Russia spreads AI-powered fake news about Pokrovsk, experts explain campaign’s goal

Most of these videos are accompanied by captions in various foreign languages, the Center notes.

Accounts spreading these videos show signs of being part of a coordinated network, specifically created to promote Kremlin narratives to foreign audiences.

The goal of the campaign, the CCD explains, is to create the impression among foreign users that Ukraine is losing and that military aid is pointless.

Within Ukraine, these fakes are intended to demoralize the population and instill a sense of a catastrophic situation on the front lines.

“Russian forces continue attempts to capture Pokrovsk, fierce battles for the city are ongoing, and the Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding back the enemy. The campaign about the ‘mass surrender of Ukrainian soldiers in Pokrovsk’ is an informational component of the Russian military operation,” the Center emphasizes.

Which fakes does Russia spread

Previously, RBC-Ukraine, citing the CCD, reported another fake from Russian propaganda claiming that Ukrainian soldiers are allegedly ordered to shoot their own troops who want to leave positions or surrender.

The Center noted that the Russians provided no evidence of the existence of any manual. The rumors are spread, citing anonymous sources, without documents, photos, or official confirmation.

The CCD stresses that the claim about shooting their own troops is a mirror projection of practices inherent to the Russian army, which pro-Kremlin propaganda attempts to attribute to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

The CCD also reported that Russian propaganda spreads disinformation suggesting that Ukrainian troops are mining apartment buildings in Kostiantynivka and prohibiting residents from leaving the city.

By spreading such fakes, propagandists aim to justify their own numerous crimes and shift the blame onto Ukraine, the CCD believes.