AstraZeneca Zelenskyy. Sean Penn visit to Ukraine

Unfortunately, the poisoning of the information space continues. As always, the efforts of the russian security services are not limited to Ukraine alone. Particular attention is being paid to EU countries, and following the start of military action against Iran – whose dictatorial regime is supported by the kremlin – russian propaganda is spreading rapidly across the Middle East. In this article, we expose the lies concerning the Netherlands, the EU, the US, Hungary, France, Dubai, Germany and the American actor Sean Penn.Based materials from Stopfake.org, Spravdi.ua, EuVsDisinfo.eu

Fake: Sean Penn has been criticised for his visit to Ukraine on 16 March and his support for Zelenskyy.

A video purportedly produced by Euronews is being shared on social media. In reality, Euronews did not publish such a report. There is no news of this on the publication’s official website or social media accounts. The video allegedly features a quote from Professor Agrell. However, there is no evidence in open sources that he made such statements.
There is no confirmation of widespread criticism of Sean Penn over his visit to Ukraine, as highlighted by VoxCheck: https://voxukraine.org/fejk-shon-pena-rozkrytykuvaly-za-pidtrymku-bojovyh-dij-v-ukrayini-euronews
Propagandists attempted to copy Euronews’ style but made a mistake: they placed the logo incorrectly and failed to include captions with the location and date of the event, which are present in the genuine videos.

Fake: Zelenskyy owns 1% of the shares in the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.

This is reported by russian media, citing Insider UK. In reality, Insider UK is a fake website with a short history. The domain was created in January 2026 specifically to spread this disinformation. The site is currently unavailable.
After the fake story was published, it was quickly picked up by major russian media outlets, creating the illusion of widespread circulation. This is a typical tactic of the kremlin’s FIMI campaign:
• creating a fake ‘source’;
• launching the desired narrative;
• rapid dissemination through a network of loyal media outlets and social media.
There is no evidence whatsoever that Zelenskyy holds a stake in AstraZeneca.

US and Israeli against Iran. Black Sea. Scythian gold

Fake: Ukraine and the Netherlands stole a collection of ‘Scythian gold’ from russia.

This is the subject of a criminal case opened by russia’s Investigative Committee. In reality, the collection of 565 archaeological artefacts, which until 2014 belonged to museums in Crimea (a territory of Ukraine prior to the 2014 occupation), was displayed at the exhibition ‘Crimea – The Golden Island in the Black Sea’ in Amsterdam in 2014. Following the start of the russian occupation of the peninsula, the Netherlands suspended the transfer of the exhibits pending a court ruling.
In 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled that the collection must be transferred to the State of Ukraine, as the artefacts form part of the state museum collection: https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/news-skifske-zoloto-ukrajina/31529990.html
In 2023, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands finally upheld this ruling, after which the collection was returned to Ukraine. The kremlin, however, continues to call the transfer of the artefacts ‘illegal’ and demands the return of the collection, despite the fact that the international community does not recognise russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Following the de-occupation of the peninsula, the artefacts are set to be returned to Crimean museums.

Fake: Due to US and Israeli aggression against Iran, EU residents are being advised to take shorter showers.

This was stated by russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria zakharova, who cited recommendations from the Dutch organisation Energiebank as evidence: “…to reduce shower time to five minutes”. In reality, this advice has nothing to do with the war against Iran or the current political situation. It was first issued back in 2021 as part of a programme to combat so-called ‘energy poverty’ – when households spend more than 10% of their income on energy. At that time, Dutch organisations developed recommendations to help people save water, gas and electricity, for example:
• taking showers of up to 5 minutes;
• using water-saving shower heads;
• lowering the heating temperature by 1°C.
Such advice is part of a long-term energy efficiency policy, not a reaction to international conflicts. zakharova’s statement is therefore a manipulation that attempts to present old energy-saving recommendations as evidence of an ‘energy crisis’ in Europe.

Hungarian police. Ukrainian artist. Veretsky Pass

Fake: Ukrainians in Zakarpattia have desecrated a monument on the Veretsky Pass that is sacred to Hungarians.

