A Kremlin-backed media outlet masquerading as a left-wing news source has spent the last week racking up likes and shares on its viral content designed to undermine U.S. support for Ukraine.
If you’ve spent much time on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram over the last week consuming content about the war in Ukraine, you’ve probably come across a map showing locations of airstrikes around the world.
The map, which shows Europe, parts of the Middle East and Africa, highlights airstrikes over “the last 48 hours” in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, and Somalia.
The post warns viewers not to forget about wars happening elsewhere in the world: “Don’t let the mainstream media’s Eurocentrism dictate your moral support for victims of war. A human life is a human life. Condemn war everywhere,” it reads.
Posted just hours after Russian troops crossed the border into Ukraine last week, it quickly went viral. Over the next few days, the post was shared by thousands of accounts across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Left-leaning accounts that visibly support progressive causes like Black Lives Matter or LGBTQ rights were the majority of those sharing the image. All of them ignored the obvious issues with the map, like the fact Russia played a significant role in bombings in Syria. Instead, they earnestly urged their followers not to forget about wars happening in parts of the world that are not Ukraine.
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Source: Millions of Leftists Are Reposting Kremlin Misinformation by Mistake | VICE