Elon Musk Amplifies False Claim That 90% of Ukrainian Media Is US-Controlled

Elon Musk, owner of the social media platform X and recently appointed special government employee in the White House’s DOGE office, helped spread false claims alleging that 90% of Ukrainian media is controlled by the US government.

The Feb. 6 claim stemmed from an interview with Oksana Romaniuk, director of the Institute of Mass Information, on Hromadske Radio. 

“Almost 90% of Ukrainian media survived thanks to grants,” Romaniuk said during the discussion, referring broadly to diverse grant sources that have supported media outlets during the war – not specifically US funding or control.

But her comments were quickly distorted. Pro-Russian political analyst Kostyantyn Bondarenko falsely claimed that 90% of Ukrainian media was under Western control due to grant funding. 

This misrepresentation was then picked up by Strana.ua and later cited by Ukrainian-Canadian political science professor Ivan Katchanovski, known for promoting pro-Kremlin narratives.

“Katchanovski frequently shares conspiracy theories about the Euromaidan protests and amplifies pro-Kremlin narratives. His tweet quickly gained traction among English-speaking audiences,” reported Toronto TV, according to United24.

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Adding to the confusion, the NGO Reporters Without Borders misinterpreted Romaniuk’s comments in an article, which was subsequently shared by WikiLeaks on X.

Musk later reposted the claim, amplifying its reach. Reporters Without Borders has since corrected the article, clarifying Romaniuk’s original intent.

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

Musk’s post is just the latest in a series of misleading or false comments he has made related to Ukraine. On Feb. 9, Musk called for shutting down the US-funded news organizations Radio Liberty and Voice of America after claiming it was run by “radical left crazy people,” in an X post.

Musk was responding to a statement from Donald Trump’s former special envoy, Richard Grenell, who criticized taxpayer funding for media outlets employing “far-left activists.”

Voice of America, was established in 1942 to counter Nazi propaganda, initially broadcasting in German before expanding to English, French, and Italian. By the end of World War II, it aired in 50 languages, with its first Russian-language program launching in 1947. Radio Liberty began broadcasting from West Germany in 1950, with a Russian-language edition introduced in 1953.

Earlier on Feb. 6, Musk also promoted a fake video claiming that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Hollywood celebrities to boost Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s popularity.