This podcast series has moved, but you can now find all of my Radio 4 investigative podcasts in the Marianna In Conspiracyland feed.For all of my investigations, including Why Do You Hate Me?, Disaster Trolls, War on Truth and Death by Conspiracy?, just search for Marianna In Conspiracyland on BBC Sounds.

After Russia’s first independent radio station was taken off air by the Kremlin, the journalists who worked there are finding ways to get round censorship of the war in Ukraine.Sergei Buntman helped to found Echo of Moscow which for more than three decades provided an alternative to the news on Russian state media.In the days following the invasion of Ukraine, his radio station and several other news organisations were forced to shut down for challenging the official narrative about the war.Yet despite threats of violence and imprisonment, Sergei and some of his fellow Russian journalists are refusing to stay silent, and are finding new ways to make themselves heard.They find themselves on the frontline of the information war that is being fought over Ukraine, alongside the military battle. And like the conflict on the ground, this fight also has real consequences for the people whose lives it touches.Russia’s military assault has been accompanied by an onslaught of disinformation and propaganda from state media, trolls and influencers. With all sides seeking to capture and control the narrative, how do you tell what is fake and what is real?In this podcast series, BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring investigates stories from Ukraine, Russia, and around the world, and hears from those caught up in the battle for the truth.Producer: Ant AdeaneEditor: Ed Main

Marianna Vishegirskaya is the pregnant woman who has unwittingly found herself at the centre of one of the most disputed events of the war.In a previous episode we looked at how Russia falsely accused her of helping fake photos of the aftermath of its attack on a maternity hospital, in which at least three people were killed.But now Marianna has told her side of the story, after escaping the besieged city of Mariupol with her husband and newborn baby.Her interview, given to a pro-Kremlin journalist, flatly contradicts much of what Russia has said up to now. But some of her comments have been cherry picked to promote a new version of events which also absolves Russia of any blame.Despite all the contradictions in the propaganda, Marianna’s Russian friend Yaroslava still believes Russian state media rather than the woman she knows personally.It’s a sign of the power of the information war being fought over Ukraine alongside the military battle. And like the conflict on the ground, this fight also has real consequences for the people whose lives it touches.Russia’s military assault has been accompanied by an onslaught of disinformation and propaganda from state media, trolls and influencers. With all sides seeking to capture and control the narrative, how do you tell what is fake and what is real?In this podcast series, BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring investigates stories from Ukraine, Russia, and around the world, and hears from those caught up in the battle for the truth.Producer: Joseph MartinEditor: Ed Main

What does the invasion of Ukraine have in common with the coronavirus pandemic?On the face of it not much at all, but disinformation about the war is also fuelling existing conspiracy movements around the world.Covid denialists who claimed the pandemic was invented by a shadowy elite to impose a tyrannical global government, now believe that the conflict in Ukraine is part of the same evil plot.It’s a bizarre offshoot of the extraordinary information war that’s being fought over Ukraine, in parallel to the military campaign on the ground.So how and why are these baseless conspiracy theories taking root?In this podcast series, BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring investigates stories from Ukraine, Russia, and around the world, and hears from those caught up in the battle over the truth.Producer: Ant AdeaneEditor: Ed Main

When Russia bombed a maternity hospital in Mariupol, it claimed that a wounded pregnant woman was faking it. Her friends told us something different. Images of Marianna Vyshemirska fleeing the aftermath of the attack caused an outcry around the world. But they were also seized upon for a furious disinformation campaign, waged by people including Russian diplomats, that sought to justify the bombing.But we’ve found clear evidence that the Russian story is false, and that the pregnant woman who was bombed was targeted again online - by pro-Russian trolls.Marianna’s friends say she’s become a pawn in the information war over Ukraine that is raging alongside the military battle. And like the conflict on the ground, this fight also has real consequences for the people whose lives it touches. In this podcast series, BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring investigates stories from Ukraine, Russia, and around the world, and hears from those caught up in the battle for the truth.Producer: Marco SilvaEditor: Ed Main

Masha is one of the most famous faces on Ukrainian TV and a huge social media star.But the Russian-speaking celebrity has taken on a new role. Her Instagram posts about skin care tips have been replaced by patriotic propaganda.The former Eurovision Song Contest host says she is one of around 200 influencers who are using their social media accounts to help the Ukrainian government to get its message out.As the military battle for Ukraine rages, influencers on all sides are playing a part in the other conflict that is being fought in parallel – an information war. And like the conflict on the ground, this fight also has real consequences for the people whose lives it touches. Russia’s military assault has been accompanied by an onslaught of disinformation and propaganda from state media, trolls and influencers. With all sides seeking to capture and control the narrative, how do you tell what is fake and what is real?In this podcast series, BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring investigates stories from Ukraine, Russia, and around the world, and hears from those caught up in the battle for the truth.Producer: Ant Adeane Editor: Ed Main

When social media star Maxim was shelled out of his home, he didn’t expect to be called a liar by some of his followers. But did the hostility come from real people - or automated accounts?As the battle for Ukraine rages, another conflict is being fought in parallel – an information war. And like the conflict on the ground, this fight also has real consequences for the people whose lives it touches.Russia’s military assault has been accompanied by an onslaught of disinformation and propaganda from state media, trolls and influencers. With all sides seeking to capture and control the narrative, how do you tell what is fake and what is real?In this podcast series, BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring investigates stories from Ukraine, Russia, and around the world, and hears from those caught up in the battle for the truth.Producer: Ant Adeane Editor: Ed Main

What do you do when you’re Ukrainian and your cousin in Russia refuses to believe her country is attacking your home?After spending days huddled in an air raid shelter, Kristina and her family managed to flee the capital Kyiv with just the few possessions they could carry.Her ordeal has been made that much worse because her cousin in Russia - who’s been watching Russian TV - remains convinced that it’s actually the Ukrainian forces who are bombing their own country.It’s a symptom of the information war over Ukraine that is raging alongside the military battle. And like the conflict on the ground, this fight also has real consequences for the people whose lives it touches.Russia’s military assault has been accompanied by an onslaught of disinformation and propaganda from state media, trolls and influencers. With all sides seeking to capture and control the narrative, how do you tell what is fake and what is real?In this podcast series, BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring investigates stories from Ukraine, Russia, and around the world, and hears from those caught up in the battle for the truth.Producer: Ant Adeane Editor: Ed Main

What’s fake, what’s real? Stories from the information war over Ukraine. BBC disinformation reporter Marianna Spring speaks to people caught up in the battle for the truth.