Since at least the end of 2022, pro-Kremlin Telegram channels have regularly published photographs of stands and boards on which Ukrainian institutions and departments allegedly post their advertisements. Many of them look crazy: either the veterinary clinic urges not to name dogs after Tuzik (so as not to be a “katsap”), or the university rector prohibits students from using the word “Russia” in their papers. Unusual advertisements also appear in the same channels, which are allegedly placed in the United States and European countries. “Verified” tells how the same boards with different advertisements have been “traveling” around the world for at least two years now – and on pro-Kremlin resources.
Soon after the start of the full-scale invasion of the Russian army, the Internet, and for the most part its Russian-language segment, was overwhelmed by a never-ending wave of new false narratives, one way or another discrediting Ukraine and its inhabitants, as well as Western countries. Often, misinformation is spread through fake content designed to prove its veracity. For example, “Verified” has already talked about fake graffiti, which are supposedly constantly painted on the streets of different cities around the world, about fake websites, where they write about non-existent purchases of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, his relatives and associates, about fake covers foreign satirical magazines about falsified videos with logos of reputable foreign media and about changed Ukrainian criminal reports. Sometimes these methods are used together - for example, in an attempt to denigrate International Olympic Committee or Olympics in Paris. The goal of most of these fakes is clear: to make the Ukrainian leadership appear incompetent and corrupt, the country’s residents as narrow-minded, Europeans or Americans as tired of the war and its consequences, or even as sharing the Kremlin’s position. Usually these are completely fictitious stories, but it also happens that they are presented through extrapolation of the opinions of individual pro-Russian activists.
However, almost all of the groups of fakes listed above have one thing in common: they exist only in the digital space. Thus, videos are edited and covers are drawn on computers, while sites registered to spread disinformation are stored on servers. Although original photographs were often taken to create the photographic basis for fake graffiti, the street art itself was added when editing the image. In this regard, for example, fakes associated with posters, brochures and advertisements that existed outside the digital space are noticeably different.
Such stories include recent reports that residents of Genoa allegedly put up birthday posters for Putin. "Verified" found out: in fact, several dozen posters of the same type with congratulations to the President of the Russian Federation were hung on surfaces not intended for this by pro-Kremlin activists who chose one small district of the Italian city for their action. But if in the case of Genoa the posters actually hung in the places mentioned in the publications, then in many other stories the locations cannot be confirmed. For example, in recent years we have written about misinformation related to advertisements and leaflets that were supposedly hanging in Kyiv clinic and in Lviv laboratory, V library in Hamburg and in bar in Stuttgart. All these reports were usually based on a single photograph taken in an unspecified location.
Although in most of these cases it is possible to see different interior details (tables, tiles, doors, etc.) in the background of such photographs, Verified noticed two large groups of photographs that could have been taken in the same places. One of these groups is photographs of a certain cork board, the second is a plastic one, and besides them, rarely any details get into the frame. And if these boards were located where, according to pro-Kremlin Telegram channels, advertisements were placed on them, then in two years they could have visited a variety of countries and cities.
Cork boards
Below, in chronological order, are 13 examples of fakes that we assume were posted on one of the two cork boards. We draw this conclusion based on the slightly different structure of the coating and the presence of a wooden frame in some photographs. It is difficult to say anything more specific, since in most of the photographs nothing is visible except part of the board and a fragment of the wall. Note that these are not all possible similar publications, but only those that were discovered by “Verified” starting from the end of 2022.
1) Advertising in the Lviv laboratory
At the turn of November–December 2022 in Media And social networks news went viral that an unnamed medical institution in Lvov was offering a new service: a DNA test for the absence of Russian genes. The proof was a photo of a brochure attached to some kind of cork board. It was stated there that testing costs 6,500 UAH, and the patient will be able to receive a medical certificate stating that he is a purebred Ukrainian. The earliest “Verified” publication found appeared in the Telegram channel “Urgent and accurate"(1900 views), where the author wrote: “Thanks to Evgeniy and his relative for the information.”
