The Features of the Russian Fakes Spreading in Ukraine

Abstract

The article reveals the concept of fake and fake information; their types, purpose, and the main task of distribution are characterized; fake classifications are singled out. The study highlighted the most accessible channels for the distribution of fakes – Internet platforms, social networks, and messengers. It has been proven that bots and trolls use all the possibilities of social networks effectively. It has been determined that information isolation of the occupied territories has been a serious problem in Ukraine for a long time and that social networks are an extremely effective manipulative tool and a powerful source of (dis)information, thanks to which the fake industry is constantly strengthening. It is revealed that Russian propaganda fakes built destabilizing and destructive codes against Ukrainians: “armed coup”, “Kyiv regime”, “junta”, “desertion” and emphasized Russia’s heroism – “Russia helps fraternal peoples”, “Russia does not wage war”, “Russian army is noble and peaceful”. It is determined that with the beginning of hostilities in Donbas the communication strategies of the Ukrainian, Russian and pro-Russian mass media became significantly radicalized. It is emphasized that another feature of Russian fakes is the combination of “negative” Ukrainians with the “West as a key enemy”, which is waging a global geopolitical war against Russia. According to the Russian media, it is the West, the United States, and NATO that are waging war in Ukraine, and as proof of this, headlines to sensational materials. Facebook has been analysed as the largest social media service in every major country, which has become a means of spreading fake news and other propaganda. Many examples of the use of fakes, manipulations in social networks have been studied. It is worth noting that in Ukraine for 4 years there is a ban on Russian Internet services, which in May 2017 banned Kaspersky Lab and Dr. Web, all Yandex services, ABBYY, 1C, and Mail.ru Group, which owns the social networks VKontakte and Odnoklassniki. It has been proven that it is extremely difficult to fight the spreading of fakes, so refuting them is not the most effective approach to combating them, even if there are facts and arguments to refute them. The author offers a number of useful tips that should be followed to effectively avoid the spread of fakes throughout Ukraine.