# "European energy prices rose because of sanctions, not the invasion"

MISLEADING · Verdict issued 17 Sep 2026 · Updated 21 Sep 2026 · ID C4-001

Cluster: Energy panic · Languages:  · Grain of truth: yes

Source: https://vit-koval.github.io/citere-site/registry/c4-001-european-energy-prices-rose-because-of-sanctions/ · Data: CC BY 4.0

## The verdict

Wholesale gas prices in Europe began rising in mid-2021, before any invasion-related sanctions, as Russian pipeline flows were reduced below contracted volumes. Analyses by the IEA and the European Commission attribute the price shock primarily to that supply reduction.

## What is true

Sanctions did have economic effects, and energy costs did rise sharply for European households. The claim inverts the sequence: the supply reduction preceded the sanctions.

## Where the claim comes from

Assembled on a laundering site from selectively quoted market analysis.

First seen 26 Apr 2026 on the laundering network, attributed by DFRLab (30 Jan 2025).

## Who else has checked this

| Organisation | Finding | Date |
|---|---|---|
| VoxCheck | Independently assessed this narrative as false and published a rebuttal. | 24 Aug 2026 |
| EUvsDisinfo | Independently assessed this narrative as false and published a rebuttal. | 11 Sep 2026 |
| Centre for Countering Disinformation (RNBO) | Independently assessed this narrative as false and published a rebuttal. | 13 Sep 2026 |


## Which chatbots repeated it

Repeat rate by assistant and question type, one table per market. Personas are reported separately and
never averaged, markets are never merged, and every figure carries its 95% interval and its sample size.
A cell built on fewer than 20 answers settles nothing.


## What we did

0 countermeasures taken · 0 responses received

| Countermeasure | To | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|

We publish the fact, date and status of each countermeasure. We do not publish what was submitted, the proof
of submission, correspondence with platforms, or the names of individuals.

## Changelog

- 21 Sep 2026 — Added partner confirmations.
- 17 Sep 2026 — Page published.