On the White Home this week, President Biden mentioned the USA had “motive to consider” that Russia was “engaged in a false flag operation” to make use of as an excuse to invade Ukraine.
A brand new report by the European Professional Affiliation, a analysis group that focuses on safety in Ukraine, and the expertise watchdog group Reset Tech mentioned that since October, misinformation researchers had noticed rumors circulating broadly on-line and in Russian information media that may very well be groundwork for such an operation, or to assist justify a navy buildup.
Lots of the rumors first began circulating on nameless Telegram channels, and have been then repeated in televised statements by Russian officers, the report mentioned. Others began with statements from Russian officers and have been repeated on Telegram channels till they grew to become speaking factors amongst bizarre residents.
“The rhetoric of the pro-Kremlin sources these days has grow to be rather more aggressive,” Maria Avdeeva, analysis director on the European Professional Affiliation, mentioned.
On the request of The New York Occasions, the World Disinformation Index, a nonprofit analysis group, independently evaluated the report and mentioned the analysis appeared dependable.
Listed here are a number of the unsupported claims the European Professional Affiliation researchers discovered.
Unsubstantiated Declare 1: Ukraine is planning to assault some separatist-held territories utilizing chemical weapons.
On Dec. 21, the Russian protection minister, Sergey Shoigu, alleged that the Ukrainian military was getting ready to assault two separatist-held territories in Ukraine. The subsequent day, the state-owned information company RIA Novosti printed a report that claimed, with out proof, {that a} stash of chemical weapons had been given to Ukraine by the USA, in keeping with the researchers.
All through January and February, the researchers mentioned, Russian-backed media unfold the rumor, which was amplified on social media. “Chemical weapons are already current on the territory of Ukraine,” mentioned a message in a single nameless Telegram channel with 24,500 followers. The submit was considered by 7,000 individuals.
Unsubstantiated Declare 2: The Ukrainian Army is getting ready to assault Donbas.
Russian state media has been spreading rumors that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are planning an assault on Donbas, the separatist area in jap Ukraine, with the assistance of American, British and Polish mercenaries, in keeping with the researchers.
The rumor then unfold on Fb and YouTube. “The Ukrainian persons are ready for Mom Russia to free their youthful sister from the Nazis and the State Division,” mentioned one Fb submit that collected practically 100 likes. On YouTube, a video spreading the identical unproven declare collected greater than 31,600 views.
Unsubstantiated Declare 3: Nuclear energy crops are on the heart of a U.S. plot.
On this narrative, the Russians accuse the Ukrainians and Individuals of planting a false flag.
Since Jan. 30, all 15 of Ukraine’s nuclear energy crops have been producing electrical energy, marking the longest stretch of full utilization of nuclear vitality within the nation. That comes as Ukraine’s authorities determined to disconnect from the facility grid with Belarus and the Russian Federation and carried out the plan to take action.
Russian state media started to unfold the concept Ukraine was overestimating its skill to maintain up with its vitality wants, and that the nation’s nuclear services have been in dire want of restore. The Russian media implied that Western international locations may very well be organizing to assault the nuclear services and place the blame on Russia.
On Feb. 12, a Telegram channel with over 15,000 followers posted that the British Particular Air Service was getting ready an assault on one in every of Ukraine’s energy crops.
And on Feb. 15, the Telegram channel of a Russian conflict correspondent, Aleksander Kots, alleged that Ukraine had requested for particular tools from the USA to assist mitigate a potential pure catastrophe, together with to assist with radiation and chemical fallout, in keeping with the researchers. Mr. Kots added the unfounded accusation that the Ukrainians have been devising a false-flag occasion — accusing Russia of getting ready a terrorist assault in opposition to a nuclear energy plant. His feedback have been seen by 83,900 individuals on Telegram, the researchers reported.
