The Italian city of Bologna hosted a large rally against Russian propaganda and disinformation on February 2. It was organized by activists from all over Italy, including the Ukrainian community.
Activists draw attention to the influence of Russian disinformation on politics and public opinion in Europe, including Italy. They called for stronger measures against propaganda and support for independent media, Channel 24 reports.
Activists from all over the country, including representatives of the Ukrainian community, gathered for the rally. They called on EU nations to block disinformation outlets and bring to justice those who spread fakes.
The main goal of this rally was to remind them how Russian propaganda influences the decisions of their authorities and harms both Italy and the EU.
A representative of the Ukrainian community in Italy said that Russian propaganda is not just a lie or distortion of facts. Russian propaganda engages in a massive information war with the aim of justifying Russia’s aggressive war, instilling doubts in society, and diminishing support for Ukraine.
“We are here to remind Europeans that disinformation is a weapon that influences politics, public opinion, and even government decisions,” she said.
She emphasized that this disinformation works through various channels: pro-Russian media, social media, fake news, and even politicians who repeat Russian narratives.
Photo by Vitaliy Maydanyuk (Gastarbeiter di Pace).
“For example, here in Italy, you can often hear theses about ‘peace at any cost’ that actually mean Ukraine’s surrender to the aggressor,” the Ukrainian emphasized.
At the rally, the activists wanted to draw public and media attention to the problem of Russian disinformation. In particular, rally participants urge people to distinguish truth from manipulation, check information, and support Ukraine in its information and battlefield struggles.
“We call on European countries to strengthen measures against Russian propaganda: block disinformation resources, bring to justice those who spread fake news, and support independent media. In addition, we want the Ukrainian voice to be heard louder in Europe so that our truth is heard and taken into account,” said the participant in the protest in Bologna.
According to the Ukrainian representative, it’s essential not to be silent, because Russia’s information war is ongoing, and its consequences can be no less serious than the consequences of hostilities on the ground in Ukraine.
On our website, we have a dedicated section on fighting disinformation and manipulations in media by Russian and pro-Russian actors, Disinformation Watch.
We have also conducted a series of researches into pro-Russian media networks in the EU but haven’t covered Italy yet.
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