Having disassembled This story, we came to the conclusion that with a high degree of probability the “Muscovite gene test” is an invention of an anonymous Internet user. Most likely, someone printed the poster on a computer, hung it on a real bulletin board in Ukraine, or, more likely, set up such a board in another location, took a photo and distributed it via Telegram. Little did we know then that over the course of many months this board would appear in similar publications many times.
2) Poster in a Kyiv school
We recorded the second case already at the beginning of January 2023, when the film “Cheburashka", subsequently became the highest-grossing film in the entire history of film distribution in the Russian Federation. Ten days after the premiere, a photo of an advertisement appeared in the media and Telegram channels, allegedly posted in one of the schools in Kyiv. The poster showed a crossed out part of the tape poster with a caption in Ukrainian: “Occupier. If you love Cheburashka, go to your Rashka.” The picture originally appeared on the Telegram channel “Sheikh Tamir" (173,000 views), then the channel "South Live"(2000, according to description, this is the “Southern Bureau of Solovyov Live”), clarified that this news was sent to them by a subscriber, and the channel “Urgent and accurate"(23,000) added that the sender's name is Dmitry. Later, based on just one photo, Russian resources statedthat such posters allegedly hang in many Kyiv schools.
In the pro-war segment of the Runet, the news caused a sensation. They wrote about the proposed announcement TASS, "RIA Novosti", Life.ru, Ura.ru, "Constantinople", "Arguments and facts" And "Gazeta.ru", as well as many Telegram channels. Among them "Ukraine.ru"(535,000 views), "From the scene"(149,000), "Evil proof️"(134,000), Fox News Russia (119,000), "Cat Kostyan» (116,000) and media manager’s blog Christina Potupchik (50,000), which leads one of the Russian fake factories.
Back in January 2023, The Insider fact checkers wrotethat there are no traces of such a campaign against Cheburashka in the Ukrainian segment of the Internet. “The photograph of the poster, shown in all publications of the Kremlin media, is only one, with erased metadata. It has been published many times, but exclusively on Russian websites and on anti-Ukrainian social media accounts. That is, there is a campaign, but not against Cheburashka, but against the Ukrainians who are supposedly fighting him,” the publication concluded.
3) Announcement at a French university
A few weeks later, on February 21, 2023, Telegram channel “Shaman Rahu"(2400 views) shared another photo “from a subscriber” - this time from France. The photo allegedly shows a notice on a corkboard at a French university that reads: “Dear students! On February 24, the arms company Nexter will hold a conference “How sending weapons to Ukraine gives impetus to the sustainable development of France and builds a better future for our children.” Please note: the conference will take place at 12:00 in room U209. At the end of the event, you will also be able to register for an internship!”
Telegram channels also wrote about this “South Live"(299,000 views including reposts in the channel "Solovyov"), "Sheikh Tamir"(154,000), "Cat Kostyan"(99,000), "Rita Ebzeeva"(54,000), "Military observer"(52,000) and Pravda.ru (10,000).
At the bottom of the poster are the logos of the Paris university PSL and its affiliated Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS). However, “Verified” did not find any traces on the Internet that such lectures were held in these institutions.
4) Announcement in a Lithuanian house
In July 2023 in Vilnius passed NATO summit, and at this time the channel "Shaman Rahu"(3600 views) shared a photo allegedly from a subscriber from Lithuania. This time the text of the advertisement placed on the cork board in Lithuanian read: “Dear owners, whose windows overlook Gediminas Avenue! On July 11 and 12, do not go near your windows! Security for the summit is working!”
This story attracted almost no interest from the owners of major channels - the most popular posts with a photo allegedly taken in Vilnius appeared in “Military Observer"(43,000 views) and "ZhS Premium"(11,000). Publics on VKontakte also wrote about this (here, here And here).
“Verified” found almost no mentions of this ad outside the RuNet. One of the rare exceptions is the same photo the next day after the post of “Shaman Rahu” posted anonymous user of the Lithuanian website LDiena, but even there one of the commentators wrote that it was fake.
