Ukrainian leader in Portugal urges action against Russian disinformation campaigns

A top Ukrainian diaspora leader in Portugal is calling on Ukrainians to withstand Russian disinformation in local media that has been part of a broader campaign that began with Moscow’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014.

Pavlo Sadokha, Vice President of the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) for Southern Europe and President of the Union of Ukrainians in Portugal (UUP), said Russian propaganda continues to infiltrate European media through misleading commentary that distorts facts about the ongoing war. 

“Many of us, especially those closely following news about Ukraine, are outraged by the blatant spread of Russian fake news by certain commentators,” Sadokha said.

He called it a “cunning editorial tactic” that shifts responsibility for the accuracy of information onto freelance commentators.

“There is little point in holding them legally accountable, as courts in Portugal recognize their comments as protected freedom of expression,” he said.

Sadokha said that Ukrainians in Portugal should use the official legal tool known as the “right of reply” to challenge false information.

“In Portugal, there is an effective mechanism to counter misinformation — the ‘right of reply,’ which any individual or legal entity can invoke,” he said.

The UUP calls on every “conscious Ukrainian who speaks Portuguese” to first contact the media outlet demanding a correction, and if there is no response, to escalate the issue to the national media regulator.

This can be done via the following link.

Similar tools exist in other countries, enabling Ukrainian communities worldwide to defend the truth.