The occupiers continue to publish disinformation, fakes, manipulate Ukrainians' minds.This article is devoted to the most common myths of the Russian, pro-Russian media and politicians about Ukrainian defenders.
Fake № 1: Ukrainian soldiers abuse Russian prisoners
The Russian Federation launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine and its offensive operations failed. As a result, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation was ordered to create fake videos in which the Ukrainian military allegedly abused Russian prisoners. Hackers from "Anonymous" made public this order of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
According to the document,the frequent cases of Ukrainian good behavior towards Russian prisoners increase the feeling of impunity among the military of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In addition, Russian forces might easily avoide the need to pay their war debt in Russian war against Ukraine.
So, in order to scare the Russian military, the top management ordered to develop and distribute a series of video materials demonstrating the "inhuman behavior of the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and nationalist formations on the territory of Ukraine."
Moreover, the order included the creation of fake graphic materials that showed figureheads in the role of captured Russian soldiers on briefings. Information support in comments with theses about the violation of the Geneva Conventions on the Treatment of Prisoners of War was also necessary.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi also warned that similar videos would be spread on the Internet.
"I emphasize that servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other legitimate military formations strictly adhere to the norms of international humanitarian law," Valerii Zaluzhnyi noted.
He also urged to take into account the realities of information and psychological warfare and to trust only official sources.
The SSU also explained the reason for these publications: the atrocities of the Russian occupiers have already shocked the whole world to such an extent that it undermines all the myths of the "libertarians".Therefore, their goal: to shift the emphasis and try to convince that the Ukrainian military allegedly abuse the prisoners. Such accusations are fake. Numerous videos and even public press conferences of Russian prisoners easily disprove them.
Fake № 2: Ukrainian soldiers change into Russian uniforms and loot
The Russians are still spreading thе fake news: Ukrainian soldiers are allegedly dressing up in Russian uniforms, "looting and using physical violence" against residents of populated areas in various regions of the country.It all started, of course, with Donbas.
For example, in July, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security Council reported that the Russians wrote in their mass media, for example:
"In Sloviansk the Kyiv regime prepared a provocation with the aim of discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. For its implementation, the Armed Forces of Ukraine dressed in Russian uniforms demonstratively looted houses and used physical violence against civilians, taking photos and videos of "acts of looting" allegedly committed by Russian troops."
Russian mass media disseminated information about "preparation for the purge of "unreliable" citizens associated with Russia in Mykolaiv".They also assured that the SSU allegedly "planed to conduct raids and send to the filtration camps" and wrote that "reinforcements had already arrived in the city from Kyiv and the western regions of Ukraine."
Fake № 3: "They mine and detonate themselves"
Russia has been spreading a lot of fakes about the fact that the Ukrainian military is mining the territories themselves for 9 months of the war.One of such myths: the "order" of the head of the Odesa military administration, Maksym Marchenko, regarding the mining of the Khadzhibey dam.Commenting on it, propagandist speakers noted that the "Nazis" themselves would specially blow up the building, and the responsibility would be transferred to Russian saboteurs.
Fake № 4: October 14 is a holiday of fascism and Nazism in Ukraine
Of course, Russian propaganda wrote about the celebration of the Defender of Ukraine Day.Ukraine chose October 14 precisely because this date coincides with the Day of the Ukrainian Cossacks, at the same time October 14 is also celebrated as the Day of the Creation of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, the mention of which still irritates Russia.
Russian mass media never tire of writing about Nazism and fascism in Ukraine.In their opinion, all those who defend Ukraine are fascists and Nazis.Describing the celebration of October 14 in Ukraine, the propagandists remind us of the "terrible crimes of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists", "the cooperation of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - the Ukrainian Insurgent Army with the Nazis", and the establishment of the "neo-Banderа dictatorship" in Ukraine.
This, of course, has nothing to do with reality. The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - the Ukrainian Insurgent Army fought against all those who claimed Ukrainian territories. For example, numerous documents of German, Soviet and Polish origin testify to the struggle of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army against the German occupiers and their allies.Both the German and the Soviet sides assessed the activities of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army as an anti-German uprising.
Russia always uses manipulation of the activities of far-right organizations in Ukraine as evidence of Nazism.In fact, in Ukraine, as in many developed countries, there are representatives of various organizations, but their number is not big and these organizations do not have such support in society and governing bodies, as the Russian media tries to describe.
Fake № 5: Ukrainian soldiers sleep on the street
Do not forget about the "seasonal fakes" of Russian propaganda.Recently, the Russians have begun to spread on the network a photo with an alleged soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who, covered with a blanket, is sleeping right under the snow.
But, according to "StopFake" analysts, this photo was actually made at least 10 years ago, that is, before the start of Russian aggression against Ukraine.It depicts a non-Ukrainian soldier - it is Russian special forces training for survival. In 2014 this photo was spread not only among Ukrainians, but also in other countries with a different story.
Our heroes really risk the most important things and pay their lives for defending the homeland. However, the Russian invaders must not be showed as the Ukrainian military.
Fake № 6: Ukrainian military personnel stationed on the territory of schools and parks
For example, let's take one Ukrainian city - Zaporizhzhia. Recently, the occupiers spread another fake about stationing Ukrainian military personnel on the territory of the local gymnasium.
This information was published in the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation with reference to the data of the Interdepartmental Coordination Headquarters of the Russian Federation for Humanitarian Response.
The Russian invaders also reported that there was "artillery " in the Victory Park in Zaporizhzhia, these "weapons" were actually World War II monuments - that is, retro equipment unfit for use.
