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Since February 24, Detector Media has been monitoring the Ukrainian segment of social media and Kremlin media, documenting the chronicle of Russian disinformation around Russia’s war against Ukraine on a daily basis. Recently, we have also started doing regular reviews. Check out the latest ones here: March 1-14, March 14-21, March 23-30, March 31-April 7, April 8-15, April 16-23, April 23-30, the final text for ten months, and a review of the most ridiculous fakes during the year of the full-scale war.
Between May 1 and May 7, 2023, Detector Media noted more than 30 instances of disinformation. During this period, the Russian propaganda machine sought to persuade the global community that Ukraine's professional military had been completely dismantled and that President Zelenskyy was secretly supporting Russia.
"Russians 'Successfully' Annihilate Western Equipment"
Earlier this week, propagandists unleashed a fraudulent assertion that Ukraine had suffered its first loss of an American Bradley infantry fighting vehicle in the Zaporizhzhia sector. They claimed that Russians were adeptly annihilating Western equipment. To corroborate this, the authors of these messages presented a photograph of the wrecked infantry fighting vehicle.
However, the image was manipulated, as confirmed by the creator of the photo himself. The author, a Ukrainian involved in fact-checking and managing his own fact-checking Telegram channel, intervened after anonymous Telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric disseminated the image of the "demolished" IFV. He clarified that he had specifically designed the image to fool pro-Russian outlets, with the photo editing involving the simple addition of the combat vehicle to the picture.
Such fabrications are circulated by the Russian propaganda machine to convince everyone of the superior performance of Russian technology. They claim it is unparalleled and can destroy any Western equipment with ease. Through this narrative, they aim to project the illusion of constant Russian military victories, perpetuating similar false claims, even concerning equipment not yet present in Ukraine.
"Nazi Easter Kits"
Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels propagated a hoax that themed kits (accessories for Easter eggs) bearing Nazi and Azov regiment insignias were sold in Poltava on the eve of Easter. The authors attached screenshots and videos to their posts, allegedly sourced from the account of a Poltava resident who declared that "all the sets were sold out."
In truth, no such kit is available for sale in Poltava or anywhere in Ukraine. A matching photo/video is only identifiable in the Russian segment of social media, suggesting that the "Easter set" was likely fabricated using photo editing software.
Furthermore, the distribution of Nazi symbols in Ukraine is illegal. The Ukrainian Criminal Code stipulates that the creation and distribution of communist or Nazi symbols can lead to imprisonment for up to five years. It was not possible to openly sell or advertise such goods.
The propagandists equate Nazi symbols with those of the Azov regiment and continue to fuel the narrative of the existence of Ukrainian Nazis, who allegedly kill children in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, treat Russian-speaking individuals with contempt, and so on. They perpetrate these actions to demonize Ukrainians.
"Offensive Guard Shields Certain Ukrainians from Others"
The Offensive Guard is portrayed as a group of defectors formed to safeguard the Zelenskyy regime. The Russian propaganda machine promoted this narrative by disseminating messages claiming that these new brigades would shield Zelenskyy from discontented Ukrainians. According to the message authors, the Offensive Guard brigades are subordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and, as such, will protect Ukrainian officials from civilians and the Armed Forces. Allegedly, the Offensive Guard will take action in the event of mass Ukrainian protests, curtailing freedom of speech.
Contrarily, the primary objective of the Offensive Guard is to establish assault brigades that will reclaim Ukrainian territory. These units have already engaged in combat operations, albeit under a different name or structure. That is to say, the National Guard, police, and border guards were already involved in combat even before Russia's full-scale invasion.
The Offensive Guard, like the Ukrainian Armed Forces in general, serves Ukraine and its citizens. It is not an initiative of "certain high-ranking officials," and neither is it a private army.
"Zelenskyy's 'Mass Immigration' Solution"
Subsequently, the Russian propaganda machine alleged that Zelenskyy intended to address Ukraine's demographic issues through "mass immigration." The authors of anonymous Telegram channels echoing pro-Kremlin views circulated a screenshot of a supposed tweet from the US media outlet CNN. The tweet allegedly quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stating that Ukraine planned to employ "mass immigration" to rectify the country's demographic challenges. According to the tweet, Zelenskyy asserted that Ukraine would subsequently become "a diverse and multicultural nation that will set a precedent for the rest of Europe."
