The Kyiv Independent
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Bloomberg: Russia uses TikTok content to undermine Ukrainian leadership, Kyiv says.
Russia is increasingly using the TikTok social media platform to undermine Ukraine's morale and the legitimacy of President Volodymyr Zelensky, a senior Ukrainian official said in an interview with Bloomberg published on May 7.
The campaign of Russian influencers and bots is to target on the date of May 20, a day when Zelensky's five-year term would have ended if not for the full-scale war. Ukraine's Constitution prohibits holding elections under martial law.
"Russia is dominating us on TikTok due to the scale" of its operation, said Andrii Kovalenko , the head of an anti-disinformation department at the National Security and Defense Council.
"The Russians have begun working systematically on TikTok and are utilizing this platform successfully."
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The app, owned by the Chinese internet company ByteDance, has also come under scrutiny in the U.S. and the EU over misinformation content and security concerns.
Western leaders are worried that data collected by the app could be accessed by the Chinese government. ByteDance has refuted the accusations.
The U.S. Congress recently passed a bill that forces ByteDance to sell the platform or risk its ban for all American users. Kyiv said it was considering taking a similar step if Washington makes it first.
TikTok is only one of multiple platforms Russia utilizes to spread disinformation targeting Ukraine and its allies, along with X, Telegram, Facebook, and more.
Ukrainian officials have previously warned of a Russian disinformation campaign, Maidan-3 , expected to culminate in May and aimed at destabilizing Ukraine and undermining its leadership.
Russian strikes near Kupiansk kill 5, injure 9
Five people were killed and nine injured in Russian strikes on villages in the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv Oblast, local authorities reported on May 19.
West's stance on Ukraine war 'completely nonsensical,' says UK defense secretary.
The West's current stance on the war in Ukraine and delays in military aid are "completely nonsensical," the U.K's defense secretary said on May 19.
Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast injure 6
At least six people were injured in Ukraine's Kherson Oblast after a series of Russian attacks on May 19, the Kherson Regional Military Administration said.
Energy workers targeted by Russian Lancet drone during repair in Donetsk Oblast.
The attack comes as Russia continues to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure with various types of weapons across the country.
Russian attack north of Kharkiv kills 4, wounds 8
Four civilians were killed and eight wounded in the attack, according to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
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