#DisinfoChronicle.Kremlin disinformation about the military offensive in Ukraine

25.02.2022

19:14

Fake. Ukrainian defenders of Zmiinyi Island surrendered voluntarily and without a fight.

On February 25, Russian media, including RT, RIA Novosti, Ukraina.ru, KP.ru, Lenta.ru, and propaganda telegram channels, disseminated fake information that 82 Ukrainian soldiers allegedly voluntarily surrendered their positions on Zmiinyi Island to the Russian invaders, writes StopFake media.

Propaganda resources are also spreading a fake that Ukrainian defenders have written receipts stating that they will no longer participate in hostilities. On the evening of February 24, the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported , that two Russian ships had fired on the island, and later communication was lost with the island. In addition, the infidels used the international maritime communications channel to intimidate the defenders of the border — the recording of this conversation was published in the public domain. According to him, the Russians demanded that the Ukrainian border guards surrender: "I am a Russian warship. I propose to lay down arms and surrender in order to avoid bloodshed and unjustified victims. Otherwise, you will be bombed". In response, the Ukrainian defender of Zmiinyi said: "Russian warship, f*ck you!".

Fake. Ukrainian Military personnel who stop resisting will be able to get to their families without hindrance.

Such a message is sent to men in Kherson. The text also calls the resistance "unnecessary", and at the end of the message a signature is added — Vladimir Putin. The text of the message in the screenshot: All Military personnel of the Ukrainian army who decide to stop unnecessary resistance will be able to leave the combat zone without hindrance and return to their families. Vladimir Putin".

Fake. A bridge was blown up in the village of Poliske.

Korosten Deputy Mayor Natalia Chyzhevska denied reports of a bridge being blown up in the village of Poliske, Zhytomyr Oblast, near Korosten.

She also showed an undamaged railway crossing in Korosten.

Manipulation. Renat Kuzmin said that Ukraine started this war 8 years ago.

As stated in the message of the People’s Deputy from the pro-Russian party Platform — For Life, “Alexander Turchynov started the war in Donbas eight years ago, disguising it as the ATO.” In the same message, Kuzmin called the events during the Euromaidan an armed seizure of power and summed up that “we are to blame for everything that happens.”

However, the ATO in Ukraine started in 2014 not to fight against Russia, but to repel Russian aggression. Already on February 24, 2022, after a full-scale attack by Russia, the Verkhovna Rada supported the introduction of martial law in Ukraine. Three hundred People’s Deputies voted for this decision. On February 24, Ukraine severed diplomatic relations with Russia. On February 25, President Zelensky called on Putin to sit down at the negotiating table.

Fake. In the Sumy region, a bridge was blown up near the village of Bishkin, Lebedyn district.

Suspilne (national public broadcaster in Ukraine) reports: the information that is spread on the Internet about the blown-up bridge is not true. The information about the demolition of the shops of Khimprom (liquidated chemical enterprise) and other chemical companies in the region is also fake.

According to the Suspilne, the possible testing of alarm systems in Sumy is also fake. “If the civil defense siren goes off, this is no drill!" — the message says.

Fake. Pro-Russian telegram channels spread information that units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not take part in hostilities.

Such reports say that only battalions of Ukrainian Nazis are fiercely opposed. However, this is another fake, because according to official data, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are fighting the enemy at all locations. Official information about this can be found on the website of the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defense.

Manipulation. Armed Forces of Ukraine started Ukrainization.

People's Deputy of Ukraine from the party Opposition Platform for Life Vadim Rabinovich claimed that Ukraine had chosen the wrong time for that. Thus, the people's deputy reacted to reports from the Verkhovna Rada that the Ukrainian military communicates exclusively in Ukrainian. "Sprehenführer Kremin should be pleased — it's nonsense that the Russians are ten kilometers from Kyiv, and the core point is that the soldiers do not speak the language of the aggressor," — wrote Rabinovich.

In fact, the message about the language of communication of the military appeared so that the Ukrainians could better identify the fighters of the Ukrainian army.

Fake. Videos and photos of the supposedly Russian invasion of Ukraine are widely spreading all around Facebook. All these attacks in the live stream are fake, says Bloomberg.

According to Bloomberg, all these videos and screenshots are from the game on the military theme - Arma 3. Under the post with Arabic Arma 3 video, marked as "latest news" the author left the comment which says a live stream from the Ukrainian borders was documented by journalists.

These videos were seen by over 110 000 people and posted over 25 000 times on Facebook. Facebook deleted all fake materials after Bloomberg News asked the owner of the Facebook Meta Platforms to comment on the situation.

Fake. The Ukrainian military crushed civilians with equipment.

