Russian propaganda fabricates “UAF crimes”: two new fakes about soldiers allegedly throwing children out of windows and shooting pensioners
Russian propaganda Telegram channels and Facebook pages have been actively spreading two fabricated screenshots of purported “news reports” from Ukrainian regional media outlets. The publication Ukrinform drew attention to these fakes and debunked them.
The first fake
A screenshot allegedly taken from the website of The Sumy Post (Sumy region) is being circulated online, claiming that a “serviceman threw a child out of a seventh-floor window”. In reality, the original The Sumy Post article reported on a tragic accident in Konotop: a 13-year-old boy died after falling from an apartment window. The publication contains no mention whatsoever of a serviceman or an intentional killing – the text was simply falsified.
The second fake
Another screenshot imitates a news article from the Chernivtsi newspaper Molodyi Bukovynets. Its headline and text allegedly report that a “Ukrainian serviceman shot a pensioner following a language-related conflict”. This is also a complete fabrication. Neither the Molodyi Bukovynets website nor the official statement of the Chernivtsi Regional Police, which the newspaper cites, contains any mention of a serviceman. The perpetrator was a civilian, and the reference to a “soldier” was added by propagandists.
In this way, Russia continues its systematic campaign to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine, seeking to sow distrust and hostility between military personnel and civilians.
At the same time, it is Russian servicemen returning from the war in Ukraine who have repeatedly committed serious crimes against their own citizens – including murders, acts of violence, and shootings targeting civilians – incidents that have been regularly reported by Russian media outlets and law enforcement agencies themselves.
When Russian soldiers return home and commit murders, rapes, or shootings (and there have already been hundreds of such cases), propaganda responds by claiming: “the same thing is happening in Ukraine”. This narrative serves to shift moral responsibility away from the Russian military and society.
Such disinformation campaigns are amplified through anonymous Telegram channels, bot networks, and seemingly “concerned” comments with the aim of:
- fueling language-related and regional conflicts;
- discrediting territorial recruitment centers (TCCs) and mobilization efforts;
- provoking protests among relatives of military personnel.