Fakes spread on the Internet at an incredible speed, changing the form and methods of influence. From blatantly fabricated news to manipulative polls that replace real public opinion, disinformation is adapting to new realities and becoming more sophisticated. This is especially noticeable in topics related to international politics, war and support for Ukraine. Another example was the spread of a survey on the X social network, allegedly published by Donald Trump, in which the majority of users expressed their opposition to aid to Kyiv. In fact, it was just a fan account, and its results were manipulation.
Fake accounts of Trump and his relatives
The X social network shared a post with an alleged poll of Donald Trump, in which 95% of commentators spoke against supporting Ukraine. However, this is not true.
The poll actually appeared on Trump’s fan page, not his official account. This profile was subsequently blocked. In the comments to the post, the majority of users really spoke against aid to Ukraine — some simply wrote «no», others explained their position. However, it should be taken into account that the audience of the fan account probably consists mainly of Trump supporters, and their opinion does not reflect the mood of the entire American society. In addition, the comments could include not only US citizens, but also users from other countries or even bots.
According to a Pew Research Center poll conducted in November 2024, 50% of Americans believe that the United States should help Ukraine defend itself against a Russian invasion, while 47% hold the opposite opinion. Researchers note that these indicators have remained stable in recent months.
Фото: voxukraine.org
Why did Dr. PI’s post go viral?
Another recent case is the wave of spreading the appeal of the so-called «Dr. Slyusarchuk», better known as Dr. Pi. He is a convicted fraudster who has served time in prison and is not who he says he is. However, his emotional post is actively reposted on Facebook, without thinking about the consequences.
Information about the status of Slyusarchuk can be easily checked in open sources. But how many are willing to spend a few minutes to learn the truth? Most users see an emotional text that mentions Trump or other topics that resonate with our society, and immediately click the «share» button. The fraudster himself does not do anything complicated: he uses the classic technology of manipulation — he writes stinging text, plays on feelings and gets new supporters who do not know how to use search engines.
A similar mechanism works with pseudo-patriotic publics that publish content from neural networks, accompanying it with emotional cries of «betrayal». People do not check the original source, do not think about who is really behind this information. They only share content that resonates with them.
What happens as a result? Theses, which could potentially be important for the international community, are discredited. Denys Kazansky correctly explains the action of this mechanism. If such an «appeal to Trump» really reaches someone from his team, the answer will be obvious: «This is not a doctor, but a convicted fraudster. Not a single word of his can be trusted.» In this way, the really important messages that need to be conveyed to the world are under attack.
Perhaps this campaign is planned with this goal in mind. But the worst thing is that it works thanks to our citizens who do not check the information before sharing.
Fact-checking is not difficult. Searching for information takes minutes. But as long as people refuse to do even this minimum, the manipulators will get a new audience, and the enemy will get new informational reasons to discredit Ukraine at the international level.
Russia is intensifying information attacks
Such warnings come from SBU. The Security Service of Ukraine recorded the intensification of information attacks by Russian special services, which are trying to destabilize the situation in the country.
In particular, the number of information diversions aimed at inciting protest moods and creating a split in society has increased significantly. For this, the enemy massively uses bot farms, fake accounts and controlled groups in social networks and messengers, especially in TikTok and Telegram.
Russians are spreading false reports about alleged mass protests in Ukraine and even offering money for participation in such events. In this way, they seek to sow chaos and disrupt stability in the country.
The Security Service of Ukraine calls on citizens to be vigilant, not to succumb to provocations, and to verify information before disseminating it. The agency also reminds that attempts to forcefully change power are a crime and are punishable by imprisonment for up to 10 years.
A new wave of information warfare
Analysts of the CPD at the NSDC warn about it. The Russian Federation is moving to a new stage of the information war, aimed both at Ukraine and at the countries of the European Union. According to the head of the Center for countering disinformation at the National Security Council, officer of the Defense Forces Andriy Kovalenko, the main goal of the Russian special services is to shake the unity of Europe and destabilize the situation inside Ukraine.
In Europe, the Kremlin is focusing on supporting so-called Eurosceptics – politicians who question the current architecture of the EU and promote narratives favorable to Moscow. The goal is to force Europe to abandon its support for Ukraine, to ease sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation, and to create conditions for the destabilization of the Baltic States.
In Ukraine, the enemy is trying to divide society, especially through the opposition between civilians and the military, and is also provoking protest sentiments using disinformation and manipulative narratives.
The operations are carried out through the structures of the FSB, the GRU and the SZR of the Russian Federation, and their curator is the first deputy head of Putin’s administration Serhiy Kiriyenko. The FSB controls Russia’s internal information space, creates a fake opposition, and recruits agents for sabotage in Ukraine and Europe. The GRU conducts information and psychological attacks against Ukraine and the West using proxy groups, Telegram channels, social networks and bloggers. The GRU also recruits saboteurs.
SZR promotes Kremlin propaganda through diplomacy, foreign media and think tanks, spreads disinformation about Ukraine and tries to recruit Western politicians. During the spring and summer of 2025, Russia will increase information pressure. «Remain vigilant and be critical of any information,» urges the Center for Combating Disinformation.
In the fight against disinformation, fact-checking resources play a key role, which quickly refute fakes, detect manipulations, and recognize IPSOs. Constantly visiting such resources allows you to get up-to-date information with verified facts, avoid the influence of fakers and propagandists. They stimulate critical thinking and increase media literacy among users. Let’s indicate the minimum that should be in the arsenal of a media critic.
For those who do not take their word for it
International fact-checking initiatives
International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) – global network of fact-checkers, which develops information verification standards and unites leading independent initiatives.
FactCheck.org – American non-profit organization, which analyzes political statements, media publications and refutes fakes. By the way, here you can already read the refutation of Trump’s fake statements regarding Ukraine and not only that. The resource provides many refutations of the fake activity of the American president.
Snopes — one of the oldest platform, which specializes in exposing fakes, myths and manipulations in the media. By the way, the fact-checkers of this resource confirmed that the Times edition came out with a cover that depicted an AI-generated Trump in a crown and the inscription: Long live the king!
Politifact – project, which tests the statements of politicians and influencers using a truthfulness scale. By the way, Trump’s lies have been counted here for a long time, and recently they have been established «MAGA counter» to track Donald Trump’s promises.
EUvsDisinfo – initiative The EU monitors Russian disinformation and publishes exposure of propaganda narratives.
Ukrainian fact-checking platforms
StopFake — one of the first Ukrainian ones projects, which exposes Russian propaganda and media fakes. Recently, there have been many refutations of the lies of Musk and other Trump aides.
VoxCheck — fact-checking project of the analytical platform VoxUkraine, which verifies politicians’ statements and economic information.
On the other side of the news — Ukrainian media project, which analyzes leaks, conspiracies and manipulations in the information space. Works under the slogan: I don’t believe a word.
No lies — fact-checking project, which checks the statements of politicians, public figures and the media for authenticity. It works according to the standards of fact-checking and analytics, exposing fakes, manipulations and disinformation.
The platform focuses on analyzing political statements, debunking propaganda narratives, and explaining manipulative techniques used in the information space. «No Lies» also teaches citizens to think critically and recognize false information. Has been issued manual.
Fact-checking is part of informational hygiene at a time when fakery and manipulation can damage not only reputations but national security. It is important to verify information before it is shared to avoid misinformation and maintain trust in the real facts.
