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[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Storm-1516: Coordinated disinformation network targeted Armenia ahead of 2026 elections

CivilNet, together with DFRLab and Erebus Intelligence, has published a major investigation into the Storm-1516 network, which researchers link to a Russian information influence campaign.

According to the report, Armenia became one of the network’s primary targets starting in spring 2025. Activity intensified sharply ahead of the June 2026 parliamentary elections.

Researchers analyzed:

• 45 information campaigns
• More than 1,650 original posts on X
• Over 450 accounts

Recurring narratives pushed by the network included accusations that Armenian authorities were “surrendering sovereignty,” promoting an “LGBT agenda,” building mosques, refusing to recognize the Armenian Genocide, resettling hundreds of thousands of refugees, and a flood of personal fakes targeting Nikol Pashinyan, his family, and government officials.

Clear signs of coordination were found: multiple accounts posted nearly identical messages, some showed suspiciously high activity (hundreds of posts per day), and the 15 largest campaigns alone accumulated over 149 million views. Evidence also points to possible paid promotion and overlaps with accounts previously involved in similar operations in other countries.

Key takeaway: This was not a series of random viral posts, but a systematic information campaign using repeated narratives, coordinated accounts, and the same distribution methods against Armenia.

#FactCheck #Armenia #Storm1516 #Disinformation

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

🚨 FACT CHECK / DISINFO ALERT

Russian influence operation Storm-1516 is targeting France with a new false narrative.
It alleges that the wife of presidential candidate Raphaël Glucksmann attempted to bribe media outlets to promote a positive image of her husband and his campaign.

This claim follows Storm-1516’s established pattern of fabricated stories, fake documents, and coordinated amplification aimed at French political figures and Ukraine’s European allies.

Stay vigilant. Verify sources.

#FactCheck #Storm1516 #Disinformation #France #Glucksmann

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Fake of the day: fabricated quote attributed to Elene Khoshtaria circulating on social media

A graphic with the Mtavari logo is spreading in the Georgian segment of Facebook, claiming that Droa party leader Elene Khoshtaria said:

“If a military conflict occurs between Ukraine and Georgia, we will stand on Ukraine’s side.”

This quote is fake.

🔎 What was established:
▪️ No trace of this statement exists on Khoshtaria’s official pages, Droa accounts, Georgian media, or any other open sources.
▪️ Mtavari confirmed the image is not their publication.
▪️ The fake reused a real Mtavari card design from 17 July, but replaced the text and altered the image. The original featured a completely different quote from Khoshtaria, with photos of her and her lawyer (instead of Zelenskyy).
▪️ Zelenskyy’s quote on the fake card (“Ukraine is de facto the second army of NATO”) is real but was published separately on 19 June and has no connection to Khoshtaria. The forgers simply combined two unrelated original images.

⚠️ How the manipulation spreads:
According to Myth Detector, the image was likely first posted by Facebook user Ramaz Margvelashvili. The original post noted it was satirical, but it was later widely shared without that disclaimer, leading many users to treat it as genuine news.

📌 Conclusion: Classic fabricated quote. Real media design + elements from different posts + words the politician never said. A common disinformation tactic that relies on people not checking the source.

#FactCheck #FakeNews #Georgia #Khoshtaria #Disinformation

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

🚨 New Storm-1516 fake wave: Estonia and Lithuania under attack

Pro-Kremlin disinformation network Storm-1516 has launched its first campaign targeting Estonia and Lithuania. The fake claims that the presidents of both countries are allegedly linked to a human trafficking network associated with Jeffrey Epstein.

To make the stories look credible, the operators copied the design of the European outlet EUobserver and set up a lookalike site: euobserver[.]news.

This is Storm-1516’s classic method — create fake clones of known media, publish fabricated “exclusives,” then push them through social networks and anonymous accounts as if they came from legitimate outlets.

📌 Rule of thumb: if a sensational story cites a well-known media outlet, always check the actual website address.

#FactCheck #Storm1516 #Disinformation #Estonia #Lithuania

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Fact-check: Pashinyan did not “complain” that Putin failed to congratulate him

A claim is circulating online that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan “complained” to journalists that Vladimir Putin did not congratulate him on his election victory.

