Propagandists fabricated an ad supposedly placed in a Ukrainian church and manipulated Google Trends data
Russian media outlets, Telegram channels, bots on X (formerly Twitter), and bloggers on TikTok are circulating a photo of an “ad” allegedly displayed near a church in the Volyn region of Ukraine. The ad claims parishioners are “not recommended” to visit the church on January 7 because police will be stationed outside. It further alleges that those attending the celebration will be interrogated by law enforcement.
The ad is fake. The location where the “ad” was supposedly placed cannot be identified from the photo. Propagandists likely printed the text themselves, photographed it, and presented it as an authentic notice from a Ukrainian church.
Olha Buzuluk, spokesperson for the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Volyn region, confirmed to an Ukrinform correspondent that the claims from Russian propagandists are false.
“This is not true. The police did not conduct any interrogations in churches on January 7. This is a fake,” she stated.
Additionally, Russian media outlets, citing the pro-Russian news site Strana.ua, are claiming that the majority of Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on January 7 “despite the government’s ban.”
This claim is also false. As “evidence,” propagandists shared a screenshot from Google Trends showing popular search queries on January 7. However, comparing this data with search queries from December 25 reveals a stark difference, as Russian propaganda only showcased January data to support their narrative.
Public opinion polls further debunk this claim. According to a study conducted by the Rating Sociological Group for the International Republican Institute, 53% of Ukrainians celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 2023, while only 11% did so on January 7. This marks an increase from 2022, when 42% celebrated on December 25 and 17% on January 7. These figures directly contradict the propagandists’ narrative that the “majority” of Ukrainians celebrate Christmas in January. It is also worth noting that some Ukrainians celebrate Christmas on both December 25 and January 7.
In Ukraine, there is no prohibition against celebrating Christmas on January 7, nor is there any punishment for doing so.
In September 2023, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine adopted the new Julian calendar, aligning Christmas with December 25, as it was celebrated in Ukraine before 1918.
Russian propaganda often spreads manipulative narratives during the New Year holidays. Their aim is to portray Russia’s celebration style as the only canonical and “correct” one, and to suggest that Ukrainians adopting the Gregorian calendar represents a deviation from Orthodox tradition.
Celebrating Christmas on January 7 is not exclusive to Russia. Other countries, including Georgia, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Ethiopia, also mark Christ’s birth on this date.
Previously, Russian propagandists forged an “ad” about a “New Year party” in a Lviv-based kindergarten.
Andriy Olenin
Source: Russian propaganda falsely claims police targeted Ukrainians for celebrating Christmas on Jan 7
