Photo fake: a serviceman allegedly attacked a man in Kharkiv over an argument about a parking space
On social media and anonymous Telegram channels, a screenshot of a headline from a Ukrainian news outlet is being circulated, claiming that a serviceman of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade allegedly attacked a man with a knife in Kharkiv during an argument over a parking space. However, this is a photo fake and a manipulation, VoxCheck experts have determined.
The original news headline was altered by propagandists in order to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Edited headline: Using keywords, VoxCheck experts found the original article on the website of the Ukrainian outlet RegioNews, published on 2 October 2025. The incident in Kharkiv did indeed occur, but the original headline and text referred to a “52-year-old man” who committed the attack.
- Manipulation: Russian propagandists used photo-editing tools or modified the page code to replace the phrase “52-year-old man” in the headline with “serviceman of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade”.
- No evidence of military involvement: Neither the original RegioNews article nor the report by the Kharkiv Regional National Police contains any mention that the attacker was a member of the Defense Forces or, specifically, of the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade. The perpetrator was not identified as a serviceman.
This photo fake is part of a systematic Russian propaganda campaign aimed at discrediting Ukrainian military personnel. By falsely linking a specific combat brigade (the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade) to a domestic crime, the adversary seeks to sow distrust and division between civilians and the Armed Forces of Ukraine.