Pro-Russian hackers disrupt UWC lecture on exposing Russian propaganda myths

Hackers associated with Russia infiltrated an online lecture about the royal founder of western Ukraine’s biggest city, Lviv, and whose ancestry could be traced back to the Rurik dynasty. 

The educational lecture titled “Medieval Phobia: Why are Russians Afraid of King Danylo Romanovych’s Legacy?” was held on April 6.

King Danylo, also known as Danylo of Galicia, had founded the city in 1256 and named it in honor of his son, Lev. 

The event was organized by UWC’s International Educational Coordinating Council (IECC), in partnership with the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations (WFUWO)

This lecture was part of a series called “Debunking the myths of Russian propaganda.”

Hackers attempted to disrupt the online session by playing the Russian anthem, using offensive language, and blocking the chat. They also flooded the meeting with anonymous participants who later renamed themselves “FSB,” after Russia’s KGB successor agency – the Federal Security Service. 

In response to the ongoing disruption, the event organizers decided to shift the event to a different platform, where the lecture was able to continue without further issues.

“We will not be intimidated. We will keep organizing such events and will continue to fight for the truth – the truth of Ukrainian history, Ukrainian statehood, and Ukrainian identity,” wrote Lyuba Lyubchyk, chair of the UWC’s IECC.

The event, which was anticipated to draw attendees from 40 countries, saw limited participation due to the recent attack. 

“The Russians are still afraid of the memory of King Daniel Romanovich. But we will keep fighting for Ukrainian history,” said Lyubchyk.

The first lecture in the series, “The holy sinner: The forgotten baptism of Volodymyr the Great”, took place in March.