5) Bulletin board at an American university
In August 2023, a similar board was allegedly photographed in the United States - judging by the logos on the posters caught in the frame, at the University of the District of Columbia. This time the first photo “from a subscriber” was posted by the channel “South Live"(1700 views), and "Shaman Rahu"(3300) posted it an hour later. Then major Russian figures spoke about the photo. Media and famous TV presenters, and also popular bloggers. The ad features a young man with his head down, and the English text below says: “How to pay off student debt? Join the International Defense Legion of Ukraine. International volunteer status, health insurance, monthly payments.”
"Checked" separately sorted it out This incident led to the conclusion that this photo is a fake. The university posted the announcements in the background on its social networks at various times between September 2022 and March 2023.
6) Memo in the Parisian refuge
In the fall of 2023, a photo of a new ad hanging on a similar board circulated. This time the topic was the invasion of bedbugs before the Olympics in Paris, for which Ukrainian refugees were allegedly to blame. “Dear guests! When checking into our shelter, you must treat all your clothes and luggage with bedbug repellent! Without this, we will not be able to accommodate you!” - the text read in French and Ukrainian.
We noticed the earliest appearance of the photo in the Telegram channel “Odessa public television Z"(5900 views). Later, the same posts appeared in the channels “Alexander Semchenko"(83,000 views), "Bear"(7500) and Zergulio (106,000), where it is added that the photo was sent to him by a “comrade” from France.
As in some of the cases described above, the authors of the posts did not indicate which refugee shelter they were talking about. Previously in a separate article “Verified” told, how the authors of the fakes created numerous fake photos and videos designed to prove that France was overrun by bedbugs and rats, and that the Ukrainian military and refugees brought tuberculosis into the country.
7) Memo in Ukrainian school
At the end of November 2023, a photo of a new advertisement was published, which was accompanied by the following description in posts on Telegram: “Children throughout Ukraine are forced to collect pennies for ZSU. In one of the schools they even press on the conscience that it is a shame to spend your pocket money on crackers.” The poster itself was divided into two parts: on top there are packages of crackers and chips along with coins from the game Fortnite (this was called incorrect pocket expenses), and at the bottom there was a QR code for sending donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (“correct pocket expenses”). However, the lower part is crossed out with a ballpoint pen, and next to it is written by hand: “Ewwww.”
The earliest post with this photo that “Verified” could find appeared in the Telegram channel “Transnistrian"(25,000 views), and soon the same ones appeared in the channels "Kryminforum 🇿 🇴 🇻"(14,000), Zanoza (8200), "Bear" (6900) and "Shaman Rahu"(3200). Moreover, in the latter, as in many other similar cases, it is indicated that this is a photo from a subscriber. On VKontakte in the public “World War III» A similar post received 38,000 views.
Unlike previous cases, the city in which such an announcement allegedly appeared was not even indicated here. Ukrainian Media with reference to the Center for Countering Disinformation, they reported that this photo was distributed on social networks by Kremlin bots.
8) Another announcement in an unnamed Ukrainian school
The largest number of similar messages about advertisements on cork boards “Verified” was recorded in December 2023. So, in the wake of the popularity of the series “The Boy’s Word. Blood on the asphalt" (both in Russia and in Ukraine) at the beginning of the month Telegram channel "Odessa public television Z”(6100 views) published a photo of a Ukrainian-language advertisement with the following text: “Dear parents! Pay attention! If your child uses the phrases in his speech: “chushpan”, “jumble”, “shell”, “in business”, “shkeritsya”, “the boys don’t apologize”, “Porsche, Bugatti and iron. Meet Moscow”, “Now remember, you are now a boy! You are now from the street, and there are enemies all around!”, “the word of a boy is only for boys”, and also if your child listens the songs are in the Tatar language, which means he is influenced by Russian propaganda. Protect your child from the dangers of the Russian world." According to bloggers, the appearance of such an advertisement in Ukrainian educational institutions indicates: “Russian TV series are becoming more and more popular among Ukrainian children.”
