Russian Propaganda Disguised as Foreign Media Creates Fake News About Ukrainians in Europe - CPD
The Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine has reported an uptick in Russian propaganda that spreads fake news about Ukrainians living in Europe under the guise of foreign media.
According to Ukrinform, the Center for Counteracting Disinformation (CPD) has drawn attention to the increasing activity of Russian propaganda, which disseminates false information about Ukrainians residing in Europe, masquerading as foreign media. In a post on its Telegram channel, the Center highlighted that hostile Telegram channels are amplifying absurd video reports styled to resemble materials from international media outlets, including EuroNews and Liberation.
These fabricated reports claim that "French citizens have suffered from illegal actions by Ukrainians." For instance, one of the videos alleges that 30 French women were supposedly doused with acid, with claims that in 11 of these cases, Ukrainian women were involved. Another report contains information about the beating and robbery of French journalists in Kyiv.
The CPD emphasized that there are no confirmations of such events on the mentioned international media resources. The use of fake stories featuring logos from well-known international media and institutions is a typical tool of the Russian disinformation network known as “Matryoshka,” which systematically creates fakes aimed at discrediting Ukrainian citizens in the eyes of the global community.
The Center for Counteracting Disinformation explained that the primary goal of Russian propaganda is to undermine trust in Ukrainian refugees and to reduce the level of support for Ukraine in European societies. This indicates that the enemy is exploiting any opportunities for manipulation and misinformation to sow discord and distrust towards Ukrainians abroad.
This situation is not new, as numerous instances have been recorded where Russian propagandists have attempted to discredit Ukraine and its citizens through fake news. As reported by Ukrinform, a network recruiting local citizens for conducting sabotage and destabilization operations in the interests of the Russian Federation was recently uncovered in Eastern Europe.
Thus, it is crucial to be vigilant about the information disseminated in the media and to verify facts before believing them. The Center for Counteracting Disinformation urges citizens to be cautious and not to fall for provocations that could harm the image of Ukraine and its people.
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