Pro-Russian telegram channels spread fake information that Ukrainian soldiers allegedly panicked and ran over a civilian's car with military equipment.

Along with this message, a video from the Obolonskyi district of Kyiv, in which armored vehicles of the occupiers - service members of the Russian Armed Forces - ran over a civilian's car, is being distributed.

Fake. Local authorities will test alert systems in Ukraine.

Again, we recorded reports in local groups in different parts of Ukraine about sirens being tested on February 25 at 1 p.m. There were no sirens, and local authorities denied planning such testing. We encourage you to obtain information only from official sources. Sirens sound when you need to go to the shelter.

Fake. Russia is not a threat to the civilian population in Ukraine.

The Kremlin media and propagandists claim civilian Ukrainians are allegedly not in danger during the full-scale offensive of Russian troops on Ukrainian cities.

This is not the case. In particular, on February 25, during a morning air attack on Kyiv, one of the fragments of a Russian rocket hit two residential buildings. As a result of the Russian attack, the section erupted and the house collapsed. An hour after the attack, Russia continued to bomb Kyiv's residential areas.

More details

Manipulation. A pro-Russian politician Yevgeny Muraev insists that negotiations with Russia are needed right now and in any case.

He adds that it will be a capitulation, not a negotiation, as it was necessary to agree on neutral status, implement the Minsk agreements, and recognize Crimea as Russian "eight years ago." And now, the conditions of capitulation will be stricter. Also Muraev has previously called for the recognition of the so-called "DPR" and "LPR". Now he calls Russia's war against Ukraine "trials that must be seen as opportunities".

Fake. Local viber chats are reporting that a siren will go off on January 25 at 1 p.m.

Sirens go off when there is a need to hide in a shelter. Be vigilant and check official sources!

Fake. Russian troops landed in the Obolon district of Kyiv.

Information that Russian forces have landed in Obolon in Kyiv is spreading in the network. However, the Adviser to the Head of the President's Office, Oleksiy Arestovych, denied this information during another briefing.

“"There are many fakes like that — enemy's troops landed in Obolon, Russians are already here and so on — these are simply elements of disinformation that is being carried out. There will be more messages like those. Don't trust them; use only official sources of information," said Arestovych.

Fake. Anonymous telegram channels and other messengers are spreading information allegedly on behalf of the Security Service of Ukraine.

The report says that the Security Service of Ukraine requires Ukrainians to follow the link in order to "pass the inspection".

The agency says that this link , similar to the website address of the Security Service of Ukraine, but it is fake and does not lead to its online resource. In fact, the link will prompt you to add a new device to your account. After that, the enemy will have access to all your chat history (except secret chats), and will be able to write on your behalf, - said the Security Service of Ukraine, urging not to follow the link or scan the QR code.

Fake. Pro-Russian Telegram channels, in particular @spletnicca, spread information that Volodymyr Zelensky had allegedly deceived Ukrainians and the army until the last day and banned the media from publishing an accurate picture of what was happening.

"In two or three days, we will all be surprised how our country found itself in such a situation, and it's just because Kvartal decided to have fun and lie to the end!" - said in a statement.

It is not true. After Russia attacked Ukraine, the President of Ukraine immediately imposed martial law. On February 24, Ukraine severed diplomatic relations with Russia. Ukrainian media promptly cover the situation in the country and work around the clock. In particular, on the morning of February 25, most of the Ukrainian TV channels broadcast information marathons.

Manipulation. Propagandist Tetyana Montyan spreads false information that "the Ukrainian Armed Forces should be blamed for the destruction of the residential buildings in Kyiv".

Similar information is being spread by many other Russian propagandists. They claim that the Ukrainian authorities are happy with the destruction and casualties only to be able "to shout about Putin's barbaric punishers".

Manipulation. Telegram channels spread the video message supposedly from the former member of the National Corps. He said that "his brothers laid down their arms" and spread the message which said, "We were preparing for 8 years and lost it all after 2 hours".

The press center of the National Corps denied the fact that this person had ever been a member of the National Corps. According to the press center, the National Corps didn't mention it publicly because they thought it wasn't worth such attention.

Manipulation. A phishing attack has started against Ukrainians.

Citizens receive emails with attached files of an uncertain nature. Such messages can also be sent to messengers. Under no circumstances should you follow the links or open attachments.

Fake. Everyone needs to disconnect from the power grid at 11:30 pm because Ukraine is switching to a different energy system.

The National Energy Company Ukrenergo called this information fake and officially stated that the power system was operating normall. "Nothing needs to be turned off, and no one connects anywhere at night," posted Ukrenergo's Facebook page. Similar refutations were published on the pages of regional energy companies.

More details