Initially, the photo was distributed only through small channels: “Bear"(12,000 views), Zanoza (10,000) and "Shaman Rahu"(4100, again clarified about a subscriber from Ukraine), but then it went viral in larger channels. Among them "Putin on Telegram"(158,000 views), "Release the Kraken!" (128,000), "Sheikh Tamir"(120,000), "Bullet"(115,000), "Emergency / Crimea" (98,000) and "Cat Kostyan"(93,000).
Once again, Verified found no trace of this story outside of RuNet.
9) Memo in Ukrainian educational and entertainment institutions
In mid-December 2023, reports appeared on the Internet that Ukrainians were canceling Santa Claus. Many such publications were accompanied by one or two photos of instructions for Ukrainian animators, who allegedly faced a fine of 20,000 UAH for playing the roles of Father Frost and Snow Maiden and storing the corresponding costumes. For the first time this was reported (also with reference to an anonymous subscriber) by the Telegram channel “Freshness"(36,000 views). Its authors added that such advertisements are distributed in agencies in Kyiv and Lvov and that they call Father Frost a pedophile and the Snow Maiden a prostitute. Moreover, some resources claimedthat instead of Santa Claus there must be Santa Claus, although the memo only spoke about St. Nicholas.
"Checked" then issued a full-fledged analysis and came to the conclusion that there was no official ban on wearing a Santa Claus costume and using this image at New Year’s events in Ukraine, and the viral photo was a fake.
10) New Year's letters in a Ukrainian kindergarten
On the eve of the New Year, several photographs allegedly taken in a kindergarten in Ukraine circulated. According to the Telegram channel “Bear"(7700 views), which was the first to publish the pictures, children in such institutions were forced to write New Year's letters addressed to US President Joe Biden. Young Ukrainians, the blogger claims, asked the American leader, for example, for the dog Patron or the return of their father (probably from the front). Moreover, on each form there was the following sentence in Ukrainian: “I also ask for weapons for our dads and money to support our mothers.”
Similar publications were published in the channels “Sheikh Tamir"(121,000 views), "Blue Z beard" (31,000) and "Lev Sharansky"(16,000), as well as in "VKontakte"and on news websites.
The posts do not say which Ukrainian kindergarten they are talking about. However, at the bottom of one of the pictures you can see a brochure that names the advantages of the private kindergarten “Kraina Ditinstva”, finding in the north of Kyiv. The press service of this network of educational institutions did not respond to Verified’s request for comment.
11) Comics on a notice board in a Ukrainian school
At the end of March 2024, the Telegram channel "Freshness“(41,000 views) shared a new photo, accompanying it with the following caption: “Propaganda of mobilization among schoolchildren and active ridicule of draft dodgers on bulletin boards in Ukrainian schools on the eve of April 1.” Moreover, the captured board has the same wooden frame that is visible in the above photographs from the kindergarten. The photo shows a comic with the following Ukrainian-language dialogue:
- Dad, who are these fools?
- Look, son. Fools run away from mobilization. Such fools cannot call themselves Ukrainians.
“I’ll go to the front as soon as I can.” I'm Ukrainian and I'm not a fool!
Other distributors of this photo include Telegram channels “Rosich | Rosich"(100,000 views), "Russia now"(63,000), "Signal" (43,000), "Russia" (31,000), "Metametrics" (27,000), "Black Square 18+" (27,000), "Reviewer"(18,000) and "Bear» (7800), as well as some news sites.
We did not see any indication of the city or school number in any of the “Verified” publications found, so it is impossible to reliably refute or confirm the presence of such a comic in a Ukrainian educational institution.
12) Order of the rector of Kyiv National University (KNU)
In July 2024 in Networks and in Russian television said that the head of KNU forbade students to use the words “Russia”, “Russian” and “Russian” in their works. The evidence then was only one photo, taken in an unknown place, which supposedly showed a paper with the seals of KNU and the signature of its rector. The photo was originally published by the Telegram channel Zanoza (8700 views).
In my analysis “Verified” it's arrived to the conclusion that there has never been such an order at the university. Its authenticity was denied by the KNU press service, and the document contains many stylistic inaccuracies and differences in design compared to other university orders. And this is not counting the fact that the photo was distributed by pro-Kremlin resources, which have been caught more than once publishing fake news.
