
UKRAINE, GAZA AND ELECTIONS: HOW RUSSIA, CHINA AND DOMESTIC ACTORS USE DISINFORMATION TO FOSTER THEIR AGENDAS
The 33 organizations* part of the EDMO fact-checking network that contributed to this brief published a total of 1.760 fact-checking articles in May 2025. Out of these articles, 173 (10%) focused on Ukraine-related disinformation; 138 (8%) on disinformation related to the EU; 118 (7%) on COVID-19-related disinformation; 89 (5%) on disinformation related to immigration; 86 (5%) on the Middle Eastern regional conflict; 82 (5%) on climate change-related disinformation; and 29 (2%) on disinformation about LGBTQ+ and gender issues. Disinformation about the conflict in the Middle East increases significantly after months of minimal relevance. False information on Covid-19 also made a comeback, rising by three percentage points and reaching the highest value since May 2023 (7%). False news related to the war in Ukraine and the EU, which are still the most targeted topics by disinformation in the month of May, remained stable on the levels registered in April, respectively 10%