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Coronavirus pandemic

Safe Internet League registers over 1,400 fake news about COVID-19 vaccination in November

Fake news mostly appear in WhatsApp, Telegram and Instagram and in comments on YouTube, according to the organization's head

© Sergei Karpukhin/TASS

MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. Russia’s Safe Internet League has discovered over 1,400 fake news about the COVID-19 vaccine and vaccination, the League head Yekaterina Mizulina told journalists Thursday.

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"The Safe Internet League has been monitoring fake news about the coronavirus since early November. The number of fakes about the vaccine and vaccination increased gradually in November. By now, we have discovered 1,476 fakes about the vaccine, and a total of 6,731 fakes about COVID itself," Mizulina said.

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Introduction of COVID-19 vaccines key objective of global healthcare, WHO envoy says

Such fake news mostly appear in WhatsApp, Telegram and Instagram and in comments on YouTube, she added.

According to the League, the fakes target not only the Russian vaccine, but the Western developments as well. "They are possibly being disseminated both in order to discredit the vaccination process in general and as part of unscrupulous competition among the producers," Mizulina believes.

As an example, Mizulina mentioned a fake report, alleging that the Russian Foreign Ministry asked Brussels and Washington to immediately provide 30,000 doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Allegedly, the foreign vaccine is to be imported in order to vaccinate 14,000 Federal Protective Service officers.

Another fake report, viral on Instagram, alleges that the Russian vaccine is infected with COVID and contains other substances that suppress the immune system.

A fake spread in WhatsApp messenger lists the alleged side effects, including "sterilization of women" and "aggressive immune response to body tissues" after vaccination.

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European Parliament urges EU states to regard Russian presidential vote as illegitimate

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US nukes in Poland to become target for Russia should confrontation with NATO occur — MFA

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Swiss conference on Ukraine undermines European security — Russian diplomat

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Industrial Development Fund will get additional capitalization of 300 bln rubles — Putin

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Network of international conspirators plotted Crocus terrorist attack — watchdog

Yury Chikhanchin pointed out that the perpetrators of the attack were provided with money, weapons, transportation and ammunition

Global community condemns use of terrorists in geopolitical struggle — Russian official

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev noted that the heads of foreign delegations expressed sincere condolences to the Russian people over the casualties of the attack on a concert hall outside Moscow

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According to the minister Gergely Gulyas, the North Atlantic Alliance "wants to provide financial assistance, as well as supply weapons and train Ukrainian soldiers"

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French neo-Nazi ringleader liquidated near Avdeyevka — sources

There is confirmed evidence of his connections with French secret services

Dardanelles temporarily closed due to fire on board of dry cargo carrier

Rescue craft were promptly sent to the ship, fire extinguishing started, the crew was evacuated

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US nuclear facilities in Northern Europe to become targets in Russia-NATO clash — MFA

Maria Zakharova warned that if US nuclear weapons were deployed to Northern Europe, "the security of the countries hosting these weapons will by no means get stronger, but on the contrary be harmed"

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The Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson stressed that "US steps are posing a major threat to security and stability of regional players"

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Fatah also said Hamas is currently seeking to become part of the Palestine Liberation Organization, but is doing this "only to preserve itself and survive"

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According to Nikolay Patrushev, some representatives planned to attend the meeting, but later succumbed to pressure and refused

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Better situation for peace in Ukraine, threats to Belarus: new statements by Lukashenko

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Russia’s national jurisdiction must be competitive for business — Putin

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North Korea to take part in SPIEF — Embassy in Russia

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Ivan Tertel said various methods were being considered, up to "instigating a forceful seizure by illegal armed groups" being trained in the West and Ukraine

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