Russian propagandists spread a video on social media, particularly on several pro-Russian anonymous Telegram channels, claiming that a professor from the University of Bristol spoke about the characteristics of mythical archetypes. According to the video, Volodymyr Zelenskyi is allegedly a modern embodiment of a vampire. However, this is fake.

Experts from the VoxCheck project drew attention to it. They found that the original video has a different format and content, and Professor Ronald Hutton does not mention Volodymyr Zelenskyi. The original audio track was altered using artificial intelligence. A check through the Hive Moderation tool showed with 99% probability that artificial intelligence was used to create this video. The fake video includes the university’s logo, which is not present in the original. The video on the university’s TikTok page contains English subtitles, but their format is different. For the forgery, other illustrations of vampires were used, combined with photographs of Volodymyr Zelenskyi. In the original video, the professor is mainly shown speaking, without images of mythical characters.

Propagandists spread such disinformation for several main reasons. Spreading fake videos portraying state leaders in an invented or negative light aims to diminish their authority. Such manipulations can create the image of a leader who is allegedly dangerous or inadequate, influencing public opinion both in Ukraine and abroad. By associating leaders with mythical archetypes, propagandists aim to create fear or disgust toward certain individuals or ideas. This can undermine trust in governments, organizations, or international partners supporting Ukraine. Using artificial intelligence to create fake materials allows for effective manipulation of reality. Since fake videos look quite convincing, they can make people believe that an authoritative scientist or figure actually said what is being claimed.