The war in Ukraine has been accompanied by a ferocious battle of disinformation, waged in particular by pro-Russian agitators. Here are some of the main narratives debunked by AFP's global team
These agitators have sought to depict the Ukrainian side as Nazis or suggest that Western support for Kyiv is evaporating.
Many other videos have been spread widely on social media with similar allegations that some horrific crimes were staged. Thus, social media posts have been shared worldwide saying that a man covered in Nazi tattoos was a chief of police in Kyiv or that Zelensky had been photographed in a football shirt imprinted with a swastika.
Other misleading messages, shared in different European nations, claim that Ukrainian refugees are paid more in social benefits than pensioners or veterans in the host countries.Another recurrent theme is the alleged betrayal of Ukraine by its neighbour and ally, Poland. There are photoshopped images of anti-refugee posters in Prague or Warsaw; manipulated photos of anti-Zelensky street art in major cities around the world; or fake front pages of the French satirical weekly, Charlie Hebdo, mocking Zelensky.Disinformation has also focused on energy issues against the backdrop of Western sanctions against Russia, and skyrocketing oil and electricity prices.
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