Russia is spreading a new falsehood to discredit Ukrainian military chaplains

Russian propaganda has launched an information campaign against the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, accusing priests of forming punitive units. The occupiers are circulating videos containing absurd claims that clergy are involved in forming “barrier units” allegedly following NATO instructions. 

The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) reports on this latest wave of disinformation from Russia.

The Center for Countering Disinformation emphasizes that these allegations have no basis in reality, as chaplains are unarmed and provide exclusively spiritual support to soldiers. The activities of military chaplains are strictly regulated by law, which does not provide for any combat or police functions. The aim of this operation is an attempt by the Russian Federation to sow distrust in the army and discredit the institution of chaplaincy.

To lend an air of credibility to these fabrications, hostile media outlets present religious literature and internal documents as false evidence in their reports. The Kremlin uses the religious theme to create an image of an “enemy of the faith” and demoralize the personnel of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Citizens are urged to ignore Russian provocations and rely only on official sources of information.

The Center for Countering Disinformation has refuted claims spread by Russian propaganda about the alleged existence of so-called “death factories” in Ukraine.

The Center for Countering Disinformation reported that rumors circulating on enemy Telegram channels about the alleged murder of an employee of the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Center in Kharkiv are fake.

Russian propaganda, through a network of Telegram channels and pro-Kremlin bloggers, has begun actively spreading false information about the alleged establishment of control over the village of Novoplatonivka, located in the Kupiansk direction.