What actually happened
Journalists repeatedly asked Pashinyan the same question: whether Putin congratulated him during their recent phone call.
Pashinyan answered briefly: “No, he did not congratulate me.” When asked about the reason, he said: “He didn’t want to — so he didn’t.”

After journalists kept returning to the topic, Pashinyan responded with irony:
“Then the question arises: who was he talking to?”

This was a reaction to journalists’ persistent attempts to make the lack of congratulations the main story — not a complaint or grievance directed at the Russian president.

The manipulation
Posts take the final ironic remark out of context and present it as if Pashinyan publicly expressed resentment or complained about the absence of congratulations.

The full sequence of questions and answers shows the opposite: Pashinyan calmly confirmed that no congratulations were offered.

Verdict: The claim that Pashinyan “complained” about Putin not congratulating him is a manipulation.

#FactCheck #Armenia #Pashinyan

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Russian propaganda is once again trying to scare Armenia with “punishment” for cooperating with the EU.

A new wave of articles claims mass farmer protests, “Europe deceived Armenia,” and that Armenian goods are unwanted. Most of these claims have already been debunked. New manipulations have now been added:

• Restrictions on Armenian products are framed as political pressure for “multi-vector” policy — while Russia officially claims it does not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.

• Criticism of Russia is presented as the reason for the restrictions, ignoring that the harshest criticism came after the CSTO failed to support Armenia during the 2021–2022 border clashes.

• The $180 gas price is repeatedly called “almost free,” without explaining that gas contracts are individual and depend on volumes, routes, and long-term deals.

• The entire piece relies on predictions and intimidation (“it will only get worse,” “farmers will lose everything”) instead of verified facts or official EU documents.
Verdict: familiar propaganda toolkit — exaggerate problems, present political assessments as facts, and portray cooperation with both Russia and the EU as mutually exclusive.

#FactCheck #Armenia #Disinformation

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

⚽️ Fact-check: England is not planning to treat depression with Premier League tickets

A viral claim is circulating that NHS England is considering officially prescribing attendance at Premier League matches as treatment for depression — with some posts even attributing the story to Sky Sports News.

What’s actually true?

This is false. NHS England has officially stated that these reports are untrue.
The confusion stems from a real local pilot that began in 2025 in Gloucestershire.

League Two side Forest Green Rovers (then in the fifth tier) partnered with a handful of GP surgeries on a “Football on Prescription” scheme. Some patients with mental-health issues could attend the club’s home matches free of charge as part of social prescribing support.

That project was purely local, involved a lower-league club, and never became a national NHS programme. Sky Sports News has also denied reporting any plans to make Premier League tickets an official treatment for depression.

Verdict: Viral posts have taken a small community initiative and turned it into a false national story.

#FactCheck #NHS #PremierLeague

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Fact-check: Koba Khabazi did NOT accuse Saakashvili or the United National Movement of working for Russia

A video collage circulating on Georgian Facebook creates the false impression that former MP Koba Khabazi (United National Movement) claimed Mikheil Saakashvili and his party act in Russia’s interests.

Myth Detector checked the claim. The video is a manipulation. Khabazi’s words were taken out of context from his appearance on the program Position on 23 July 2025.

In the original footage, the phrase “all his actions are Russian” refers to Bidzina Ivanishvili and the ruling Georgian Dream party’s pro-Russian course — not to Saakashvili or the UNM.

Verdict: The collage deliberately distorts the statement by splicing Khabazi’s criticism of Ivanishvili with images of Saakashvili and former UNM figures.

#FactCheck #Georgia #Disinfo

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Fake: Turkish-language X claims “Iranian intelligence sabotage” in Ukraine

A post circulating in the Turkish segment of X claims:

“Iranian intelligence VAJA struck a critical military facility in Ukraine in a sabotage operation. 80 officers were killed, including military leadership.”
The account has over 26,000 followers. The post has already reached ~196,000 views and is being actively shared among Turkish users.

What’s wrong?

