Russian propaganda outlets and Telegram channels are circulating what they claim is a screenshot from the online petition platform Change.org. According to the false claim, residents of France's Gironde department launched a petition demanding that their region be renamed "Ukraine" in order to receive government compensation for the wildfires that have affected the area since July 22.

According to the propaganda narrative, local residents supposedly resorted to this because France provides substantial financial and military assistance to Ukraine.

This claim is false.

No such petition exists on Change.org, indicating that the screenshot was fabricated. The two most recent petitions related to the Gironde department are dated July 2 and July 27. The first concerns local farmers protesting the installation of solar panels, which they believe could harm agricultural land.

The second petition does relate to the wildfires, but its authors criticize French media for what they describe as insufficient coverage of wildlife deaths caused by the disaster. It contains no demand to rename the department "Ukraine."

The fake first appeared on Russian channels operating through the MAX messaging platform. It was later amplified by the Pravda network of websites and other pro-Kremlin Telegram channels.

The published screenshot is fabricated.

This disinformation campaign illustrates how Russian propaganda exploits real emergencies to spread false narratives. Against the backdrop of the devastating wildfires in France, propagandists invented the story about the supposed petition to promote the narrative that French citizens are allegedly growing dissatisfied with their country's support for Ukraine.

For context, a major wildfire broke out in France's Gironde department on July 22, 2026, near the municipalities of Saumos and Le Porge. The blaze spread rapidly north of Arcachon Bay toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area. As of July 25, more than 140,000 people had been evacuated. French authorities deployed more than 500 military personnel and an A400M military transport aircraft to move equipment and personnel to the affected area.

As reported by Ukrinform, Russian propaganda had earlier circulated another fake claim alleging that French media were blaming Ukraine for deaths caused by the extreme heat.

By Andrii Olenin