QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be untrustworthy and should be fact-checked on a per-article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. See all Questionable sources.
- Overall, we rate Topwar.ru or Military Review as Right Biased and questionable based on promoting pro-Russian propaganda, poor sourcing, censorship, and failed fact checks.
Detailed Report
Questionable Reasoning: Propaganda, Poor Sourcing, Failed Fact Checks, Censorship
Bias Rating: RIGHT
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: Russia
Press Freedom Rating: TOTAL OPPRESSION
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY
History
Launched in 2010, Military Review is an online publication focusing on military and geopolitical issues; it covers military affairs, geopolitics, military hardware, conflict zones, and public opinion on several social and economic issues. Topwar.ru is the URL address. “Military Review” is headquartered in Moscow, Russia. The site also has an English edition.
Roskomnadzor (Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media ) lists TOPWAR.RU as its domain name and Military Review as its media name.
Read our profile on Russian media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
Topwar.ru is owned and operated by VO-Media LLC, a Russian media company. Roskomnadzor lists the Limited Liability Company “VO-media” as Military Review’s founder. The website generates revenue through online advertising and sponsored content.
Analysis / Bias
Military Review or TopWar.ru features the following sections: News, Weaponry, History, Opinions, Analytics, and Video.
The website primarily covers military and geopolitical issues from a Russian perspective, such as this article titled “Finnish Navy on the eve of joining NATO,” which presents information about the Finnish navy’s size, equipment, and composition. However, the article lacks specific sources to support its claims and doesn’t provide a clear author or editorial team responsible for its content. Therefore the information presented is unreliable.
Furthermore, the website publishes articles with strong, emotionally loaded words, such as “Berlin Chronicles: how Germany was left defenseless.” The article discusses Germany’s current military defenses and dependence on NATO allies for protection, ultimately attributing these factors to the country’s limited military capabilities.
Regarding sourcing, it sources Die Zeit by saying, “According to Die Zeit, the country is not protected from the air, the shelters are in a deplorable state, and the public emergency warning system does not work.” But no hyperlink was provided.
Editorially, the website tends to have a pro-Russian bias and frequently criticizes the policies of the United States and its allies. For example, a quote from the article reads, “There is nothing surprising in this – NATO countries a priori calculated their arsenals and supplies for one month of active hostilities.”
While the website does provide analysis and commentary on a wide range of military and geopolitical issues, its perspective is consistently pro-Russian. Finally, fact-checker Polygraph.info describes Miliary Review as it “Promotes radical nationalistic ideas and portrays Russian military capabilities as the world’s most advanced.” In general, Military Review is a pro-Russian Government propaganda site that has published misinformation and is restricted by government censorship.
Failed Fact Checks
Overall, we rate Topwar.ru or Military Review as Right Biased and questionable based on promoting pro-Russian propaganda, poor sourcing, censorship, and failed fact checks. (M. Huitsing 03/14/2023)
Source: https://topwar.ru/news/ or https://en.topwar.ru/about.html
Last Updated on June 5, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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