There is zero confirmation.
No Ukrainian authorities, no international media, and no official Iranian statements have reported any such sabotage. Open-source checks turn up nothing about “80 officers eliminated” or an attack on any “critical military facility.”
The post relies on sensational numbers, a foreign intelligence service name, and complete lack of verifiable details — no location, no date, no facility name, no sources.

Verdict: Fake

#FactCheck #FakeNews #Ukraine #Disinfo

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Amid Russian restrictions, Armenia’s dairy exports fell while dependence on the Russian market grew

Russia restricted dairy imports from Armenia starting July 27, 2026, citing alleged use of milk from infected animals. Armenia’s Food Safety Inspectorate reports no such evidence was found and that raw materials used were lab-tested and safe.

https://t.co/sLZfHz2L5w analysis of official data:

• Total dairy exports: ~3,500 tons in 2024 → ~2,400 tons in 2025 (−31%)
• Russia’s share: 68.6% → 78.3%
Cheese & cottage cheese now make up ~76% of exports and are heavily oriented toward Russia. Long-term restrictions would hit these key categories hardest.

#Armenia #DairyExports #Russia #FactCheck

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Fact-check: Does the EU demand Armenia get rid of Russian business?

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claims Brussels is pressuring Yerevan to cut Russian business presence, sever humanitarian ties with Russia, and suppress internal opponents.
What’s wrong with this claim?

• SVR provided zero evidence — no documents, no quotes from EU officials, no links to any decisions.

• Official EU positions say the opposite. After Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to Yerevan, the EU announced a financial aid package, support for Armenian businesses, export diversification, and near duty-free access for a large share of Armenian goods. Nowhere does it demand ending Russian business or humanitarian ties. The focus is helping Armenian producers find new markets — not banning cooperation with Russia.

• The claim that EU countries refused to open their markets is also false. The European Commission has announced plans to liberalize access for roughly 80% of Armenian exports and provide extra financial support to Armenia’s economy.
Bottom line: The SVR statement is a set of political assertions without any published evidence. No official EU documents confirm such demands.

#FactCheck #Armenia #EU #Disinfo

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Tsargrad recycles old propaganda after Putin-Pashinyan call

After the phone conversation between Putin and Nikol Pashinyan, Tsargrad published a piece titled “Daring Pashinyan lost his nerves,” packing in several old propagandistic claims about the “collapse of the Armenian economy” and “mass protests.” Here’s where the authors manipulate the facts.

❌ Manipulation 1. The headline does not match official statements
Tsargrad claims Pashinyan “started begging” Putin and that he “lost his nerves.”
Neither the Armenian government’s official statement nor the Kremlin’s mentions anything of the sort. It is only reported that the Prime Minister drew attention to the restrictions and stated that they contradict the contractual and legal framework between the two countries.

❌ Manipulation 2. Local actions presented as “the country on the brink of revolution”
Tsargrad writes: “The country is on the brink of revolution.”
As “evidence” it cites just two local protests:
• A short blockade of the Yerevan–Yeraskh highway that lasted about 15 minutes before traffic was restored.
• An action by several dozen fish farm representatives outside the government building demanding a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister.
Two sectoral actions are turned into a sweeping political conclusion that has no basis.

❌ Manipulation 3. Cheese export figures used incorrectly
Tsargrad claims: “Armenia risks losing more than 80% of its income from cheese exports.”
These calculations are based on full-year 2025 statistics, while the restrictions began only in July 2026 and were introduced gradually. Last year’s figures cannot automatically be turned into a forecast of future losses.
Moreover, this is not Armenia’s national income but the export revenue of cheese producers — two different economic indicators.

📌 Bottom line: Tsargrad did not simply report the news. It embedded several old propagandistic narratives into it, offering readers a pre-set political conclusion instead of an objective picture.

#FactCheck #Armenia #Tsargrad #Disinformation

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Zakharova is substituting facts again.

Russia’s MFA spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed the CSTO mechanism could not be activated because Armenia allegedly wanted to extend it to Nagorno-Karabakh, which Yerevan itself did not recognize.

This does not match the facts.

Armenia never asked the CSTO to defend Nagorno-Karabakh. Official appeals were made only after Azerbaijan’s armed actions against the internationally recognized territory of Armenia — a full CSTO member state. This was previously stated directly by Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan.

