Pro-Russian resources are disseminating information that in Sumy, validators on buses allegedly demand payment for travel in rubles. Some sources write that this became possible thanks to a Russian hacker attack, because soon, according to propagandists, “the city may come under Russian control”. A photograph distributed online shows a bus validator, on the screen of which is visible the inscription: “Amounts 33 rubles. Scan your card”.

However, in fact, the photo was edited in a photo editor, writes the StopFake project. To create the fake image, the Russians used the original photo of the validator from a bus in Kyiv. This photo was published by the mayor of Kyiv Vitalii Klychko on his page on the social network Facebook back in October 2022. In the original photo one can see the inscription on the validator screen “Kyiv, 15:33”,but  not “Sumy, 33 rubles”, as propagandists claim.

The fact that this photo was used to create a fake one is evidenced by their similarity: an identical shadow on the validator screen, as well as a similar interior of the vehicle.

StopFake journalists further analyzed the fake image using the InVID & WeVerify tool to determine whether it had been altered. Analysis of 8x8 pixel blocks using the BLOCK algorithm showed that the grid was locally disrupted. This means that objects in the image have been added or moved. This is also confirmed by other algorithms. In particular, deep learning approaches for detecting manipulation and counterfeiting Mantra-Net and Fusion detected traces of editing in the validator screen area.

This fake aim is to disturb the residents of Sumy, saying that soon the “Russian world” will come to their city.