Last week, Russian media published excited reports on Russia's success in the war. The propagandists continued to argue that, unlike Western missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles were absolutely impervious to being intercepted. Russian media scared their audiences with stories about a radioactive cloud drifting towards Western Europe from Ukraine. The fake was traced to the Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev who has a history of coming up with all sorts of conspiracy theories and nonsense. This monitoring report covers these and other topics of the disinformation spread by Russian state media and online parajournalists to manipulate public opinion.

The recipe for success is very simple. TEXTY took a closer look at how the international network of Russian propaganda bots works on Facebook, and our journey started in Cambodia. This is where the administrators managing one of the Russian propagandist public pages have been registered. It didn’t take us too long to find the group itself – its name appeared in the Facebook recommendations after we viewed several other pages promoting Russian propaganda. Читати українською

Last week, Russian media reported successful strikes on Western weapon systems in Ukraine. They claimed that Russia had learned to target and kill Ukraine’s HIMARS launchers or at least fool their guidance systems.The propagandists dream of the day when Russia destroys all the Patriot systems, too, so it could finally bomb Ukraine with impunity. At the same time, Russian media avoid saying why Russia did not secure air superiority in Ukraine before the Patriots were delivered.Russian media also raved in patriotic exaltation over Victory Day celebrations and warned that using the word ‘rusnya’ would soon be against the law.This monitoring report covers these and other topics of the disinformation spread by Russian state media and online parajournalists to manipulate public opinion.

Last week, the founder of Wagner PMC Yevheniy Pryhozhyn made a surprise move by threatening to pull back his forces from Bakhmut. The disinformation media scrambled to shift the focus onto Ramzan Kadyrov who had promised that his Chechen fighters would replace the Wagnerites and help to hold the city. The Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev once again claimed that the West is plotting to destroy Russia with the help of none other than gender diversity.Russian propagandists also claimed about the staging of a “color revolution” in Hungary to overthrow the “independent” Viktor Orbán.This monitoring report covers these and other topics of the disinformation spread by Russian state media and online parajournalists to manipulate public opinion.

The study offered a comprehensive insight into the people and organizations that support Russia and its policy in various forms in 19 countries of Europe.

Russian media are convinced that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is going to flop. They reported that Russia would capture the entire city of Bakhmut within days. The propagandists blasted the Poles for Russophobia and lack of diplomatic etiquette and threatened with decisive response.Russian media also claimed “nearly complete Polonization” of Ukrainians and even came up with a fake story on the association of churches in Ukraine led by the Vatican-financed Uniates.This monitoring report covers these and other topics of the disinformation spread by Russian state media and online parajournalists to manipulate public opinion.

At the end of October 2022, we published a data project about the Russian "Telegram occupation", in which we investigated 120 Telegram channels that were set up by the Russians under the guise of Ukrainian local news channels to prepare for and justify the Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories. However, things didn’t turn out as planned, and by the end of September 2022, almost half of these news channels stopped working. As we learnt later on, not forever. Some Telegram channels still got a chance for a second life, although again, not for long. More details about Russian activity in Telegram and what Soledar offensive has got to do with it – in the article below.

Russian media keep saying that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is doomed. Last week, the propagandists claimed that Russian army excels at defensive warfare. The disinformation media tried to exonerate Wagner PMC after the testimony of former mercenaries sharing grim details of murders of Ukrainian civilians and the disobedient Russian servicemen had gone viral.Russian media ran numerous stories about the traitors of Russia who discredit the armed forces and praised the snitches who report them to the authorities. This monitoring report covers these and other topics of the disinformation spread by Russian state media and online parajournalists to manipulate public opinion.

Russian media are confident that the Ukrainian counter-offensive will be disastrous and signal the end of the support of Ukraine by the West. Last week, the propagandists told stories about the brave Russian army fighters who have already knocked out many Leopard tanks and killed thousands of Polish mercenaries. The disinformation media continued producing fakes about “secret biolabs” operated by the United States in Ukraine and convincing the audiences that Washington is ready to go to war with China to keep the dollar afloat. This monitoring report covers these and other topics of the disinformation spread by Russian state media and online parajournalists to manipulate public opinion.

The Ukrainians who fled to Europe lack the right arguments while talking to Europeans who just can't understand why Russia attacked Ukraine and why Ukrainians do not agree to meet halfway. We did our best to prepare a few points which might help to clarify the matter.Читати українською