🔹 First appeal: after Azerbaijani units crossed the state border on 12 May 2021 and occupied positions in Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces.

🔹 Second appeal: after Azerbaijan’s large-scale aggression on 13–14 September 2022, with strikes on cities and villages on Armenia’s sovereign territory (including Jermuk, Goris and Sotk). More than 200 Armenian servicemen were killed.
CSTO’s response? Instead of fulfilling collective defence obligations, the organization said the zone of responsibility first needed to be determined. In other words, a military alliance created to protect its members effectively admitted it could not clearly confirm whether its commitments applied to the internationally recognized territory of one of its own member states.

📌 Conclusion: Zakharova’s statement is false and misleads the audience.

#FactCheck #Armenia #CSTO #Zakharova

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Facebook is flooded with sensational posts claiming “SNB is already after Narek Karapetyan,” “Shooting in prison — Tsarukyan feels unwell,” or “Major scandal in Tsarukyan’s circle.”

The links lead to a dubious site. Instead of the promised “sensation,” users find completely unrelated articles — for example, the August pension payment schedule. The posts also embed videos from the YouTube channel Perfect TV, known for flashy headlines, unverified claims, and mismatched footage.

The same scheme is used for other posts: a “shooting in prison” headline turns out to be figurative language, while the video covers old legal processes around Gagik Tsarukyan and includes unrelated past speeches by Nikol Pashinyan.

These posts are being pushed by Facebook pages Blogger and Hay Blog (tens of thousands of followers). The goal is not to inform readers — it’s pure clickbait designed to drive traffic.

Classic clickbait scheme. Stay alert.

#FactCheck #Armenia #Clickbait

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

New wave of coordinated posts targeting Armenia

After Rosselkhoznadzor announced temporary restrictions on certain Armenian imports, a wave of nearly identical posts appeared on X from accounts openly supporting Russian authorities.

The common message: Armenia is “rolling into the abyss,” Europe “abandoned” it, and Russia can destroy its economy at any moment.

These posts focus only on what Armenia might lose. They ignore the other side of the equation: Russian companies have been buying Armenian cheese, dairy products, mineral water, fish, vegetables and fruit for years because the goods were in demand — either due to insufficient domestic supply or better price, quality and reliability.

No one explains how Russian producers will replace these volumes if the restrictions drag on, or what that would mean for Russian consumers’ wallets.

Taking last year’s export figures, turning them into predictions of economic collapse, and finishing with political insults is not analysis — it is a template.

The simultaneous appearance of multiple posts with different wording but the same core message raises questions about coordinated information pressure.

#Armenia #FactCheck

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

🚨 Another coordinated propaganda push about Pashinyan’s visit to Yekaterinburg is still circulating weeks later.

Nearly identical text first appeared on Facebook on July 18, then resurfaced on X on July 26 from a different account. Classic coordinated narrative.

Let’s break down the main manipulations:

🔹 “Pashinyan came to beg for the lifting of restrictions”
Pure speculation presented as fact. Neither the Russian nor Armenian side stated this was the purpose of the visit. The official reason was participation in the Innoprom-2026 industrial exhibition.
🔹 “Armenia lost $230 million in monthly export revenue”
No source. No methodology. Unsupported claim.
🔹 “The budget lost 18% of tax revenues”
Again, zero evidence. No data from the Ministry of Finance or State Revenue Committee.
🔹 “Russia buys 90% of Armenian food, alcohol, textiles and mineral water”
Selective mixing of categories to inflate dependency. No source, no time period.
🔹 “Russian gas — $177, European — $570”
Misleading comparison. European gas prices vary by contract and constantly change. A single averaged figure without context is manipulation.
🔹 “French radars don’t work, Indian ammunition is unsuitable”
No evidence provided. No official Armenian military reports or technical assessments.
🔹 “Europe gave Armenia nothing”
False. The EU runs multiple programs in Armenia on financial assistance, business support, infrastructure, and governance reforms.
🔹 “Pashinyan arrived empty-handed”, “Russia punished Armenia”, “the West betrayed”
These are emotional opinions, not facts. The entire piece relies on loaded language (“betrayal”, “humiliation”, “begging”, “Western handlers”) designed to inflame rather than inform.