13) Announcement at Lviv National University (LNU)
September 25, 2024 at Media and Telegram channels reported that at the end of the month, students studying philology and literature at LNU will be able to participate in the de-Pushkinization program. “Bring a book by Pushkin or any other Russian author to the recycling bin and receive a credit in Ukrainian literature automatically,” said the Ukrainian-language ad from the viral photo. The channel originally wrote about the promotion Nina Vatt (37,000 views).
"Checked" then found outthat such a de-Pushkinization program was not carried out at LNU.
Of course, it is possible to assume a situation in which the same pro-Kremlin Telegram channels actually have subscribers from different countries of the world and cities of Ukraine who photographed approximately the same cork boards with similar pins and ad designs. However, if we take into account that approximately the same resources distributed fake ads from another group of fakes, this probability tends even more to zero.
Plastic board
In this case, we are dealing with a more specific information stand. Thanks to several pictures from different angles, we know for sure that it is blue and white in color and that it has at least two horizontal rows and four vertical rows, that is, at least eight advertisements can be placed there. Over the past year and a half, pro-Kremlin Telegram channels have distributed at least eight materials allegedly photographed on this board.
1) Change of curriculum in Poltava school
In February 2023, in the Telegram channel “South Live" (thanks to repost from the Solovyov channel, the entry received 280,000 views) published a photo of a certain notice board, which was accompanied by the following text: “From a subscriber: “The curriculum in the Ukrainian school. Starting next month, the number of hours for subjects is changing. Less mathematics - more physical education and Polish. It seems that someone is being prepared for work in the fields.” Almost simultaneously, the same posts were posted by the channels “Shaman Rahu"(2300 views) and "Sheikh Tamir"(162,000), and in the first it was clarified that we were talking about a school in Poltava. According to the photo, the headmistress signed an order according to which for the 10th grade the number of hours of studying mathematics and the Ukrainian language is reduced, the time of physical education classes is increased and a Polish language lesson is introduced.
Similar publications appeared in the Telegram channels of a deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Sergei Mironov (17,000 views), TV presenter Ruslana Ostashko (111,000), "Truthfulness"(249,000), "Ne.Sugar"(227,000), "Z-News | Army 🅉 18+"(201,000), "First People's"(187,000), "Cat Kostyan"(110,000), in public in "VKontakte", as well as on the website of the publication "Ukraine.ru" and newspapers "Arguments and facts"
Fact checkers from The Insider And "Vox Ukraine“We sorted out this viral photo and came to the conclusion that the ad is fake. For example, instead of the Ukrainian word “history”, the proposed order uses “history”, and the list also contains the subject “Defense of the Fatherland”, although in 2020 it replaced for “Defense of Ukraine”. On the seal you can also see the words “Lubny Zagalnosvitnya School of I-III degrees No. (inaudible: probably 3 or 8. - Ed.) Lubny Municipal School for the Poltava Region,” but the title mentions school No. 49, although there is no such school in the city of Lubny, Poltava Region there is no establishment. Headmistress Tamara Kobylyanskaya, mentioned in the document, worked at school No. 3. In addition, Ukrainian journalists contacted the head of the education department of the executive committee of the Lubensky city council, Miroslav Kostenko, who stated that they were not going to change the curriculum.
2) Announcement in a Kyiv school
In March 2023, the Telegram channel mentioned above many times “Shaman Rahu”(2400 views) again posted a photo of the information stand “from a subscriber” - this time allegedly taken in one of the schools in Kyiv. “Dear students of grades 10–12! On Friday (24.03), instead of the fourth and fifth lessons, there will be a ceremonial meeting of the defenders of Ukraine at the shield. Bring warm clothes and cardboard (under your knees). Attendance is required!” - reads the text of the advertisement in Ukrainian. Approvedthat this is how high school students are driven to meet the bodies of dead Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers.
Similar posts appeared in the channels "Observer"(212,000 views), Voblya (169,000), "What happened?"(109,000), TG Team Russia (82,000), "DPR Info" (60,000) and "Military observer"(55,000).
