Russian propaganda launches large-scale disinformation campaign against Ukrainian forces in Sumy region

Russian propaganda Telegram channels are actively spreading screenshots of what appear to be news stories from regional Ukrainian media outlets. These reports claim that Ukrainian defenders have committed criminal offenses, that servicemen are "involved" in spreading tuberculosis, and that residents of the Sumy region allegedly harbor "antipathy" toward members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

These claims are fake. In particular, the "report" alleging that a serviceman from the 101st Territorial Defense Brigade started a fire to cover up the "murder" of a relative is actually a compilation of two unrelated incidents: the death of an elderly woman caused by a dry grass fire, and the arrest of a man for drug distribution.

The first news item was published by the local outlet Sumski Debaty (Sumy Debates). It describes a tragic incident in which a woman died in a fire caused by burning dry grass. There is no mention of a violent death or any involvement of a Ukrainian serviceman.

In the fake version, the headline was altered: propagandists added a reference to an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation, which was not present in the original article.

The second report was published by the newspaper Vash Shans (Your Chance). However, it concerns the detention of a 31-year-old man for trafficking psychotropic substances, with no mention of arson, murder, or any involvement of a serviceman.

In addition, Russians circulated a fake story claiming that a tuberculosis outbreak had allegedly begun in the 116th Territorial Defense Brigade in the Sumy region due to a mobilized serviceman. This claim is also false. As "evidence," propagandists attached what appears to be a screenshot of a media publication, without identifying its source.

This fake was created using a graphic editor in the style of the Kharkiv-based outlet Dumka. The screenshot claims that the article was written by Daria Krychun and published at 12:11 on March 26. However, no articles were published on the Dumka website at that time.

Russians are also spreading another fake story with a headline claiming that soldiers of the 158th Separate Mechanized Brigade are allegedly complaining to the head of the Sumy Regional State Administration that local residents are deliberately inflating rental prices for housing for servicemen. It is claimed that this reflects local "antipathy" toward the military.

This is also false. In reality, the original report concerns compensation by local authorities for housing rent for servicemen. Russian propagandists altered the headline using a graphic editor.

In this way, Russian propaganda is attempting to discredit members of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and portray them in a negative light.

As Ukrinform previously reported, Russian sources also spread a fake claim that Ukrainian servicemen had allegedly tried to sell a 90-kilogram drone that later detonated in the Sumy region.

Andriy Olenin, Diana Kokhno

First photo: Ukravtodor