However, CNN did not issue such a statement on its website or Twitter account. Additionally, the fact-checkers identified the original image containing the tweet, which was actually concocted on a meme site.
By spreading such fakes, the propagandists exploit the migrants and simultaneously imply that Zelenskyy purportedly intends to leverage external individuals to address Ukraine's problems. They suggest that Zelenskyy is indifferent to Ukrainians who have fled the war and merely aims to resolve the "demographic issues."
"Contaminated Flour"
Midweek, Detector Media analysts detected a hoax about toxic Ukrainian flour. The Czech segment of Facebook disseminated a message claiming that the Ukrainian flour brand, VitaFlora, laden with hazardous pesticides, was being sold in the Kaufland supermarket chain in the Czech Republic. The social media post insinuated that it also contained dangerous mold, implying that Ukrainian flour is poisonous and unfit for human consumption.
In reality, VitaFlora flour is made from Slovak grain. Kaufland's Facebook page subsequently posted that Mlýn Kolárovo (the producer of the flour) had confirmed that the raw materials for VitaFlora flour were entirely produced in Slovakia. The manufacturer also provided a report detailing the results of laboratory tests.
Through such disinformation campaigns, Russia aims to undermine the Ukrainian economy. In the summer of 2022, amid the full-scale war, Russia obstructed and continues to obstruct Black Sea shipping routes to Asia and Africa, resulting in most Ukrainian grain being exported to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Concurrently, propagandists label all Ukrainian goods as toxic and unfit for consumption in an attempt to deter Europeans from purchasing Ukrainian products.
However, when the matter of Ukrainian food was discussed at the EU economic ministers' meeting in April 2023, there was no reference to pesticides or public health issues. Notably, Slovakia had indeed temporarily limited imports of agricultural products from Ukraine due to the presence of pesticides prohibited in Slovakia. Nonetheless, this does not suggest that Ukrainian grain is universally contaminated. On May 2, the European Commission banned the import of wheat, corn, rapeseed, and sunflower seeds from Ukraine to only five countries — Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia. However, this was not due to the presence of toxic substances (otherwise, an absolute ban would have been enforced) but rather due to local logistical challenges.
"Zelenskyy Turned Coat and Sided with Russia"
The Lithuanian segment of Facebook spread information claiming that Volodymyr Zelenskyy wears shoes adorned with the letter 'Z', a purported symbol of the Russian invasion. To substantiate this, the authors included a clipped video from the Ukrainian President's interview with the German television channel ZDF, where this letter is notably apparent on his footwear. Off-camera, a man is heard cursing and seemingly asking questions about the shoes.
However, this is a fabrication. In reality, during the interview, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was wearing New Balance sneakers. The company's logo, shaped like the letter 'N', is stitched onto the sneakers. In the video, the Ukrainian President's crossed legs made the letter 'N' appear as a 'Z'. The profanity from the off-camera man was actually a meme sound superimposed on the video.
The Russian propaganda machine persistently attempts to tarnish the image of the Ukrainian President, striving to persuade Ukrainians of his insincerity and propagate the idea that he is supportive of Russia and skeptical of Ukraine's victory. This is not the first instance of propagandists accusing Zelenskyy of siding with Russia. They allege that he is playing both sides of the fence, even going as far as to assert that Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds Russian citizenship.
"Ukraine Lacks a Professional Army"
Towards the end of the week, propagandists disseminated a manipulation suggesting that Ukrainian General Serhiy Melnyk stated that Ukraine "will never possess sufficient personnel and equipment to triumph over Russia." The Russian propaganda machine further insisted that "the combat-ready portion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has been decimated, and professional military personnel have resigned from their posts."
Russian propaganda outlets exploited an interview with General Serhiy Melnyk by the Spanish publication El País. Melnyk discussed the defense of Kharkiv in 2022 and the anticipated counteroffensive by the Ukrainian army in 2023. The general highlighted that Ukraine requires not only a vast quantity of equipment and ammunition but also sufficient military personnel to permit more frequent rotations. It was this comment that the Russian propaganda machine decontextualized and manipulated to suggest that the Ukrainian army was "already defeated."
Once Russian propaganda outlets began circulating this manipulation, Serhiy Melnyk clarified his remarks. He indicated that although the soldiers are performing heroically, they are fatigued, with some wounded and others killed. He further emphasized that Ukraine has adequate resources for the counteroffensive, but the most crucial requirement is to procure enough weapons to preserve the lives of the soldiers.
