Context

Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday (31 March), amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation.

1 April is globally celebrated as ”April Fools’ Day”; an international exercise in source criticism. Newsrooms attempt to fool the readers with false and outrageous stories – sometimes rather successfully.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has appointed Polina Lysenko head of the Disinformation Countering Center. The corresponding decree No.

Last week we wrote about the recent wave of disinformation on sanctions. Sanctions, or in EU jargon – restrictive measures, are part of the toolbox countries have to impose costs on other (non-)state-actors spreading disinformation.

Russia’s state news agency Sputnik lashes out against Lithuania’s ex-President Dalia Grybauskaitė – according to the outlet, there are reasons to believe that her jab was fake.

The Kremlin disinformation on the coronavirus and the vaccines aims at sowing distrust in international organisations, Western institutions and the health care system.

This article looks at the evolving information environment around the COVID-19 and vaccines roll-out in the Eastern Partnership countries and Russia during the month of February and into the first week of March 2021.

Looking at disinformation examples from pro-Kremlin media this week, a clear hierarchy becomes visible: amongst the targets are many organisations, countries, and people that all share similar values.

“The Decaying West” is one of the key narratives in pro-Kremlin disinformation. Europe is on the verge of collapse from migrants, perverts and liberals, and Russia is the last bastion of decency against the onslaught of Satan.