Deputy Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko believes that in order to combat manipulative and untruthful information, it is necessary to bring the discussion on the most pressing issues for Ukrainian society to the most public and open level so that citizens can start giving themselves answers to them.

"We understand that it is possible to fight against "zrada" (the phrase in the Ukrainian language that is used to describe the situation as bad and hopeless) and "fakes" only if we raise the most pressing issues in society to such a level that people themselves respond to them. It is necessary to convey the position on the part of the authorities and the state, but also to listen to the opinions of people," Tymoshenko said in an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency.

"That is, one need to answer the most pressing questions: what will happen to Donbas? How to treat people who live in the occupied territory? And this is not just a matter of war. Then all this "zrada" will subside. And this way, perhaps, we will be able to fight with "fakes," he explained.

According to the deputy head of the Office of the President, to confront such phenomena at the legislative level will be an infringement of the freedom of speech, and this will not yield results in the end.

In particular, he believes that Ukraine "has practically lost the information war for the minds of people in the occupied territories of Donbas and in the occupied Crimea." 'But there is still a chance to turn the situation the other way," Tymoshenko said, adding that it is for these purposes that an appropriate forum on information policy is planned for September.