Formally and according to all the rules, this message is difficult to refute, since the announcement does not contain the school number, the names of the teachers, much less the address. However, the text mentions 12th grade students. Although about the project of 12-year education in Ukraine They say for a long time now, in reality there are no 12th grade classes in the country yet. Complete transition to a new system planned only for 2027, and children who will study for 12 years started school only in September 2018.
3) Social advertising in the New York subway
In April according to Russian Media And social networks A photo allegedly taken in the New York subway went viral. The English text on the ad said: “Tired of living on welfare? Join the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine. International volunteer status, health insurance, monthly salary.” At the bottom of the sheet there was a telephone number for contact.
“Verified” did a separate parsing This statement led to the conclusion that the viral poster was a fake. According to our data, the Telegram channel was the first to publish it again “South Live"(2500 views).
4) Notice board in the Ukrainian student dormitory
In August 2023 Telegram channel Zanoza (15,000 views) said that yesterday’s Ukrainian schoolchildren are lured into assault brigades with the help of an advertisement posted in one of the dormitories: “Join the 225th separate assault battalion of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. If you are a patriot, see within yourself the strength to stand up for our country, and love to play CS:GO, Valorant and Fortnite - write to us, we need you!” At the same time, the channelSouth Live"(2000 views) again clarified that the photo was sent by an anonymous subscriber.
This photo was also shared by Telegram channels Zergulio (162,000 views), "Sheikh Tamir"(136,000), "Rita Ebzeeva"(110,000), "Petya the First"(80,000), "Military observer" (50,000), "Russia 🇷🇺 Live" (45,000) and "Shaman Rahu"(3600). They talked about this announcement on other platforms, including “VKontakte" And "Zen"
“Verified” found such an advertisement only on pro-Kremlin resources, and the same photo is being distributed everywhere. Although the design of advertising for joining the 225th OSB is similar to the design real posters and there are real contacts, the font at the top of the poster is different from what used in genuine advertisements. In addition, the fact that the Ukrainian Armed Forces used the old screenshot with terrorists from the game Counter-Strike.
5) Again an announcement in a Kyiv school
In September 2023, the same Telegram channel Zanoza (8,300 views) shared a photo allegedly taken in a “typical Ukrainian school.” “Ukrainian children study separately from non-Ukrainian children. Russian and other children were herded into "G" class. Pay attention to the names. The city of Kyiv,” the post said. Over the next minute, the same publications appeared in the channels “Shaman Rahu"(3100 views) and Zergulio (105,000) - both claimed that the photo was sent by a subscriber.
Among other channels that talked about the photo, we highlight Voblya (146,000 views), "Sheikh Tamir"(125,000), "Pavel Onishchenko" (17,000), "Bear" (6800) and "Odessa public television Z"(6200).
According to the above posts, these lists are posted in one of the Kyiv schools, but its number is not mentioned in any of those publications. “Verified” was able to find the distributed photo only on pro-Kremlin resources, and we did not find information about the three class teachers, whose names can be seen at the beginning of the lists. It is noteworthy that, according to those who distributed the photo, the girl named Vasilyeva is considered Ukrainian, and the boy named Vasilyev is considered Russian.
6) Memo in the Ukrainian veterinary clinic
In November 2023, the Telegram channel "Sheikh Tamir"(125,000 views) wrote that a veterinary clinic in an unnamed city in Ukraine advises what nicknames to give to pets so that they are truly Ukrainian. A few seconds later the channel "Shaman Rahu"(6600 views) released the same publication marked “from a subscriber.” Attached to the posts was a photo of a poster with the names Bobik, Tuzik and Barsik crossed out, and also a picture of a cat seemingly speaking in Ukrainian: “Mistress, I don’t want to be a scoundrel!” I want to be Ukrainian!” The following is a list of the best names for a “true Ukrainian dog or cat”:
“Patron is a classic nickname for 2022-2023;
Javelin and Javelina (Ja) - sounds proud and menacing;
Stugna - for dogs and cats with a fighting character;
Ghost or Pilot - for the fastest dogs and cats;
Boris, Duda, Joe - to perpetuate the memory of Ukraine’s closest friends;
Stepan - for patriotic dogs and cats.”
