Ukrainian News Canada Creates Russian Disinformation Team

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled plans to create a task force focused on countering Russian disinformation and propaganda on Tuesday, as Ukrainians prepared to mark the six-month anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of their country. The prime minister announced the new initiative as part of a package of new Canadian measures designed to support Ukraine and punish Russia for launching a war that has killed tens of thousands and whose effects are being felt around the world. Canada is also imposing sanctions on 62 more people, including what the government described as several Russian regional governors and their families, as well as a Russian company whose products include anti-drone equipment. Ottawa also plans to spend nearly $4 million on two projects to strengthen Ukraine’s military and police services, including training to help Ukrainian police better handle cases involving sexual trauma as well as mental health programs. Trudeau unveiled the package during a special meeting of leaders from countries that have supported Ukraine since Russian forces first entered the country on February 24, starting Europe’s biggest conflict since World War Two. The meeting, which was ostensibly to discuss Russia’s illegal annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014, also took place as Ukrainians prepared to mark on Wednesday the anniversary of their country’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Appearing via video link from Toronto alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is in the middle of a three-day visit to Canada, Trudeau accused Russia of falsely blaming Western sanctions for escalating food prices and shortages around the world. While Russian officials have blamed sanctions imposed in response to its invasion of Ukraine for the food crisis, Canada and its allies say Moscow is responsible for disrupting critical Ukrainian food production and exports. “I want to repeat once again that there are no food sanctions. When the Russian regime blames sanctions for the food crisis around the world, they are engaging in disinformation,” Trudeau said. “We must continue to fight Russian disinformation. That’s why Canada will establish a task force to help increase our ability to monitor and detect Russian and other government disinformation.” The prime minister did not elaborate in his brief speech at the meeting, which was attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his office referred questions to Foreign Minister Melanie Joly’s office. Joly’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The administration has previously enlisted various federal departments and agencies, including the Defense Department and the Communications Security Foundation, to publicly disclose what it considers Russian disinformation and propaganda. Scholz repeated Trudeau’s claim that Russia’s invasion “was responsible for worsening food security, with serious consequences for people around the world,” even as the German leader reiterated his country’s continued support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, a sense of dread deepened Tuesday in Ukraine amid warnings that Russia may try to spoil the country’s Independence Day holiday and mark the war’s half-year mark with stepped-up attacks. The US added to the concern with a security warning citing “reports that Russia is stepping up efforts to launch strikes against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and government facilities in the coming days.” Kiev authorities banned mass gatherings in the capital until Thursday over fears of missile attacks on Independence Day, and Zelensky over the weekend warned Russia “may try to do something particularly bad, something particularly cruel”. On Tuesday, however, Zelensky emphasized defiance over concern when he raised the national flag at a memorial service a day before Independence Day. “The blue and yellow flag of Ukraine will fly again where it should be – in all temporarily occupied towns and villages of Ukraine,” he said, including the Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014. He added: “It is necessary to liberate Crimea from occupation. It will end where it started.” In a separate event, Zelenskyy appeared to downplay the threats, indicating that he expected at most increased tension rather than new targets, and added: “No one wants to die, but no one is afraid of Russia, and that is the most important signal.”

Some additional details on what the Prime Minister pledged for Ukraine: -Among those sanctioned are high-ranking Russian government and defense officials -$ for Cda-Ukraine Police Development Project & Min of Defense -Disinfo team to help understand, track and detect state-sponsored disinformation — Rachel Aiello (@rachaiello) August 23, 2022 This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 23, 2022.

title: “Ukrainian News Canada Creates Russian Disinformation Team " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-13” author: “Charles Boothe”

Ottawa will create a task force to counter Russian disinformation and propaganda, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday. Canada is also expanding its sanctions list to include 62 more people as well as Russian drone company Concern Avtomatika in retaliation for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The prime minister announced the new measures during a special meeting attended by leaders from dozens of countries that support Ukraine. Ostensibly to discuss Russia’s illegal annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014, the meeting took place on the eve of the six-month anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of its western neighbor. Trudeau appeared via video link from Toronto where he is hosting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who also promised more aid to Ukraine. Trudeau and Scholz also pushed back against Russian claims that Western sanctions are responsible for rising food prices around the world, which the Canadian leader said was one reason the disinformation task force was established. “When the Russian regime blames sanctions for the food crisis around the world, they are engaging in disinformation,” Trudeau said. “We must continue to fight Russian disinformation. That’s why Canada will establish a task force to help increase our ability to monitor and detect Russian and other government disinformation.” The prime minister also announced that Canada will spend nearly $4 million on two projects to strengthen Ukraine’s military and police services, including mental health programs.