Title: Dismissal of Valerii Zaluzhnyi Spurs Russian Propaganda Campaign with Absurd Fakes
Following the recent dismissal of Valerii Zaluzhnyi as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the subsequent appointment of Oleksandr Syrskyi as his replacement, a wave of absurd fake news stories have flooded the Russian propaganda machine.
One of the first fake narratives, spread through Russian Telegram channels, social media bots, and Russian media outlets, alleges that Zaluzhnyi intends to end the war and has been sending signals to Russia. Supporters of this false narrative have shared an allegedly recent photo of Zaluzhnyi, where he is seen making a hand gesture resembling the Latin letter Z, which has been associated with Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
However, this photo has been proven to be a fake. Graphic editors were used to manipulate the image. The original photo, posted on Volodymyr Zelensky’s official Telegram channel on February 8, 2024, shows Zaluzhnyi making his well-known V sign with the back of his hand.
A second fake story that has gained traction suggests that Zaluzhnyi has joined European Solidarity, the political party led by Zelensky’s competitor, former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. Russian z blogger Telegram channels have shared a photo of an alleged party certificate belonging to the ex-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which he supposedly obtained on February 12, 2024.
However, this photo is also a forgery. Using graphic editing tools, propagandists altered the party ID of former Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure, Volodymyr Omelyan, whose genuine ID can be easily found online. The forgers changed the ID number, date of party membership, full name, and photo.
Additionally, the photo of Zaluzhnyi used in this fake can be easily found on the internet and was taken at a time when he was not serving as the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In the original photo, Zaluzhnyi is seen wearing his military uniform.
The third fake story being disseminated by Russian propagandists involves Zaluzhnyi allegedly calling for a military coup. Using deepfake technology, a video has been manipulated to make it appear as if the former army chief is urging Ukrainian soldiers to abandon their trenches and march on Kyiv, claiming that 2,000 fighters have already joined him.
However, the original video, which was used to create the deepfake, was released on December 6, 2022, when Zaluzhnyi was congratulating the Ukrainian military on Armed Forces Day.
Moreover, the Try AI or Not service, a platform for checking audio generated by AI, has confirmed that the audio track accompanying the deepfake is likely AI-generated.
These fake stories circulating through Russian propaganda channels serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing disinformation campaigns aimed at sowing confusion and discord. It is crucial to remain vigilant and scrutinize the sources and authenticity of the information we encounter in today’s digital landscape.
As disinformation continues to proliferate, it is imperative for individuals to critically evaluate the news they consume and rely on trusted sources. By doing so, we can combat the spread of fake news and contribute to a more informed and resilient society.
