Many of us, unfortunately, have witnessed the harmful effects of disinformation. Vlad Zadorin, a defender of Zmiinyi Island (the place where the phrase “Russian warship, go f*ck yourself!” was coined), who was held in Russian captivity, is one of these victims. He was subjected to horrific torture and witnessed numerous crimes committed against Ukrainians, which were further fueled by the hostility generated by the continuous exposure to propaganda, disinformation and fakes. One of the shocking parts of his story is that during their captivity, they had to recite counting rhymes in different languages (German, Polish, and others) because the Russian guards wanted to feel as if they had already defeated NATO and captured Europeans, not Ukrainians.

With this experience, Vlad supports the #BreakTheFake project aimed at countering Russian disinformation in Europe!

This same hostile environment threatens Europe today. Unchecked media resources spread Russian disinformation and falsified narratives across Europe, poisoning minds and fostering animosity among Europeans. As highlighted by NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, Russia has made international disinformation a key part of their military doctrine since 2000. Hundreds of thousands of messages are distributed in the EU every month to spread Kremlin propaganda.

The time to act is now. There is no "silver bullet" against propaganda and disinformation, but we can course huge damage to its sources by blocking it!

We must curb violence and hostility bred by disinformation. We must block all websites and media sources spreading this venomous fake news in the European Union. By doing so, we are safeguarding the minds of our future generations, restoring peace, and fostering understanding among various cultures. Take a stand now against the dissemination of false narratives. Please sign this petition to block these sources of disinformation and fake news in the EU immediately.