📌 Bottom line: This is not analysis. It is a recycled package of unproven numbers, selective statistics, and emotional framing being pushed by pro-Russian accounts.

#FactCheck #Armenia #Innoprom #Disinformation

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Fake alert: Olena Zelenska & “stolen” museum jewelry

Researchers from the Gnida Project have exposed a new Storm-1516 disinformation campaign targeting France and Ukraine.

A circulating post claims that during a visit to Paris, Olena Zelenska wore a dragonfly pendant that was previously stolen from the French Lalique museum. To make it look authentic, the authors copied the visual style of the BBC.

There is zero evidence for this story.

• BBC never published such a report.
• Neither French law enforcement nor the Lalique museum has confirmed any link between the jewelry and a theft.
Verdict: Fake.

Another classic Storm-1516 operation using forged branding of reputable media.

#FactCheck #Disinfo #Storm1516 #Ukraine #France

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

⚽ New Storm-1516 fake: Merz accused of “fixed” Germany defeat

Researchers from the Gnida Project have uncovered a new disinformation campaign by the Storm-1516 network, this time targeting Germany and Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

A fabricated story is circulating claiming Merz received €3 million from France so that the German national team would deliberately lose to Paraguay at the World Cup, after which he allegedly bet €1 million on the outcome.

To make the claim look credible, the operators copied the visual style of the German tabloid Sport Bild and created a fake website (https://t.co/6mDCcy16rl) designed to resemble the real one. Neither Sport Bild nor Bild has ever published such a story, and no evidence of the alleged scheme exists.

📌 Verdict: Another information operation by the Storm-1516 network that uses fake sites and the branding of established media outlets to spread invented stories and discredit politicians.
#FactCheck #Storm1516 #Disinformation #Merz

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Peskov’s claim that Russia “never interferes” in other countries’ affairs is false

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed that Russia “has never interfered in the internal affairs of other countries” and that U.S. investigations found no evidence of Russian meddling in American elections.

This is false.

U.S. intelligence agencies, a bipartisan Senate report, and Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation all concluded that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. election through disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and the release of stolen materials aimed at influencing the race.

Mueller found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia — but he confirmed the interference itself.

The broader claim that Russia “never” interferes also contradicts documented cases in Ukraine, cyber operations targeting France and Germany, the attempted coup in Montenegro, and influence campaigns in Moldova and Armenia.

According to an investigation by The Insider, Russian structures sought to influence Armenia’s parliamentary elections by promoting pro-Russian forces and running information operations against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Activities linked to the Russian House in Yerevan were also cited.

Verdict: Peskov’s statement is false. It contradicts official U.S. findings and multiple documented cases of Russian interference.

#FactCheck #Russia #Peskov #Disinfo

[Zenith News @ZenithNews2026]

Belarusian state portal https://t.co/y8RPgGxkBP distorted the situation with Armenian farmers’ protests and exports.

The article presents protests by Armenian farmers and fish farmers as proof of total policy failure and “closed” foreign markets. It relies on several manipulations:

1. Claims Russia fully closed its market to Armenian produce from May 30.
In reality these were temporary phytosanitary restrictions on specific producers by Rosselkhoznadzor. Export of many other Armenian goods continued.
2. Calls statements about access to the EU fish market a lie.
Armenia did receive the right to export fish products to the EU after completing the required procedures. Starting actual deliveries still requires solving technical issues.
3. Reduces the protests solely to worsening relations with Russia.
Farmers cited multiple problems: overproduction, low purchase prices, lack of processing capacity, logistics difficulties, and the search for new markets.
4. Presents political commentary (“promises smell of rotten tomatoes”) as factual reporting.

Verdict: Protests did take place, but the https://t.co/y8RPgGxkBP piece uses emotional evaluations, oversimplifies the causes, and draws an unfounded conclusion that the problems of Armenian agriculture are caused exclusively by the loss of the Russian market.

#FactCheck #Armenia #Disinformation