UWC International Election Observation Mission releases Preliminary Observations on Media-Monitoring

Affirms existence of widespread disinformation about Parliamentary Election and Ukraine

On 24 July 2019 the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) International Election Observation Mission (UWC Mission) to Ukraine’s 2019 Elections presented its Preliminary Observations on media-monitoring during a press conference held at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center in Kyiv, Ukraine, affirming the existence of widespread disinformation about the Parliamentary Election and Ukraine in general.

The UWC Mission mobilized 125 long-term observers (LTOs) from 28 countries who monitored the media in 20 languages for any evidence of disinformation. 

Effectively drawing on its international and multilingual network of diaspora communities, the UWC Mission noted various disinformation narratives during Ukraine’s Parliamentary Election, which have been disseminated in various languages through traditional and social media outside of Ukraine, and designed to discredit Ukraine’s democracy. In sharp contrast to the narratives discovered, the preliminary assessments by reputable international observation missions including ODIHR OSCE, ENEMO, CANADEM, NDI, and the European Parliament have unequivocally signaled that Ukraine conducted a fully democratic election.

“The main geopolitical goals of Russian disinformation around the world include blurring the lines between fact and fiction, creating confusion and doubt, and instilling in the audience a belief that the truth does not exist,” – stated Head of the UWC Mission Eugene Czolij. “The UWC Mission encourages Ukrainian authorities to address the challenges of disinformation head-on by helping Ukrainian citizens to be discerning consumers of news and information.”

The Preliminary Observations on media-monitoring of the UWC LTO Mission can be read HERE.

The press conference regarding the Preliminary Observations on media-monitoring of the UWC LTO Mission can be viewed HERE.

The UWC Mission will publish a comprehensive Final Report based on the information provided by its STOs and LTOs in 8 weeks after the conclusion of the Parliamentary Election.