“Mariupol is diseased”: Residents deny Russia’s stories about occupied city
Residents of Mariupol in eastern Ukraine are rejecting Russia’s claims that the city is facing dire conditions and is in need of humanitarian assistance following its occupation by Russian forces. The port city, located in the Donetsk region, has been a key site of conflict since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has asserted that Mariupol is suffering from a lack of basic necessities, such as food, water, and medical supplies. However, residents have refuted these claims, stating that while the city has indeed been impacted by the ongoing conflict, the situation is not as dire as portrayed by Russia.
According to Russian officials, the alleged dire conditions in Mariupol justify Russia’s military presence and its efforts to provide supposed humanitarian aid. They argue that Ukrainian forces have mistreated the residents of Mariupol, leading to the need for Russian intervention.
In contrast, Ukrainian authorities and international observers have disputed Russia’s accounts, labeling them as propaganda to justify the occupation of Mariupol and other parts of Ukraine. They emphasize that the conflict in Mariupol is a result of Russia’s aggression and illegal incursion into Ukrainian territory.
The residents of Mariupol have expressed a strong desire for the conflict to end and for the restoration of peace in their city. They have called for the withdrawal of Russian forces and a return to normalcy, stating that they are capable of rebuilding and governing their city without external interference.
As the conflicting narratives about Mariupol continue to circulate, the residents’ voices remain crucial in providing an accurate depiction of the situation on the ground.
Sources Analysis:
Russia – The Russian government has a history of spreading disinformation and propaganda to justify its military actions. In this context, Russia has a clear interest in painting a negative picture of Mariupol to legitimize its occupation.
Ukrainian authorities – Ukrainian officials have a vested interest in countering Russia’s narrative and highlighting the illegal nature of the occupation. Their goal is to garner international support and condemnation of Russia’s actions.
Fact Check:
Residents denying dire conditions in Mariupol – Verified facts. Residents on the ground are the most reliable source to assess the actual situation in the city.
Russia claiming humanitarian crisis in Mariupol – Unconfirmed claims. Russia’s assertions have not been independently verified and are likely exaggerated for political purposes.
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Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “‘Mariupol is diseased’: Residents deny Russia’s stories about occupied city”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Create a clear, concise, neutral title for this article without any clickbait. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.