Among others, the picture was distributed by the TV presenter’s channels Olesya Loseva (25,000 views), "Uncle Slava"(196,000), "Kirill Fedorov / War history weapons"(182,000), "Cat Kostyan"(95,000), "Truth of Russia" (59,000) and "Talipov 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞"(55,000). In addition, the picture is found on VKontakte (examples here, here, here And here) and on some sites (for example, on “Morning south").
As in previous cases, “Verified” did not find this photo outside the war-time pro-Kremlin resources, where neither the city, nor the name or logo of the network of veterinary clinics is indicated, nor is the address of the institution where the advertisement was allegedly posted.
7) Announcement in a Ukrainian boarding school
In December 2023, the Telegram channel "Bear"(5900 views) wrote that orphans from the Ivano-Frankivsk boarding school, who will soon turn or have already turned 18 years old, are invited to a conversation with TCC employees. At this meeting, the teenagers will allegedly be signed contracts for service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A few minutes later, almost simultaneously, the channels reported this “Sheikh Tamir" (127,000 views) and "Shaman Rahu"(4000). As evidence, there is a photo of a poster that says: “Attention! On December 29, 2023, instructors from the Ivano-Frankivsk City Central Committee and Joint Venture will conduct an explanatory conversation with men 17–18 years old. All wards born in 2004 and 2005 who have passed the military medical commission will be able to sign a contract on the spot. The meeting will take place in the assembly hall at 12:30. Attendance is required."
The photo was also posted by the TV presenter’s channels Olesya Loseva (13,000 views), Voblya (154,000) and "Alexander Semchenko"(89,000). In some channels once again notedthat the news was sent to the bot by an anonymous subscriber.
At the top of the advertisement the name of the institution is indicated - Ivano-Frankivsk secondary boarding school for orphans, and also shows coat of arms Ivano-Frankivsk region. According to Google Maps And local sites, there really is such an educational institution in Ukraine. However, doubts about the authenticity of the ad arise due to several errors. For example, it says “TsK and SP”, and not “TCK and SP” (territorial center for recruitment and social support - an analogue of the Russian military registration and enlistment office), although in Ukrainian-language publications accepted use the full abbreviation, even if we are talking about an institution in a specific locality.
The mentioned age of the wards also raises questions: the majority of people born in 2004–2005 were already 18–19 years old at the end of December 2023, and 17–18-year-old teenagers were allegedly called in for the interview. "Verified" called this school and we were told that they have no students aged 17-18 at all. Young children with autism spectrum disorders go to school, so such an announcement could not appear there. Moreover, according to the official website institution, in 2016 it became the Ivano-Frankivsk Educational and Rehabilitation Center, and from 2022 - the Ivano-Frankivsk Special School.
8) Board of shame in an Odessa supermarket
In March 2024, the Telegram channel "Alchevsk news"(9800 views) stated that in one of the Odessa stores a portrait of Vladimir Zelensky was hung on the board of shame along with a photo of thieves. There is also a photograph of the board itself, where it is written: “They are stealing from us.”
This story, unlike the previous ones, went almost unnoticed. So, the channels wrote about her “ZhS Premium"(13,000 views), "Bear" (4000), "Yellow plums"(2900) and smaller ones. The photo can also be found in “VKontakte" It is noteworthy that on versions The photo of “Alchevsk News” contains a barely noticeable inscription “ITsPA petushary”. Apparently, the author meant the Perevalsk-Alchevsk Information Center and added a watermark in case the photo was copied. However, in other publications there is no inscription - this suggests that the photo was distributed from at least two sources.
In this case, again, neither the address of the supermarket nor the name of the chain was indicated, therefore, in isolation from other similar messages, the only thing that says about the fakeness of the photo is that it was distributed only by pro-Kremlin resources.
Our colleagues from “Vox Ukraine" Ukrainian fact checkers suggested that the blue color of the board indicates that it could have been placed in the ATB chain of stores. Journalists even turned to representatives of the retailer with a request to comment on the story and received an answer that posting such a photo in their stores was impossible.