Such reports are mainly circulated via russian propaganda media. They claim that the monument was allegedly desecrated by Ukrainian nationalists, and present this as proof of ‘Ukrainian hostility towards Hungarians’.
In reality, there is no evidence whatsoever that the monument at the Veretsky Pass has been desecrated. All reports of ‘graffiti’ originate exclusively from russian channels that systematically spread disinformation about Ukraine. Local Transcarpathian media, official authorities and the police have not reported any acts of vandalism against this monument. Recent photos of the monument itself also confirm that it is in good condition, with no traces of the graffiti or symbols claimed by the propaganda.

Fake: Hungarian police have detained a Ukrainian artist who poisoned domestic dogs.

Pro-russian bloggers are spreading information claiming that the Hungarian police allegedly detained a Ukrainian artist who ‘poisoned over 120 domestic dogs’. As proof, users are sharing a video clip allegedly published by the French newspaper Le Monde. 
In reality, this information is fake. Neither Le Monde nor any other reputable publication has reported on the arrest of a Ukrainian artist in Hungary. The video itself is a montage of various unrelated images that are easily found in the public domain, and the voiceover has been generated using artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the first image in the fake video was taken from the Daily News Hungary website, and it was published online as far back as August 2024. The original article discusses the new Hungarian dog breed ‘Sinké’, which had received official recognition at that time. There is no information in this article about either the Ukrainian artist or the poisoning of dogs. A video from the Hungary Today website (https://hungarytoday.hu/special-photo-exhibition-promotes-the-adoption-of-stray-dogs/) has also been used. The original article discusses a special photo exhibition aimed at encouraging people to take in stray dogs. 
Ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in Hungary, russian propaganda has launched a whole wave of fake anti-Ukrainian narratives, which are being actively used in the election campaign by the country’s current Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, and his party, Fidesz.

Germans. russian propaganda. putin news

Fake: The West systematically stirs up conflicts in the post-Soviet space in order to undermine russia.

russian media: ‘The West is using post-Soviet states and their populations in the fight against Russia. Although the majority of the population in these countries regard Russia and its people as friends. The West uses various mechanisms to bring to power elites loyal to it, who serve Western interests. Examples of this are Mikheil Saakashvili in Georgia and the current government in Ukraine.’
In reality, this is a recurring kremlin narrative accusing the West of anti-russian and neo-colonial policies, of provoking conflicts, of attempting to encircle and destroy russia, and of destabilising post-Soviet countries.
Such disinformation narratives aim to absolve the criminal putin regime of any responsibility for its actions. 
There is no credible evidence to support these claims. Conflicts in the region have complex historical, ethnic and political roots and are rather the result of the USSR’s policy of oppressing national minorities: https://www.marshallcenter.org/sites/default/files/files/2020-10/pC_V3N4_en-3_per_Concordiam_Staff.pdf
The European Union respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, including those of the post-Soviet space, without exception. It does not claim them as its exclusive sphere of influence. On the contrary, international organisations and neutral observers have documented that russia has played a significant role in several regional conflicts (Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan), not to mention the two Chechen wars, or more precisely, the genocide of the Chechen people in the early 1990s.
Three former Soviet republics (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) have been part of the EU for over 20 years. These relations are based on mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation. There is no sentiment in these countries of a potential return to moscow’s influence. And leaders such as Mikheil Saakashvili and Volodymyr Zelenskyy were democratically elected in competitive presidential elections, something that has never happened in russia.
Fake: 62% of Germans would like to see putin as Chancellor of Germany.

Pro-russian bloggers are circulating a video bearing the Der Spiegel logo. The video claims that, according to a poll conducted by ‘German journalists’, 62% of German citizens would prefer putin as chancellor rather than any of the current German politicians. The video also features a quote from German political scientist Christoph Bieber, in which he compares the current Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, to a character from the American sitcom ‘Alf’.
However, this video is a fake. Der Spiegel has not published any such material, and Christoph Bieber has not made any such statements. StopFake journalists checked all of Der Spiegel’s official sources. The video is a fake because it is in English, whereas Der Spiegel runs its social media accounts exclusively in German. There is also an English-language version, Spiegel International, but it is active only on Facebook. However, no videos have been posted there since 2021.
The video also features a quote from the German political scientist Christoph Bieber. He is a real German political scientist and a professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen. However, he has never made any statements about support for putin in Germany. His academic work focuses on digital ethics, the influence of social media on politics, and the protection of democracy against disinformation. On the contrary, Bieber has repeatedly warned about manipulation mechanisms similar to those used by the kremlin.
Real sociological data fundamentally contradicts the fake news. According to a large-scale international study by the Pew Research Center (conducted in 25 countries between January and April 2025), in each of the European countries surveyed, the overwhelming majority do not trust putin: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/06/23/views-of-russia-and-putin-2025/ . In Germany, 86% of respondents do not trust the russian president very much or do not trust him at all. In the 18 countries covered by the survey, the majority of adults view russia negatively as a state.
It is worth noting that a year ago, russian propagandists circulated a similar fake story about France.

