MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Moscow has a duty to counter any propaganda which Kiev produces and that’s exactly what it’s doing, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on the sidelines of an education event on Monday.
"We are actively pushing back against these sources, refuting this information, explaining why it’s not true and exposing lies and false narratives. For every channel, we make a counter-channel. And it’s easy to see, they attract an audience very fast," he said, when asked if Russia will take any action in connection with the false stories that Ukraine is spreading about the Russian military on Telegram.
The Kremlin spokesman said it’s very hard - and not always the best option - to block an entire media platform. "You lose an opportunity to get your own ideas across, not only in our country, but also abroad. So, one needs to tread carefully in this matter. Any propaganda - in the bad sense of the word, in this case - should be met with our counterpropaganda, which is what we are busy with," he said.
According to Peskov, it is impossible to do away with false stories altogether.
"They will always be there because the world of information is diverse. It lives in environments that allow for some degree of anonymity. Where there is anonymity, there is always corruption, such as placement of paid information, ordered distortion of information, made-to-order slander and falsifications. This will always be out there, so we must always be vigilant," he said.
When asked how to tell the truth from false stories, he said "never to be gullible."
"All information always needs to be subjected to doubt and attempts should be made to verify it with various other sources," Peskov said.
He urged people to educate themselves and stay alert.