Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, pro-Russian disinformation campaigns have increased sharply.
Russian state media and Kremlin-affiliated social media accounts play a key role in spreading propaganda and false narratives.The goal is to sway public and political opinion in Russia’s favor – and weaken support for Ukraine.
Typical disinformation claims include:
Ukraine is developing weapons of mass destruction – supposedly with help from Western countries.
The West’s response to the invasion is driven by “Russophobia”.
Sanctions against Russia are illegal and are causing global economic instability and hardship for ordinary people.
These claims are false and can be debunked. The EU East StratCom Task Force [external link: euvsdisinfo.eu] has been monitoring and analyzing Russian disinformation since 2015. Further examples are available on the website of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior .
