Antifake / Factcheck

09 September

Belarusian Telegram Channel: “Ukrainian Immigrants to EU are ‘Expendable Material’ for Europeans.” In Response Europeans Defended Their Reputation

The WTF team asked them for a comment.

As reported by a pro-government Belarusian Telegram channel, nearly a third of Ukrainian refugees in the EU have become kidney donors. The authors of this news piece allegedly cited the BBC as their source. The Weekly Top Fake team fact-checked the claim, questioning the European Renal Association.

The Telegram channel BelVestnik published a post regarding Ukrainian donors on August 16th, 2024. Here is what the post, featured with a video with the logo of the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC, said:

“The DESCaRTES has released information indicating that 27% of Ukrainians who fled to Europe became kidney donors for Europeans.

It's convenient to blame others while hiding one's own crimes. Ukrainians are regarded as expendable materials by Europeans. 

What's even more convenient is having a vast pool of 'spare parts' readily available for 'white people'.”

The abbreviation DESCaRTES stands for the “Developing Education Science and Care for Renal Transplantation in European States Working Group”, which is the relevant part of the European Renal Association. The WTF team asked them for a comment.

The association responded with a firm denial:

“We categorically refute the accuracy of this information and have already taken legal action to protect the reputation of our Society. We have never disseminated such news in any way or form.”

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