In fact, the blue element of this board is in all the photographs we cited above, allegedly taken in an Odessa supermarket, schools in Kyiv and Poltava, an Ivano-Frankivsk boarding school, a Ukrainian student dormitory and a veterinary clinic, as well as in the New York subway. It is likely that they were all filmed in the office of one of the Russian fake factories. In September 2023, the publication of “Important Stories” gave an example similar labor-intensive creation of fakes. Journalists studied a photo of an anti-Ukrainian leaflet allegedly posted in Germany and found out that in fact it was taken near the office of the non-profit organization Dialog, which is close to the Kremlin, which develops propaganda content.
Bonus
We also found one example that is a little out of the general scheme. In May 2024, a photo of an advertisement allegedly from the Dnieper went viral. Then Telegram channel "Freshness"(36,000 views) reported that the Dnepropetrovsk Diesel Locomotive Repair Plant requires a mechanic, turner and blacksmith, and women from 18 to 60 are invited to these vacancies. It is also allegedly possible to employ underage teenagers. “Apparently, they decided to immediately weed out the men, because they will be mobilized anyway,” concludes the author of “Freshness.”
Similar posts were published in Telegram channels “Two majors"(206,000 views), Alex Parker Returns (103,000), "Cat Kostyan"(87,000), "Federation"(62,000), "Kovpak's detachment"(28,000), "Belousov Live" (13,000) and "Dill fresh"(6300). The newspaper wrote about the alleged announcement “Arguments and facts" and edition "Ukraine.ru"
These messages were analyzed by journalists of the Ukrainian publication Telegraphwho contacted the press service of the enterprise. They said that the ad was fake. “We can still partially consider candidates for the vacancy of a mechanic for the repair of rolling stock. But blacksmiths with hammers are definitely not. These are physically difficult professions; women simply will not get the green light from doctors if they undergo a mandatory examination before enrolling in the workforce,” noted the plant’s personnel department. Personnel officers added that the plant does not yet have such an acute shortage of workers to hire women for difficult vacancies. Fact checkers from "Gvara Media“, in turn, they found out that the authors of the fake edited the real ad, where women and teenagers were not mentioned.
“Verified” was interested in this case, because the photo shows that the fake advertisement is in a transparent pocket of the information stand, which in design resembles a blue and white plastic board. However, this time the pocket is attached either to wood or to a sheet of cardboard.
Response to advertisements
If you try to jokingly describe the situation in which the authors of these fakes find themselves, you can see in them fans of philosophy and literature. On the one hand, these people seemed to be guided by a quote from Nietzsche about a man who stared into the abyss for a long time, on the other hand, by Brodsky’s poem “Don’t leave the room...”. The creators of pro-Kremlin fakes thought so much and for so long about Ukraine and other countries, probably sitting in the same office space, that in a sense they themselves set up institutions of Ukraine and other countries in their workplace.
Speaking seriously, in the modern information flow, in isolation from the general picture that we described above, the reader cannot immediately and easily understand that this is a fake ad. Thus, in some such messages very specific institutions are indicated, but in others no specifics are given at all. The general group of primary sources is almost always the same network of pro-Kremlin Telegram channels, which you need to know about in advance and be able to find it. One of the main signs of a fake—the clarification that the photo was sent by an anonymous subscriber—is usually found only among the resources that were among the first to post the fake.
If you give advice on how to distinguish a photo of a fake advertisement from a real one, then the main one is simple: by default, do not take seriously and do not distribute any messages from anonymous Telegram channels based on photos of any advertisements, posters and brochures. You can try checking the authenticity of the claims first ourselves or search reviews on fact-checking resources. As practice shows, many editors of Russian media and pro-war bloggers do not know about this advice or deliberately ignore it.
“Verified” expresses gratitude to Roman Nemuchinsky for his assistance in preparing the article.
Cover photo: ideogram.ai / “Verified”
If you find a spelling or grammatical error, please let us know by highlighting the error text and clicking Ctrl+Enter.
