Russian propaganda trying to manipulate topic of presidential elections in Ukraine - CCD

Manipulative messages about presidential elections in Ukraine are circulating on the internet.

The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council reported this on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.

In particular, the issue concerns a lawsuit filed by a resident of the Chernihiv region, Oleh Seryk, against the Verkhovna Rada.

On his Instagram page on April 26, the man said that in his lawsuit to the Administrative Court of Cassation, he is asking the court to declare unlawful the Verkhovna Rada's inaction due to its failure to schedule presidential elections in Ukraine for March 31, 2024 and to oblige the parliament to call these elections by adopting a respective resolution.

Russian news outlets started spreading this statement, among them the Telegram channel Strana and RIA Novosti, as well as vlogger Ihor Mosiichuk, who systematically spreads manipulated and disinformation messages about the situation in Ukraine.

According to the CCD, the ruling of the Administrative Court of Cassation on the said lawsuit was issued on April 15 of this year. It states that the Supreme Court had no grounds for opening proceedings in this case.

The CCD warned that such manipulations are aimed at discrediting the legitimacy of the President of Ukraine and reducing the trust of Ukrainians in the government.

Under martial law introduced by the Verkhovna Rada on February 24, 2022, holding elections in Ukraine is prohibited.