On July 19, 2023, Russian-language Facebook accounts (1,2) shared a screenshot of one of the articles allegedly published on the website of the Russian-language service of the German international broadcaster “Deutsche Welle.” The screenshot of the article includes a photo of Joseph Borrell, the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and in the title notes – “Borrell: Russia is entirely to blame for the failure of Ukraine’s counterattack and must take serious responsibility.”
The screenshot of the article published under the name of “Deutsche Welle” is fabricated. The website of DW indeed features an article by Kseniya Polskaya about Joseph Borrell, although the article has different content.
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Borrell’s comment in the authentic article of “Deutsche Welle” concerns the export of grain from Ukraine
On July 17, 2023, an article about Joseph Borrell was published on the website of the Russian-language service of Deutsche Welle. In the title of the article we read – Borrell: Russia uses hunger as a weapon. The author of the article is Kseniya Polskaya, and the fake version of the article also mentions her last name. A number of other articles authored by the journalist can be found on the website, but none of them contain the quote attributed to Borrell. In addition, other articles (1,2) published under the name of Kseniya Polskaya about Joseph Borrell do not feature the photo of the fake version.
In the authentic article, Joseph Borrell’s comment concerns Moscow’s decision not to renew the “cereal agreement”. He spoke about it on July 17, at the summit of the European Union, Latin American and Caribbean countries, in Brussels. Borrell noted that this step of Russia is completely unjustified and that it is using hunger as a weapon. The top diplomat of the European Union promised that the European Union will do everything to export grain from Ukraine.
Joseph Borrell did not voice a similar statement in other media, nor is it found in open sources.
“Myth Detector” has repeatedly verified screenshots of fabricated articles/posts in the name of various Western media in the past. See more in the articles:
- The Claim about 20 Million Ukrainian Lives is Based on a Fabricated POLITICO Article
- Fabricated Statement of Kamala Harris in the Name of “Voice of America”
- Fabricated Quote by Zelenskyy Disseminated in the Name of the BBC
- Another Fabricated Post about Victoria Nuland in the Name of Radio Liberty
About the Sources
Facebook user Надя Ким regularly publishes posts of pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian content. The user has disseminated disinformation in the past as well.
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