Diego Garcia base. situation in Dubai

Fake: 19 Ukrainians have been detained in Dubai for looting following the shelling.

Pro-russian media and bloggers are circulating a video bearing the Euronews logo, in which a presenter reports from Dubai on various threats arising from the Iranian shelling. The report claims that local police have allegedly already detained 19 looters of Ukrainian origin who were robbing hotels, jewellery shops and abandoned cars, coordinating their attacks via WhatsApp groups.
However, in reality, the channel did not broadcast such a report. We managed to find the original Euronews video, in which correspondent Jane Witherspoon discusses the situation in Dubai against the backdrop of Iranian attacks: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1713148289670750 Wetherspoon makes no mention of looters of Ukrainian or any other origin. On the contrary, the reporter notes that most city residents are following the government’s advice to stay indoors. We were also unable to find any information in any authoritative source regarding recent incidents of looting in Dubai.
To fabricate the story, the propagandists used stock footage and added voice-over generated using neural networks to mimic Witherpoon’s voice. Many fake videos — including this one — first appear on the Telegram channel of russian propagandist dmitriy kochetkov, ‘Shaman Rahu’, and are then shared across social media.
Fake: Attack on Diego Garcia base was possibly a false flag by the US and allies.

russian media: "The attack on Diego Garcia was possibly a false flag by the USA and their proxy. It seems that the rocket was launched from a submarine. Previously, suspicious missiles hit targets that Iran claimed it did not attack, such as Azerbaijan or Türkiye. Experts have repeatedly warned about possible false flag attacks to change the mood in Europe and the US. This would be indicative of a preparation of a two-stage false flag, aimed at Europe, to draw it into the US-Zionist war on Iran".

Conspiracy theory not backed by any evidence. The allegation that a rocket launched against Diego Garcia originated from a submarine, the core claim of this theory, is unsubstantiated.
Although publicly available information at the time this disinformation story emerged does not allow for a definitive attribution to Iran, preliminary evidence points in that direction. While Iran’s Foreign Ministry has denied Iran’s involvement in the failed attack, it was confirmed by US and British authorities.
The attack, which would show that the range of Iran’s missiles is significantly higher than previously known, was followed by another Iranian bombing of Israeli targets near the nuclear facility of Dimona, suggesting an attempt to project strength through firepower. Moreover, during this same conflict Iran has also denied previous attacks in places such as Türkiye, despite radar data showing otherwise.

USAID programme. russian media. European Court of Human Rights

Manipulation: Ukraine tops the list for the number of cases lost at the European Court of Human Rights.

kremlin-aligned media are spreading the claim that Ukraine loses 97.6% of its cases at the European Court of Human Rights. According to propagandists, this puts Ukraine at the top of the ‘anti-ranking’ of human rights violators, demonstrating a complete lack of justice within the country.
In reality, however, the information being circulated is a classic case of statistical manipulation. The figure of 97.6% cited by russian propaganda does indeed exist and was taken from the ECHR’s annual report for 2025. It states that during the year, the court delivered 164 judgments on the merits in cases against Ukraine. In 160 of these, at least one violation of the Convention on Human Rights was found. This does indeed amount to approximately 97.6% of all judgments. However, if one examines the statistics for other countries, it becomes clear that such a high percentage of violations is characteristic of the vast majority of European states. For example, some countries have a 100% similar rate: Poland – 17 out of 17, Greece – 33 out of 33, Germany – 3 out of 3. In russia, this figure is even higher than in Ukraine. Out of 156 court rulings, violations were found in 153 – that is, 98%.
But the key point is that such a high rate of identified violations in ECHR rulings is not unique. This is explained by the court’s procedure. Any application is only accepted for consideration after the applicant has exhausted all domestic remedies and provided substantial evidence of a violation of the Convention. As a result, as noted in the report ‘Analysis of Statistics for 2025’, the vast majority of unfounded complaints (approximately 90% of the total number submitted) are screened out at the preliminary stage: https://www.echr.coe.int/statistical-reports Cases where the fact of a human rights violation is already evident reach the stage of a final decision. 
Furthermore, Ukraine does not conceal or deny the existence of systemic problems within its legal system — primarily the failure to enforce national court decisions and the protracted duration of proceedings. However, on the path to EU membership, the state is carrying out fundamental reforms in this area, even during the war, which will inevitably reduce the number of complaints to the ECHR over time. In russia, no such prospects are anticipated.
Fake: Ukraine has embezzled $26 billion allocated to it under the US USAID programme.

