Misinformation is deliberately spreading false information with the intent to mislead. Therefore, misinformation and its sources should not be treated in the same way as factual reporting.
Misinformation is not one aspect of a story. It is a lie that should not be given equal status in news reporting based on widely accepted journalistic standards of truth, accuracy and objectivity.
On December 13, 2016, Garry Kasparov, former world chess champion and well-known Russian political activist, tweeted: “The purpose of modern propaganda is not just to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical spirit, to annihilate the truth. »
Disinformation about Ukraine is a dangerous weapon in Russia’s hybrid arsenal that openly aims to conquer Ukraine by any means and at any cost.
On November 3, 2015, during testimony before the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Benjamin Ziff stated the following: “The Kremlin is sponsoring these efforts [pour semer le doute, la confusion et la suspicion, et remettre en question même les vérités les plus élémentaires] with a sophisticated $1.4 billion-a-year propaganda apparatus at home and abroad, which claims to reach 600 million people in 130 countries in 30 languages. The Russian government also funds think tanks and outside organizations in its neighboring states to help it achieve its goals of promoting false Kremlin narratives; presenting the West as a threat; and undermine trust in independent media and Western institutions and values. »
On May 23, 2023, the Permanent International Media Monitoring Mission for Disinformation on Ukraine and the Ukrainian Diaspora, launched by the NGO “Ukraine-2050”, presented a report in five languages (French, Ukrainian, English, German and Spanish) on media monitoring for disinformation about Ukraine during the period from February 24, 2022, the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, to February 24, 2023.
Seven propaganda meta-narratives
The report groups various disinformation stories into seven disinformation meta-narratives to better highlight the information base created by Russian propaganda during Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. These seven disinformation meta-narratives are:
- NATO, led by the United States and with the support of the West, is the aggressor that started the war against Russia in Ukraine;
- Ukraine is a neo-Nazi state, aggressive and artificial;
- The West is making a mistake by supplying arms and other aid to Ukraine, as well as imposing sanctions on Russia;
- Ukraine commits war crimes and acts of terrorism against its own population, and organizes demonstrations of mass civilian casualties in order to blame Russia;
- Ukraine prohibits and oppresses everything Russian;
- Russia is a human state that firmly defends its interests;
- Russia is the last pillar of spirituality in Europe and a capable leader of the global movement against Western neo-colonialism.
The Kremlin’s overall goal in using disinformation is to blame Russia’s war on Ukraine on the United States and NATO and to disrupt the unity of the West in its support for the Ukraine and its sanctions against Russia; and to discredit Ukraine and undermine the internal and external support of Ukrainian government authorities and armed forces.
In other words, “to annihilate the truth”.
“Media Terror”
On July 16, 2022, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said: “How much trouble do Ukrainians create for themselves by trusting any anonymous source… Sometimes it takes just unhealthy forms when social media and websites deliberately relay false information from Russia, with one purpose: to add media terror to the terror of missiles and artillery against our country. Therefore, we also need some kind of emotional sovereignty to not depend on what the enemy is constantly throwing at you and me. […] Sometimes media weapons can do more than conventional weapons. »
NATO member countries should also be aware that Russian disinformation aims to divide and weaken them.
Greater attention must be paid to debunking disinformation and exposing the work of Russia’s useful idiots in order to avoid bad decisions based on disinformation that can cost human lives and cause more material destruction.
As a general rule, conflicting reports regarding the situation in Ukraine should be interpreted always bearing in mind Russia’s historical record of disinformation, as well as the fact that Russia is the aggressor and Ukraine the victim. of an unprovoked genocidal war.