Fact check
AI analysis“DW spoke to students in Siberia about their views on propaganda, the war in Ukraine and their future.”
Reasoning
DW's own article and video, plus coverage by The Guardian and RFE/RL, document DW journalists interviewing Siberian students about propaganda, the Ukraine war, and their futures. The contradictory RT piece lacks corroboration and is likely biased, so it does not outweigh the supporting evidence.
On confidence: Multiple primary DW sources and independent reporting confirm the interviews took place
Important context
The claim concerns only whether DW conducted the interviews, not the specific content of the students' statements. All supporting sources are directly from DW or cite DW's reporting.
Evidence
Supporting (4)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourcePropaganda in Russian schools prepares students to die
The report includes on‑the‑ground interviews with students in a Siberian secondary school, who discuss the propaganda they receive, the war in Ukraine and their future aspirations.
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceDW video: Siberian students talk about propaganda and the Ukraine war
In the video, a DW correspondent asks 15‑year‑old pupils in Novosibirsk about the lessons on the Ukraine conflict and what they hope to do after school.
- Tier 2 — Independent reportingindependent originDW report shows Russian school propaganda in Siberia
The Guardian notes that Deutsche Welle sent a team to a school in Siberia where they recorded students speaking about state‑run propaganda, the war in Ukraine and their future plans.
- Tier 2 — Independent reportingindependent originRFE/RL reports on DW's Siberian student interviews
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports that DW journalists spoke with students in a Siberian town about the official narrative on the Ukraine war and their personal ambitions.
Contradicting (1)
- Tier 2 — Independent reportingindependent originRT fact‑check: DW did not interview Siberian students
RT's fact‑check claims the DW segment used staged footage from a Moscow‑based drama school, not actual Siberian pupils.
Contextual (1)
- Tier 3 — Secondary reportingindependent originUN Educational Report on Media Literacy in Siberia 2025
The UN report notes that Russian schools in Siberia have incorporated state‑approved narratives about the Ukraine conflict, but does not mention any specific media interviews.
Limitations
We rely on excerpts and cannot independently audit the full video or article, but the convergence of primary and independent sources makes the claim highly credible.
- Last verified:
- Sep 26, 2026, 5:13 PM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 0.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
Propaganda in Russian schools prepares students to dieDeutsche Welle