Russian propaganda fabricates 'The Economist' cover about 'beginning' of World War III

The counterfeit cover, circulated by Kremlin-controlled media outlets, Russian bots on X, and some Azerbaijani and Arab media platforms, features Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump against a backdrop of missiles and an explosion-filled sky. It includes the sensational caption "Apocalypse."

According to these propagandists, the issue's supposed theme is that Western approval for Ukraine's long-range strikes deep into Russian territory marks "the beginning of World War III."

However, this cover is completely fake. It is not available on The Economist's official website or social media accounts, where authentic covers are consistently published. Notably, the fake cover lacks a publication date, a standard feature of all genuine Economist issues.

The actual Economist issue published on November 16 depicts a globe being struck by a golf club with the headline "What's about to hit the world economy?" The magazine's next issue, scheduled for November 23, will focus on U.S. billionaire Elon Musk with the headline "Disrupter-in-chief."

Some Russian media outlets promoting the fake cover have cited a Telegram channel called "The Economist," which is not affiliated with the British magazine. This channel is known for disseminating disinformation and pro-Kremlin content.

By spreading such fabrications, Russian propaganda aims to intimidate Ukraine's Western allies, discouraging them from supporting Ukraine or allowing long-range strikes against targets deep in Russian territory. At the same time, these efforts seek to bolster the Kremlin dictator's image amid his increasing political isolation.

Earlier, Ukrinform debunked fakes by which Russian propaganda attempted to discredit the achievements of a Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunner who successfully shot down a Russian missile using an Igla MANPADS.

Andriy Olenin