Elon Musk Spreads False Claim About US Control of Ukrainian Media

Elon Musk, owner of the X platform and newly designated special government employee, along with multiple media outlets, spread a false claim on February 6, alleging that 90% of Ukrainian media are controlled by the US government.

The misinformation started from an interview with Oksana Romaniuk, director of the Institute of Mass Information, on Hromadske Radio. During the conversation, Romaniuk stated that “almost 90% of Ukrainian media survived thanks to grants.”

According to Toronto TV, the statement was later distorted by pro-Russian political analyst Kostyantyn Bondarenko, who falsely claimed that 90% of Ukrainian media were controlled by the West through grant funding. His misinterpretation was then quoted by Strana.ua, which was later cited by Ukrainian-Canadian political science professor Ivan Katchanovski.

“Katchanovski frequently shares conspiracy theories about the Euromaidan  protests and amplify pro-Kremlin narratives. His tweet quickly gained traction among English-speaking audiences,” Toronto TV wrote.

Additionally, Romaniuk’s words were misinterpreted by Reporters Without Borders, whose article was later shared by WikiLeaks on their X account. This post was then shared by Musk. Reporters Without Borders later corrected their article.

“I was referring to all types of grants, not just American ones. […] It’s astonishing how my words were distorted,” Romaniuk commented on the controversy.

Previously, on February 6, Musk shared a fake video claiming that the US Agency for International Development funded Hollywood celebrities to boost the popularity of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.