Are Ukrainian troops retaking territory? Should we expect shortages of food products, medicines or even electronic components? Will the increase in gas prices affect factories as much as individuals? Students from Georges Brassens college in Taverny in Val-d’Oise interview journalists from the franceinfo editorial staff.
Timéo asks Eric Biegala, senior reporter for the international editorial staff of Radio France, if it is true “that the Ukrainians took over territory” against the Russians. According to Eric Biegala, there is no doubt about it, yes the Ukrainians are regaining ground as indicated “the astronomical quantity of images, taken in the places that have been reconquered, by the people on the spot, the soldiers and especially the journalists” Volodymyr Zelensky himself was in Izioum, a city taken back from the Russians and Eric Biegala explains that there is also “photos and images of weapons and armored vehicles left behind by Russian soldiers, who left the city in panic“.
Nevertheless Eric Biegala wishes to recall the importance of being very vigilant about the information and images that circulate in times of war, according to him “in war, everyone lies and you have to start from that principle and check everything.“
Among the ways to verify information in times of war, Eric Biegala explains that there are people who specialize in geotagging images. You can also use Google Images or its Russian equivalent Yandex to do a reverse image search, i.e. verify the origin of a photo or video by entering it on one of these search engine.
Lorenzo wonders if it’s true”that there will be a shortage of foreign products this winter” and it is Sophie Auvigne, journalist in the economy department of franceinfo who answers him.
It emphasizes the principle of “French sovereignty for food and medicine“, because when France no longer receives certain products from abroad, for whatever reason, it is necessary to know whether it is able to compensate with its own production. In this case, for certain products, France is not not capable and it relies mainly on imports from abroad and that is why, when a country can no longer supply us, this creates a shortage in France.
Sophie Auvigne gives the example of mustard and oil that are missing from the shelves of French supermarkets and “that we are not close to filling“. She explains that this is due to the fact that “the major supplier of seeds (for making mustard), Canada, has suffered a terrible drought which has damaged its harvest and the other producer, Russia, is hit by a trade embargo for its invasion of Ukraine , so we no longer buy Russian products.”
But Sophie Auvigne reminds us that we are still far from a food shortage, as our still full shelves prove. However, she is more worried about the drugs, “because we realized that 80% of the molecules were manufactured outside Europe“, but also “the electronic components that are missing today and that we find almost everywhere around us, in our cars, our telephones or even in toys.“
Isra wonders if it’s true”gas is going to be more expensive this winter“. Grégoire Lecalot, journalist with the eco service of franceinfo, explains that gas will increase well, but not this year when it is protected by the tariff shield put in place by the government since November 2021. But from January 2023, the government has already announced that gas bills “vincreased by 15%“, it represents “25 euros more to pay each month for gas“specifies Grégoire Lecalot who adds that the government has nevertheless planned”energy vouchers for the most modest households of 100 or 200 euros depending on what you earn.”
How can everyone be better informed?
Participate in the consultation initiated as part of the European project De facto on the Make.org platform. Franceinfo is the partner