU of Nazism and claiming that Europe's aim is to invade and destroy Russia in the long run. These claims are made in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and aim to deflect Russia's responsibility for its aggression against this country.
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DISINFO: Russia is open to fair dialogue on Ukraine

This is an often used pro-Kremlin narrative according to which the West is interested in prolonging the war in Ukraine. The assertion that Western countries harbour a desire for the continuation of the conflict in Ukraine lacks any substantial foundation and is devoid of factual support. Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin have a track record of pretending negotiations which are, in fact, just blunt demands for Ukrainian unconditional surrender. We have analysed and exposed this disinformation tactic in several articles, especially: "Prepare for winter" (30 Nov. 2023), "Russian so-called 'peace proposals' are empty PR stunts" (18 Jan. 2023) , "What He Said and What it Really Means - Vol. 2: "Negotiations" (1. March 2022) and "The Kremlin security demands" (21 Dec. 2021).
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DISINFO: EU mission in Armenia is an instrument of the EU’s hybrid war

Intensively repeated disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets attempting to discredit the EU mission in Armenia, accusing it of espionage, anti-Russian, anti-Iranian and anti-Azerbaijani activities. From the very beginning, this exclusively civilian mission has been fully transparent about its plans to operate from six hubs. It has no links to NATO or troops from its member countries. From the moment of its launch, EUMA was a target for disinformation, as discussed in our analysis The wrong the wicked and the wacky. Claims about the EU mission in Armenia. The mission was launched in Armenia in response to a request by Armenia. EUMA conducts routine patrolling and reports on the situation, which strengthens the EU's understanding of the situation on the ground.
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DISINFO: The attempt on Slovak PM Robert Fico’s life was political terrorism in retaliation for his pro-Russian position

There is no evidence of the involvement of any Western country in the assassination attempt on Fico. Slovakian media identified the shooter as 71-year-old Juraj Cintula, a self-described writer who previously worked as a security guard and is allegedly linked to pro-Russian group Slovački branci. Slovakia's interior minister, Matus Sutaj Estok, told reporters that Cintula was a "lone wolf, whose actions were accelerated after the presidential election since he was dissatisfied with its outcome."
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DISINFO: Ukrainian government is planning to relocate to Lviv

The article contains baseless speculation devoid of any factual basis. It serves the pro-Kremlin aim of eroding morale and a narrative of a disintegrating Ukraine that is in retreat militarily. The article references a Reuters article, which states that foreign investment and the increase in internally displaced people are most noticeable in the western regions (Lviv and Transcarpathia). However, this fact, which is a consequence of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, has no bearing on the claim that the Ukrainian government is planning a resettlement to western Ukraine, specifically Lviv. Ukraine has no intention of abandoning Kyiv, the capital city. Even during the height of the war in spring 2022, the government and the president remained in Kyiv.
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