DISINFO: Ukrainian troops are storing weapons in synagogue
SUMMARY
Ukrainian troops are storing weapons in a synagogue in the city of Uman. A member of the local Jewish community has provided this information. Russian troops do not target civilian objects, particularly places of worship.
RESPONSE
This is a recurring disinformation narrative from pro-Kremlin outlets about the unjustified Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In reality, one of the members of Uman’s Jewish community has refuted this allegation. "Nobody is using synagogues for reasons except for the reasons synagogues should be used," he said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a special military operation against Ukraine on 24 February 2022 citing NATO’s military infrastructure approaching the Russian border as a pretext. The invasion was followed by airstrikes on military objects. Russian troops later started bombing and shelling civilian targets as well.
The bombing of a theatre on 17 March 2022 in the city of Mariupol and the killing of civilians in the town of Bucha near Kyiv are some of the most sinister crimes against humanity committed in this war of aggression against Ukraine. Russian troops have damaged or destroyed up to 90 per cent buildings in Mariupol and 70 per cent of buildings in Chernihiv.
Read here another disinformation case promoting this same narrative in German. See also further debunking from StopFake.
See the EU's response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine here along with EU vs Disinfo's Guide to Deciphering Pro-Kremlin disinformation around Putin's War.