The Infodemic — March 27
Welcome! We're tracking the global spread of coronavirus disinformation, and what's been done to combat it. Here are some of today’s key narratives, real and fake:
Italy and Russia: State channels across Russia are broadcasting extraordinary footage of Russian military convoys speeding through Northern Italy, a “humanitarian” operation Moscow launched after Vladimir Putin’s call last week with the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conti.
Since then Russian pro-government media has gone into overdrive covering how Russia is helping Italy by sending not just protective equipment but also doctors. “Italians are dumbfounded by the efficiency of the Russian military” reads the headline in Russian tabloid “Komsomolskaya Pravda.”
“Dumbfounded” is about right judging by the coverage of the story in Italy’s daily La Stampa. Journalist Jacopo Iacoboni says his sources in the government were surprised when they found that 100 Russian medical experts turned out to be biowars specialists led by a General Sergei Kikot.