Friday, May 17, 2024
59.0°F
In this photo taken on Tuesday, March 17, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin, second right, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, third right, and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, right, visit a call center of the emergency response center on control and monitoring of the coronavirus disease, in Moscow, Russia. Russian authorities declared a war on "fake news" related to the new coronavirus. The crusade was triggered by what looked like a real disinformation campaign, but as the outbreak in Russia picked up speed and criticism of the Kremlin's "it is under control" stance mounted, the authorities cracked down on social media users doubting the official numbers and news outlets questioning the government's response to the epidemic. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Stories this photo appears in:

Fake news or the truth? Russia cracks down on virus postings
March 31, 2020 11:27 p.m.

Fake news or the truth? Russia cracks down on virus postings

MOSCOW (AP) — Two weeks ago, an opposition-leaning radio station in Russia interviewed political analyst Valery Solovei, who alleged the government was lying when it said no one had died in the country from the coronavirus.