Russia promotes a misleading video accusing Ukraine of using mannequins as casualties
Tracking narratives
Falsified BBC News video spreads in Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels
Security
Kremlin accuses Google of displaying phrase “dead Russians” in translation results
Facing widespread social media restrictions, Kremlin creates new Telegram channel
Rossiya 24 airs false video accusing Ukraine of using mannequins to fake war casualties
Rossiya 24 broadcasted a video on April 7 accusing the Ukrainian military of using mannequins to stage war casualties. However, the video was taken in Russia on a TV series set. The video was shown on the streaming platform of the state-owned All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company. The segment includes a watermark for the Russian pro-Kremlin Telegram channel U_G_M. Russian journalist Roman Super contacted Rossiya 24 requesting details about their report. He received a response stating that the channel director and editorial team did not “know that this was not Ukraine” and the video was “brought” to them.
- A fake BBC News report is being shared on pro-Kremlin Telegram channels. The BBC confirmed the video is fake. The video in question falsely asserts that a missile’s serial number proves Ukraine shelled the Kramatorsk train station on April 8. Ukrainian fact-checking organization StopFake debunked this narrative on April 10.
- The situation in Mariupol continues to intensify as the Russian military increases pressure on the city’s remaining defenders. On April 12, a number of Ukrainian marines released a farewell video as they were running out of food and ammo. Pro-Kremlin social media accounts also disseminated videos of Ukrainian soldiers surrendering, claiming they depict Ukrainian forces captured in Mariupol. The actual number of POWs remains unknown, however, and Kremlin sources may be exaggerating statistics.
- Russian State Duma member Alexey Chernyak plans to propose a draft law that would ban access to YouTube in Russia for ten years. This comes after YouTube blocked the Russian parliament channel Duma TV for violating the video platform’s terms of service.
- Roskomnadzor accused Google of “a violation of an extremist nature,” demanding the organization take immediate measures to remove “threats against Russian users.” Russia’s communications regulator claimed that when internet users entered the phrase “dear Russians” into Google Translate, the service offered to replace it with a translation of the phrase “dead Russians” instead.
- As social media platforms move to restrict access to Russian state-affiliated channels, the Kremlin has announced the creation of a new Telegram channel, “Kremlin News”.