Specifically, Twitter has begun blocking tweets from the Russian embassy in the United Kingdom over claims that the recent targeting of a maternity hospital was "staged" by Ukrainian forces to gin up more anger at Moscow.
The BBC’s Shayan Sardarizadeh, who regularly reports on disinformation, cults, conspiracy theories and extremism, provided details of the Russian Embassy U.K.'s attempts to put a "spin" on the attack in his own Twitter thread in which he said the narrative had changed a number of times along the way, The Daily Wire noted.
“It’s day 15 of war in Ukraine. 1) After yesterday’s deadly attack on a Mariupol maternity hospital, a false claim began trending on Russian Telegram that a non-pregnant crisis actor played the role of two pregnant women there. It was echoed by the Russian Embassy in UK today,” Sardarizadeh began, sharing screenshots of the claim’s reach.
It's day 15 of war in Ukraine.
1) After yesterday's deadly attack on a Mariupol maternity hospital, a false claim began trending on Russian Telegram that a non-preganant crisis actor played the role of two pregnant women there.
It was echoed by the Russian embassy in UK today. pic.twitter.com/LenVVB7wZP
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 10, 2022
"Let's take their claims one by one," he continued. "Marianna Podgurskaya, the woman they claim to be a crisis actor, is indeed a beauty influencer who actually lives in Mariupol. Multiple recent images show she's heavily pregnant, which is why she'd be at a maternity hospital yesterday."
2) Let's take their claims one by one.
Marianna Podgurskaya, the woman they claim to be a crisis actor, is indeed a beauty influencer who actually lives in Mariupol. Multiple recent images show she's heavily preganant, which is why she'd be at a maternity hospital yesterday. pic.twitter.com/P8GrIIqtge
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 10, 2022
"The claim she was acting the role of two pregnant women yesterday is simply preposterous. A look at high-res images of the other woman featured in their claims shows she looks nothing like Ms Podgurskaya. These are two different women," Sardarizadeh continued.
3) The claim she was acting the role of two pregnant women yesterday is simply preposterous.
A look at high-res images of the other woman featured in their claims shows she looks nothing like Ms Podgurskaya.
These are two different women. pic.twitter.com/82lNpxmG52
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 10, 2022
"Another claim is Mairupol maternity hospital had long been empty, non-operational and taken over by far-right Azov battalion. @O_Rob1nson found this post on the hospital's Facebook page from 2 March in which it demands fuel to continue operating the hospital. It wasn't empty," he continued.
4) Another claim is Mairupol maternity hospital had long been empty, non-operational and taken over by far-right Azov battalion.@O_Rob1nson found this post on the hospital's Facebook page from 2 March in which it demands fuel to continue operating the hospital. It wasn't empty. pic.twitter.com/V3nR9MXmbX
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 10, 2022
"Every claim made by pro-Kremlin accounts and the Russian embassy in the UK is false. But those false claims are all over the internet, including on 4chan. Ms Pogurskaya will likely be a target for online trolls for some time, on top of the disaster she's already endured," the correspondent continued.
Every claim made by pro-Kremlin accounts and the Russian embassy in the UK is false.
But those false claims are all over the internet, inclduing on 4chan. Ms Pogurskaya will likely be a target for online trolls for some time, on top of the disaster she's already endured. pic.twitter.com/zS7vGSIJXT
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) March 10, 2022
There is so much mis- and dis-information online that the only people who really know what's going on in Ukraine are those living through the war.
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