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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks as he is surrounded by Ukrainian servicemen as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Bucha, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, April 4, 2022. REUTERS/Marko Djurica

Mon, Apr 4, 2022

Russian War Report: Kremlin claims Bucha massacre was staged by Ukraine

Civilians have been found dead, many with their hands bound and simply left on the street, in Bucha. Despite the evidence, the Kremlin is trying to cover it up through disinformation and confusion.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

An eyewitness captures video of military helicopters approaching Belgorod, Russia. (Source: @UAWeapons/archive)

Fri, Apr 1, 2022

Russian War Report: Videos appear to show missiles striking Russian oil depot

Video surfaced showing a possible attack on a Russian oil depot in Belgorod. Elsewhere, a Russian official threatened Azerbaijan with nukes.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

A Russian tank spotted in southern Belarus. (Source: @tendar/euroradio)

Wed, Mar 30, 2022

Russian War Report: Contradictory reports of Russian vehicles returning to Belarus

Russian forces seen returning to Belarus, Telegram channels undermining peace talks with Ukraine, and how Russians continue using banned social media.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

(Source: Iria Puyosa/DFRLab via Gephi)

Wed, Mar 23, 2022

Understanding Telegram’s ecosystem of far-right channels in the US

DFRLab analysis of nearly 6,000 Telegram channels identified distinct “communities” ranging from MAGA supporters to QAnon

by Iria Puyosa, Esteban Ponce de León

Extremism Gephi
Instagram logo displayed on a phone screen and Russian flag displayed on a screen in the background are seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on March 14, 2022 (Photo illustration by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto)NO USE FRANCE

Mon, Mar 21, 2022

Russian War Report: Meta officially declared “extremist organization” in Russia

Russia labeled Meta an "extremist organization," VKontakte got hacked, railways were sabotaged, and the Kremlin put on a concert to support the "military operation."

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Screencap of a now-deleted post from the Rafik Lutf page alleging that the first Syrian soldier had been killed in Ukraine. The claim was debunked, as the soldier in the photo had died in 2015.

Fri, Mar 18, 2022

Fake posts recruiting Syrians to fight in Ukraine flood Facebook groups

Scammers exploit dire economic conditions by promising high salaries to Syrians who join Russian forces in Ukraine.

by Layla Mashkoor

Conflict Disinformation
Example of propagandistic images used to promote the document. The Russian text reads, “Fascism will not pass!”

Wed, Mar 16, 2022

Telegram channels amplified document falsely justifying Russian invasion

Channels began circulating the 48-page document two days after Russia invaded Ukraine.

by Sopo Gelava

Conflict CrowdTangle

Fri, Mar 11, 2022

Russian War Report: Putin endorses plan to bring 16,000 “volunteers” from the Middle East to fight in Ukraine

Russia’s Defense Minister announced that more than 16,000 “volunteers” from the Middle East had expressed interest in joining Russia’s “liberation movement” for the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

The War on Fakes Telegram channel (left) uses common fact-checking tropes, such as stamping images with the word “FAKE” in large red letters (right) to convey a sense of legitimacy.

Mon, Mar 7, 2022

Russian Telegram channel embraces fact-checking tropes to spread disinformation

The War on Fakes Telegram channel pushes false and misleading content in defense of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

by Ingrid Dickinson

Business Conflict
Igor Kirillov, Chief of the Radiation, Chemical and Biological Protection Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Mon, Mar 7, 2022

Russian War Report: Kremlin recycles old narratives to claim Ukraine is constructing dirty bombs and bioweapons

In a further attempt to justify its invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin once again accused Ukraine of provoking Russia by developing dirty bombs and biological weapons.

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

Belarusian protesters from the organization Women of Minsk openly protest the invasion of Ukraine. (Source: @Tsihanouskaya/Twitter)

Fri, Mar 4, 2022

Russian War Report: Global crackdown on Russian state-affiliated media continues as Russia blocks Facebook

In response to the invasion of Ukraine, governments and corporations have implemented new regulations and policies to mitigate the reach of Russian state-affiliated media within their borders and on their services. 

by Digital Forensic Research Lab

People seen standing next to a generator while charging their phones at the Ukrainian-Polish border. Civilians fleeing the war in Ukraine for the safety of European border towns include citizens of African, Asian and Middle East countries.

Wed, Mar 2, 2022

Fake Telegram group urges Africans in Ukraine to wear armbands used by combatants

Misleading and racist Telegram groups emerge as accusations of racism by border authorities go viral on Twitter.

by Jean le Roux

Africa Conflict