Russian fake: Ukrainian military 'tried to sell' 90-kg drone that exploded in Sumy region

Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels have circulated what appears to be a screenshot of a headline from a regional online outlet in the Sumy region, claiming that a 90-kg drone detonated after Ukrainian military personnel supposedly attempted to sell it.

This is fake news. The headline of the original article from the online outlet Sumski debaty (Sumy Debates) was altered. The authentic version reads: "Could have exploded at any moment: a 90-kg drone warhead neutralized in the Sumy region."

The article reports that police explosive ordnance disposal specialists destroyed the warhead of a Russian strike drone that had fallen in a field but did not detonate. As the damaged 90-kilogram warhead could not be transported or safely defused, it was eliminated on-site through a controlled explosion at a safe distance. There is no mention of any attempt by Ukrainian military personnel to sell the drone.

Russian propagandists used graphic editing tools to alter the wording of the headline and added fabricated text. They also made a grammatical error in the manipulated version, incorrectly using the pronoun form "yakoho" instead of "yakyi."

Russian actors have previously falsified content from this outlet. Ukrinform has earlier debunked fake reports alleging looting by Ukrainian troops in border areas of the Sumy region.

Such disinformation efforts are aimed at discrediting the Ukrainian military by accusing them of fabricated crimes.

As previously reported, Russian propaganda has also spread false claims that Iran was attacking NATO bases with Western weapons allegedly "sold" by Ukraine on the black market.

Andriy Olenin