Russian propaganda circulates fake front pages of French newspapers to discredit aid to Ukraine
Russian Telegram channels are spreading disinformation by circulating fabricated front pages of the French newspapers La Croix, Le Parisien, and Corse Matin. The fake covers claim that France's infrastructure was unprepared for the recent heatwave because funds that could have been used to modernize it were allegedly diverted to support Ukraine.
This is false. The front pages of these newspapers, dated June 30, were digitally altered. Their headlines and photographs were changed, as confirmed by comparing them with the original editions.
The fake cover of Corse Matin claimed that French citizens faced "colossal" fines for trying to escape the heat and accused the French government of spending money on Ukraine. It featured a photo of two men jumping into a fountain near the Eiffel Tower. The genuine edition, however, carried a completely different story about a summer fashion trend.
Similarly, the fake front page of Le Parisien replaced both the headline and the lead photograph. It falsely claimed that all taxpayers' money was being sent to Ukraine, leaving France without sufficient funds to install air conditioning in homes. In reality, the newspaper's original front page focused on the performance of France's national football team at the World Cup.
La Croix, a French Catholic newspaper, originally featured coverage of debate over a bill on assisted dying (aide à mourir)....
Russian propaganda circulates fake front pages of French newspapers to discredit aid to Ukraine Russian Telegram channels are spreading disinformation by circulating fabricated front pages of the ...