russian media are spreading information claiming that Ukraine allegedly embezzled $26 billion allocated to it under the US USAID programme during Joe Biden’s presidency.
In reality, this information is a manipulation. The issue is that the US was unable to fully monitor spending under the USAID programme. However, the statement by the USAID Deputy Inspector General to the US Congress contains no findings regarding the misuse of funds by Ukraine, let alone embezzlement. The document emphasises that international contractors lacked effective monitoring mechanisms, particularly due to russia’s active military operations against Ukraine.
“This occurred because major international contractors hired by USAID to assist with oversight failed to provide the required reports on time or, in some cases, failed to provide them at all. This has obvious implications for the effectiveness of these oversight measures,” the statement reads: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA17/20260317/118979/HHRG-119-FA17-Wstate-KaplanA-20260317.pdf
Furthermore, the report notes that USAID’s excessive reliance on contractors, short-term and rotational appointments, vacancies in key oversight roles, and high staff turnover have led to a loss of institutional knowledge and a weakening of controls within the organisation. This applies not only to Ukraine but also to the agency’s other international missions.

Ukrainian activists. Ukrainian activists. protests in Paris

Fake: French police shot a participant in anti-Ukrainian protests in Paris in the leg.

Pro-russian bloggers are circulating a video featuring a woman who allegedly describes the injury sustained by her boyfriend, a participant in anti-Ukrainian protests in Paris. Allegedly, the police shot him in the leg and refused to provide medical assistance, resulting in the young man losing his limb. The woman in the video claims that tens of thousands of people across Europe are protesting against Zelenskyy’s ‘murderous and corrupt’ regime in Ukraine, yet the French government is suppressing these protests.
However, this video is actually a fake. Propagandists have resorted to one of their favourite tactics, using genuine footage from a BBC report, which they have supplemented with a montage of stock footage and a voiceover created using AI. Ironically, the original BBC video (https://www.tiktok.com/@bbcnews/video/7616643979978788118) actually covers the brutal suppression of anti-government protests in Iran – a country whose authoritarian regime russia actively supports and considers an ally. 
There is also no information in open sources regarding any ‘anti-Ukraine’ demonstrations taking place in France. Instead, around two thousand people joined a march in support of Ukraine, marking the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion. Participants marched through the capital from Place de la République to Place de la Bastille, carrying Ukrainian flags and placards bearing the slogans “putin is a murderer” and “Hands off Ukraine!”. “There is widespread public support for Ukraine, which has not waned since the first day of the russian army’s full-scale invasion of the country,” commented MEP Raphael Glucksmann on the demonstration.
Fake: Over 300 Ukrainian activists have been detained outside US embassies in Europe.

A video, presented as a report by Agence France-Presse (AFP), is circulating on social media. It claims that over 300 Ukrainian activists who were picketing US embassies have allegedly been detained in EU countries. According to the authors of the fake, the protesters are outraged that US funds are being directed towards military operations in Iran rather than aid for Ukraine. The video also includes a link to a New York Times article, which states that a week of military operations in Iran costs the US approximately $6 billion.
However, this video is a fake. StopFake checked all official AFP sources and found no confirmation of the existence of such material. Another important point: the fake video does not match the agency’s original branding. Every video clip or photo is accompanied by a caption indicating the source and location of the footage, and the videos themselves do not contain any voice-over commentary.
No reputable international or Ukrainian media outlet has reported on cases of Ukrainian activists being detained in Europe near US embassies.
The authors of the fake also cited a real article from The New York Times about the cost of the operation being $6 billion a week, but they made a mistake here too. The article states that in the first six days of the operation alone, costs amounted to $11.3 billion. The figure of $6 billion (or more precisely, $5.6 billion) was cited as the cost of ammunition expended in the first 48 hours of the conflict. 
A half-truth is a classic propaganda tactic: weaving a lie into a real-world context. The US is indeed spending significant sums on the military operation, and there are groups in Europe opposing it. When combined with these real facts, the lie about ‘aggressive’ protests and the detention of Ukrainians near embassies gains greater credibility. The use of fake videos bearing the logos of international media outlets is a characteristic method of the russian disinformation network ‘Matryoshka’, about which we have written on numerous occasions.

