Fact checks

Propagandists used AI to create four images and deepfakes, presenting them as a single person Russian state media, Telegram channels, and bots on social media platform X have circulated images of a supposedly deceased girl at the front, named Olena Savelieva. Propagandists claim she previously appeared in Ukrainian TV reports under various identities: a soldier named Mariana with the call sign "Vidma" ("Witch"), a "native of Odesa" named Kseniia, and "a displaced person from Toretsk" named Olesia. As "evidence," Russians present screenshots from different Ukrainian TV segments. They also claim that Ukraine fabricates fake stories about Russian aggression and hires…

Propagandists are spreading articles by a fictitious author in fake English- and French-language media outlets Russian media and propaganda Telegram channels are spreading disinformation about a supposed new mobilization practice allegedly introduced in Ukraine. According to their claims, Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs) are supposedly hiring civilians -- either for payment or in exchange for exemption from conscription -- to report on male neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers to military authorities. Propagandists allege that a black market of such "volunteers" exists and that Ukrainian authorities are deliberately turning a blind eye. These claims are being attributed to so-called "Western media" outlets,…

Russian propagandists have produced a staged video in an attempt to discredit Ukrainian defenders Russian media, Telegram channels, and bots on social media platforms X and TikTok are circulating a video allegedly showing a wounded Ukrainian soldier. An unidentified voice off-camera claims that as a result of "friendly fire," "three are KIA (killed in action), one is WIA (wounded in action)." At the end of the video, a man in military uniform asks, "How can we fight this war if there's no coordination at all?" and adds, "Listen and think," implying that joining the army is supposedly not worthwhile. This…

Russian propaganda has once again twisted the truth, using the tragic aftermath of its own attack on Ukrainian civilians to fabricate lies about Ukrainian Armed Forces Russian pro-war Telegram channels are falsely claiming that a 17-year-old named Nikita Solonichenko died by suicide at a training center of Ukraine's 92nd Mechanized Brigade in Kharkiv. They allege that he was a contract soldier who took his own life due to bullying by older servicemen. This is a complete fabrication. In reality, Nikita Solonichenko was one of the victims of a Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih on April 4. That evening, Russian…

Russian propagandists have fabricated an infographic allegedly from German data company Statista Russian media outlets, bots on social platform media X, and English-language Russian websites are spreading an infographic purportedly created by the German company Statista, which specializes in data collection and visualization. The infographic allegedly presents data on the number of foreign nationals who died in Russia's Kursk region while serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. According to the image, the largest losses were supposedly suffered by Poles (1,963 soldiers), followed by Georgians (1,230), Colombians (917), French (208), Germans (197), British (156), Americans (89), Australians (17), and Japanese (4).…

Propagandists have fabricated social media posts to discredit Ukrainian Defense Ministry's project Russian media outlets, pro-war Telegram channels, and bots on social media platform X are circulating false reports about the alleged death of a Ukrainian servicewoman named Veronika -- one of the first women to enlist under the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's "Contract 18-24" program. According to the disinformation, Veronika supposedly died on the front line, with her "mother" announcing the death via social media. Propagandists claim the 21-year-old woman left behind a young son, using fake screenshots from accounts allegedly belonging to Veronika and her "mother," identified as Tetiana…

Propagandists have used manipulations from MP Dubinsky and Chinese pseudo-blogger. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukrainian soldiers captured two Chinese citizens fighting alongside the Russian army in the Donetsk sector. He also published a video showing one of the captured Chinese nationals. Following this, Russia began spreading disinformation to conceal the fact of the capture and to portray the video posted by the President of Ukraine as part of a "Ukrainian information and psychological operation." Initially, Russian media, the website of the media group affiliated with Ukrainian traitor Viktor Medvedchuk, and pro-war Telegram channels claimed that the individual in…

Russian propagandists have fabricated leaflets and falsified regional media reports in an attempt to discredit Ukrainian defenders. Russian Telegram channels are circulating images of alleged leaflets supposedly posted around the city of Sumy. These flyers, falsely attributed to the Sumy City Council's Health Department, claim that "quarantine measures" have been introduced in the city. Residents are allegedly being asked to limit contact with Ukrainian servicemen, especially those returning from the front lines near the Sumy region's border. This is entirely false. The photos of the leaflets are taken in a way that makes it impossible to verify their actual location.…

Russian propaganda is spreading a fake investigation published by a Dutch website. Russian media, Telegram channels, and bot networks on platforms like Facebook and X are circulating an article from the Dutch website Cafe Weltschmerz, which falsely claims that top officials in Ukraine's State Security Service (SBU) are under investigation for involvement in smuggling across the border, operating fraudulent call centers, and even having links to the major drug cartel "Khimprom." As supposed "evidence," the article includes a diagram with arrows pointing to individuals allegedly involved in the case. This is fake. The author is anonymous and claims they received…

Russian propagandists have forged a video purporting to come from Institute for the Study of War and Human Rights Watch. Russian bots are spreading a video on social media, purporting to come from the international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW). The video claims that HRW staff have allegedly recorded in Ukraine instances of the first-ever "neo-genocide" in history. According to the propaganda, Europe supposedly dragged Ukraine into the war to "capture" its resources. This is a fake. The video has not been published on the official Human Rights Watch website or on its social media platforms. The video…