In addition, the Russian occupiers spread false information about the deployment of Ukrainian military personnel on the territory of the Zaporizhzhia City Palace of Children's and Youth Creativity.
Despite the fact that the Palace of Creativity does not work, the premises began to be reconstructed before the full-scale invasion.
The occupiers also spread absurd stories about Donetsk and Kharkiv oblasts. In particular, the propagandists wrote a fable about the "neo-Nazis" holding the workers of the "Topolka" orphanage in Sloviansk hostage, the mining of the building and its future detonation during the Russian artillery shelling of military facilities.
Fake № 7: Ukrainian weapons are entering service with he Russian army
The Russian occupiers also spread fakes about the fact that Ukrainian soldiers seemingly surrender with weapons from the allies and the Russian army use these weapons after.
"They understand that they will lose the war, see their backwardness and seek ways to stop arms supplies by any means.For example, one of the fakes is the alleged destruction of the S-300 air defense systems handed over by Slovakia.Prime Minister Eduard Heger has already denied this information. What happens next? We know the scenarios of the Russians. Let's tell about one of them.
They can spread fakes about the fact that Ukrainian soldiers seemingly surrender with weapons from the allies and the Russian army use these weapons after. I want to immediately warn against such fakes. Because the weapons in the hands of the soldiers of the Armed Forces exclusively send the enemy to the other world.Therefore, the Russian soul can continue to live in its own rosy dreams while it is still alive," Andrii Yermak wrote the head of the President's Office.
The Russian media also spread a fake said by Oleksandr Lukashenko about the French CAESAR self-propelled artillery installations, which the Ukrainian military allegedly "sold to the Russian troops and which ended up at the Uralvagonzavod". According to him, this caused "hysterics in the French media and the officer ranks of the French army."
Fake № 8: The Russian army strikes the place where the military is stationed
Since the very beginning of the full-scale invasion we have been listening to the same fables: the Russians are targeting only military facilities. However, the ghostly facilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which Russian propagandists write about, are in fact traditionally either critical infrastructure facilities or civilian residential buildings.
Fake № 9: Ukrainian soldiers brutally kill children
Russia usually uses real or fake human tragedies to once again demonize the Ukrainian army.Propagandists mostly like tragedies happened with the least protected sections of the population - children, mothers or the elderly.One of the most famous fakes of this type appeared in July 2014 - allegedly "Ukrainian punishers" crucified a boy in Sloviansk.
This completely fake story was very actively spread on the air of Russian television.
Another example is last year's story in Oleksandrivske, Donetsk oblast, which is not controlled by Ukraine.
A five-year-old boy died from the explosion.The resources of pro-Russian militants were the first to break the news and they immediately announced that the shelling of a Ukrainian drone causes explosion.
Ukraine denied its involvement and sent a note to the OSCE about the intentions of the militants to falsify the events.l
Later, the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission provided information about this case in a report. According to the report, the child really died from an explosive injury and numerous shrapnel wounds. However, the involvement of the Ukrainian military in this case was not confirmed by the OSCE.
During the full-scale invasion, the Russians told similar stories, sometimes about Lyman, then about Bucha, then about Mariupol. There is no confirmation that the Ukrainian military kills children and all Russian attempts to demonize the Ukrainian military are unsuccessful.
Fake № 10: Monetary rewards for the liquidation of the Russian military in Ukraine
After a wave of fakes about the fall of a missile on the territory of Poland, the Russians publish new fakes in the information space in order to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine.This time, Russia lies about some monetary rewards for the liquidation of their military in Ukraine.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on the agency's Facebook page that Russia even mentioned the sums allegedly promised to the Ukrainian military.
The General Staff emphasizes that this is fake information aimed at discrediting the military and political leadership of Ukraine.So, the Russians provide evidence that allegedly prove the appointment of a monetary reward for killing servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation even announces the specific amounts of the reward: from 700 to 1 thousand US dollars.
Fake № 11: The Armed Forces of Ukraine use violence against civilians because of pro-Russian views
For example, recently the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stated that "nationalists were using violence against the residents of Odesa due to evidence of pro-Russian views found in their phones and messengers." The Center for Countering Disinformation warns that such information is fake.
Fake № 12: Cloned Ukrainian soldiers
The Russians began to spread a new conspiracy theory about the "cloning" of the Ukrainian military. Following this way, they can tell stories about creating a "captain of Ukraine". The Ministryof Defense of Ukraine reported.
"Last spring Russian propaganda talked about genetically modified Ukrainian pigeons.Today their propaganda machine tells conspiracy theories about "cloned" Ukrainian soldiers. Next will be "super soldiers" genetically modified in secret biolaboratories. Captain Ukraine? No. Every soldier of the Armed Forces is a superhero," the department emphasizes.
Fake № 13: More than 300,000 Ukrainian soldiers are considered missing
In November, Russian propaganda media spread a fake that "about 380,000 Ukrainian soldiers are considered missing." However, the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council notes that such information is fake.
Fake № 14: Ukrainians voluntarily surrender and remain in the territory controlled by Russia
From time to time, the Russian media publish information that Ukrainian soldiers have decided to surrender and remain in the territory controlled by Russia.Defenders of Ukraine allegedly do not want to fight.
The Russians note that the soldiers of the Armed Forces "surrendered voluntarily."The occupiers are convinced that the fighters of the national battalions do not allow the Ukrainian military to leave their positions and play the role of blocking units. However, Russia forgets that this is how the Russian troops act, not our soldiers.
Author: Anton Malynovskyi