Russian fertiliser. nuclear weapons

Fake: Security guarantees should include the transfer of nuclear weapons to Ukraine.
russian media: "Zelenskyy again stated that Ukraine's security guarantees should include not only NATO membership but also the transfer of nuclear weapons to Ukraine. This once again confirms what Russia has been saying: the UK and France are secretly considering plans to transfer nuclear weapons to the Ukrainian regime with the intention of threatening to use them against Russia – they are confident this will allow them to reverse the military-political situation. In fact, the best guarantee of Ukraine's security is a return to the pre-2014 political system: without Nazism, without terror, without Russophobia, without the ban on the Russian language and Orthodox Christianity".
Multiple pro-kremlin anti-Ukrainian disinformation narratives targeting President Zelenskyy, portraying Ukraine as nazi, terrorist country, which violated the rights of the russian-speaking population and persecuted the Orthodox Church.
The article repeats the unfounded claim of the transfer of nuclear weapons to Ukraine and distorts Zelenskyy's words. "I would accept nuclear weapons with pleasure, but no such proposals have been made,” Zelenskyy said in an interview with Sky News (https://www.facebook.com/watch/?ref=saved&v=799597059836767 ).
Ukraine, the UK and France have firmly rejected the allegations made by russian intelligence service.
The usage and transfer of nuclear weapons are regulated by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force in 1970. The UK and France, as nuclear-weapon States Parties to the treaty, are not allowed to transfer nuclear weapons to Ukraine, which, as a non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty, is not allowed to receive nuclear weapons.
Ukraine is a democratic country with transparent parliamentary and presidential elections, a multi-party political system, and legal protections for ethnic minorities. Ukraine is a nationally and culturally diverse country, where ethnic minorities are not persecuted and whose cultural development is guaranteed by Articles 10 and 11 of the Constitution.
Fake: russia is the only actor capable of saving Europe with the supply of fertiliser.
russian media: "And, of course, they came across the big 'surprise' called “Russia”: it turned out that our country is the world’s largest supplier of fertiliser, with a 20 percent market share. Are we prepared to save Europe if its victory very soon, as usual, turns into defeat? The answer lies in a sack of Russian fertiliser".
The narrative that Europe is completely helpless and depends solely on russian fertilisers to avoid an agricultural collapse is a hyperbolic piece of disinformation.
The article contradicts its own dramatic message. It acknowledges that russia controls only 20 percent of the global fertiliser market, which means the remaining 80 percent is supplied by other producers around the world. Global agricultural and trade data confirms this: while russia is a leading exporter, it accounts for roughly 15.6% to 21% of global fertiliser exports, depending on the specific nutrient and year (https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/1b3aa1d6-6bb8-4eee-b375-bd3f43a7e94d/content ). The remainder of the global market is sustained by parallel heavyweights such as Canada, China, Morocco, and the United States, which output tens of millions of tonnes annually.Second, the article dismisses the European Commission's statements about a "strategy for diversifying supply sources” as mere bravado, yet international trade data directly contradicts this. While russia remains a major supplier, the EU is not dependent on it alone. Detailed trade analysis by the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD) shows that the EU imports fertilisers from a broad and diversified group of non russian partners (https://csd.eu/publications/publication/europes-blind-spots/ ). According to the data, key suppliers include Morocco (14% of EU imports), Egypt (14%), Algeria (7%), and Canada (5%), all of which play an important role in the European market.
By selectively ignoring the existence and capacity of these alternative supply chains, the article inflates russia’s importance by exploiting geopolitical disruptions. And while there are genuine concerns about fertiliser prices due to the war in Iran, the statistical reality remains that Europe’s agricultural sector is supported by a broad and diversified global market. This clearly shows that the continent’s food security does not depend on a single “sack of russian fertiliser.”