I want to somehow help. What are some startups that try to solve the problem of disinformation? Maybe some open source projects I can contribute? I have donated some already but I'm not sure how it solves the problem. By problem I define lies told to the public by dictators (sometimes elected too).
I am talking about projects trying to deliver messages to people to oppressed people through other means of media etc.
Edit: as many pointed out, the poll could be disinformation itself too. Doesn't matter, if anything it makes these projects more important still.
There are maybe 15-20% of Russians that are young enough, technologically capable enough, capable of reading in another language and possibly also capable of spending enough to be able to "connect" to the rest of the world and thus be able to read non-Russian sources.
Taken away a probable 5-10% that simply doesn't care at all about their government and its actions as long as they aren't touched by them directly, it remains some 70-80% which only have available state TV and newspapers.
It is this 70-80% that should be somehow reached and (counter-)informed, but I don't think there are practical ways to do so, they simply have no internet or don't use it (and even if they use it they are not allowed to access most of it outside Russia).
There are no technical solutions to the veritas problem.
You can't task or pay someone else to solve this problem.
But what you can do is promote truth - as a moral principle. And doing so as a strong principle requires a HUGE HUGE effort in these times. In a world where deception makes money, and money is our god, it's hard to live an hour without hypocritically feeding the machinery of profitable lies. Even your post, made in good faith and sincerity has unwittingly spread the (probable) falsehood about Putin. And this reply of mine probably adds to the fire in some unseen (by me) way.
This has to come right from your soul and sometimes requires a vicious and merciless honesty. You will not be popular or liked.
Regardless of what the conflict is, who the involved parties are, and where it is taking place, the first step is to step out of the echo-chamber and begin to speak truthfully, and often, realize that misinformation comes from both sides.
It's a problem of trust and emotion, almost purely social and psychological.
If you try to "solve" disinformation with tech, you almost certainly make the problem worse.
So if you want to do something about it, teach people empathy, human values, and work on accountability and transparency. That helps a lot.
[1] see e.g. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20563051219889...