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Tue, May 31, 2022

Polish-language Telegram channels spread anti-refugee narratives

The DFRLab identified 27 Telegram channels spreading anti-refugee disinformation as Ukrainians flee to Poland.

by Esteban Ponce de León, Givi Gigitashvili

API Civil Society
A camouflaged Russian tank outside the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Enerhodar, Ukraine, March 16, 2022. (Source: Reuters/Energoatom)

Fri, May 27, 2022

Russian War Report: Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels claim Ukraine is building a “dirty bomb”

Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels misrepresented comments by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to claim Ukraine was producing a “dirty bomb.”

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

US President Joe Biden departs Japan on May 24, 2022. (Source: Reuters/Kyodo Pictures)

Thu, May 26, 2022

Chinese netizens accuse Biden of using gaffes as a “strategic advantage”

Chinese social media accounts disparaged the US president by claiming Biden intentionally weaponizes his verbal gaffes.

China Government
Banner image: Incendiary weapons explode above the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, Ukraine. (Source: @faceofwar/archive)

Fri, May 20, 2022

Russian War Report: Russian forces use incendiary munitions in Mariupol

New photo and video evidence suggests that the Russian military continues to use incendiary and cluster munitions against Ukrainian forces.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Thu, May 19, 2022

Telegram channels and youth groups rally against Riga following Victory Day controversy

The city of Riga sparks pro-Russian outrage after voting to demolish Soviet monument and arresting pro-Kremlin activist.

by Nika Aleksejeva

Electorate Government (Includes international governing bodies)
Using drone footage supplied by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the DFRLab confirmed the incident took place near the Russian town of Belohorivka. (Source: @DefenceU/archive)

Fri, May 13, 2022

Russian War Report: Drone footage confirms failed Russian military pontoon crossing 

The DFRLab geolocated drone footage that showed the obliteration of the Russian unit that tried to cross the Siversky Donets in the Donbas region.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Top pro-Kremlin channels gain followers faster, reach more people, and have more subscribers than those critical of the Kremlin

Fri, May 13, 2022

Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels in Russia outperforming channels critical of Kremlin

Top pro-Kremlin channels gain followers faster, reach more people, and have more subscribers than those critical of the Kremlin.

by Givi Gigitashvili

Eastern Europe Electorate
A Belarusian soldier of the 11th separate mechanized brigade participates in a previous combat exercise on Feb 16, 2022. (Source: EYEPRESS via Reuters Connect)

Fri, May 6, 2022

Russian War Report: Belarus launches “combat preparedness test”

The Belarusian military began unannounced combat drills, the Kremlin drops the term "denazification," and a Latin American RT influencer resigns.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

This image depicting a Polish general alluding to annexing parts of Ukraine was one of several circulating on pro-Kremlin Telegram channels that turned out to be fake. (Source: Signal Telegram Channel/archive)

Fri, May 6, 2022

Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels promote narrative that Poland will annex western Ukraine

Narrative relies on forged documents and fake images of billboards in Poland.

by Roman Osadchuk, Givi Gigitashvili

Disinformation Electorate
Logo of Russia’s Channel One program “AntiFake,” which presents propaganda and disinformation as fact-checking.

Wed, May 4, 2022

How Russia employs fake fact-checking in its disinformation arsenal

Kremlin-aligned outlets embrace open-source research and fact-checking tropes to make disinformation more convincing.

by Ingrid Dickinson

CrowdTangle Disinformation
File photo of Russian firefighter. (Source: EMERCOM)

Tue, May 3, 2022

Russian War Report: New fires and alleged sabotage operations across Russian territory 

Over the past week, numerous strategic facilities on Russian territory have caught fire drawing accusation of sabotage. 

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Plumes of smoke rise after a fire erupts at an oil depot in Bryansk, Russia April 25, 2022 in this still image obtained from social media video. Natalya Krutova via REUTERS

Tue, Apr 26, 2022

Russian War Report: Geolocating fires in Bryansk

On April 25, large fires were reported in Bryansk, Russia, just 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. DFRLab geolocated the fires to confirm an armed forces fuel depot was damaged.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab