A fake that has been around for years: who launched disinformation about Gulliver's owner Polischuk and how it became a “fact”

In times of global information overload, it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. The spread of fake news and disinformation has become one of the biggest challenges for modern society. Disinformation, especially in the political and business environment, is often aimed at manipulating public opinion, affecting reputations, and even undermining trust in government institutions. Stories that start out as political manipulations or unfounded accusations can turn into a generally accepted "truth" over the years. Especially if no one refutes or exposes the fake news. This is the phenomenon of illusory truth, when the repetition of false information creates the illusion of its reliability.

One striking example is the story that Ukrainian businessman Viktor Polishchuk allegedly has family ties to the Russian elite. Nowadays, this information is perceived as "established truth," spread by the media and even government officials, and almost no one cites the original source. Who launched this fake, how it has transformed into the truth over the years, and what indicates that it is targeted disinformation - UNN analyzed.

Creating fake news: a political tool or personal gain?

The information that Viktor Polishchuk's wife, Lilia Rizva, is the niece of the wife of Russian politician Dmitry Medvedev appeared in 2015-2016. It was disseminated by the then current MP Pavlo Rizanenko in his blogs. Interestingly, the MP referred to information in the media in his blogs, but never added a link to the publication where he read it. It is clear that the information with such a frankly dubious origin was not picked up by the media or other politicians, and Rizanenko decided to play the "trump card" - he began to refer to "informal conversations with the SBU" in his blogs . 

Obviously, the former MP tried to use this fake as a tool to undermine Polischuk's reputation and thus add to his political achievements. It is worth noting that the topic for disinformation was chosen quite well, as the annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of the war in Donbas made any ties with the Russian elite perceived as a betrayal.

However, in 2015-2016, Rizanenko frankly failed to convince the public and the media that this was reliable information. The reason for this was most likely the dubious biography of the then-incumbent MP himself.

As you know, Pavlo Rizanenko and his family lived in Russia for a long time and built their career there. In particular, he worked for the Russian company VMSPO-AVISMA, which fully meets the needs of the Russian defense industry in titanium products. Ukraine has imposed sanctions against this company.  There are suspicions that Rizanenko left Ukraine just before the start of the full-scale invasion for a reason, as he was probably being suspected of cooperating with sanctioned Russian companies.

In addition, Rizanenko may be not just an ordinary ex-people's deputy who has escaped responsibility, but a "waiter" who is waiting for a signal from Russian curators for further actions. After all, it is known that companies associated with the Russian defense sector do not employ ordinary people "from the street".

Transforming fake into truth

A few years after the first wave, Rizanenko's accusations were not further confirmed and began to be forgotten. The second wave occurred immediately after the start of the full-scale invasion. Information about his family ties to Medvedev began to appear in publications about Polischuk and his business more and more often. And what is most interesting is that most of these publications do not even refer to Rizanenko, and the information is presented as fact. 

Fake news turned into "historical truth" that was used without further verification of sources. Public opinion is quick to grasp high-profile news, and over time, it begins to be perceived as true simply because "everyone is talking about it." In fact, for many people, information that is constantly repeated automatically becomes the truth. This is a classic example of the illusory truth effect, where repeating false statements makes them more believable.

Over time, even public officials began to repeat the fake. For example, the head of the Asset Recovery and Management Agency, Olena Duma, publicly stated at a press conference that Viktor Polishchuk and his wife "have close relations with Medvedev." The businessman himself denied this information and filed a lawsuit against ARMA for protection of honor, dignity and business reputation. The Duma itself later justified this statement, referring to the fact that it had read about Polischuk's connections in the media.

The test has been passed: what law enforcement officers said

After the start of the full-scale invasion, concerned citizens asked the Security Service of Ukraine to check whether Viktor Polishchuk and Lilia Rizva were receiving "direct financial support from the family of Dmytro Medvedev," again based on family ties. Just a month later, in May 2022, law enforcement officers closed this criminal proceeding "due to the establishment of the absence of criminal offenses in the act." Thus, after conducting a thorough check, law enforcement officers actually refuted any links between the Polishchuk family and the Medvedev family.

Excerpt from the closing document

UNN tried to get a comment from Pavlo Rizanenko on how he got the information about Polischuk's connections to Medvedev, what supporting documents he had, and whether he had done a DNA test to find out whether Lilia Rizva and the Russian politician's wife were related. However, he refused to comment on this, citing the fact that he has been a non-public figure since 2019. Obviously, his "sources" were not that reliable and he had nothing to add. The journalists also sent him a text message asking him to provide supporting documents, but he refused to respond to this either. Well, Rizanenko probably did not expect his fake to survive for so long.

Instead of conclusions

This case demonstrates the dangers of disinformation and its long-term consequences. Fake news can have a serious impact on public consciousness, business, and even politics, and often outlive their initiators. Although Rizanenko is no longer involved in Ukraine's political life, his disinformation campaign still influences public opinion.

The case of Viktor Polishchuk and Pavlo Rizanenko shows how easily fake information can integrate into the public consciousness and even change the history of a person or company. It also reminds us that any unfounded accusation, especially in times of war and political turbulence, can have long-term consequences, affecting businesses and people's lives.

There is only one way to counter fake news: constant fact-checking and a critical attitude to information. This is the only way to destroy myths that eventually turn into "truth.