Propaganda sources are actively promoting the channel Sheikh Tamir, calling it “especially dangerous” for the Ukrainian authorities due to allegedly reliable predictions and insider information. However, the author of the channel, Maksym Shykhaleiev, moved to the occupied Crimea in 2014. He is known for his anti-Ukrainian statements and is a frequent guest on Russian talk shows. For his actions, Shykhaleiev has been included in the Peacemaker database.

This is reported by the Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security. Its experts note that Shykhaleiev’s “predictions” and publications are often outright fakes. In particular, he spread absurd stories about Zelenskyi’s doctor who allegedly fled to London, about a “fortune teller” who predicted a negative scenario for Zelenskyi, and a fabricated story about the Ukrainian air defense that allegedly shot down over a hundred rare eagles, mistaking them for drones.

The channel and its author serve as instruments of information warfare aimed at discrediting Ukraine through fake news and absurd manipulation. Propagandists spread disinformation using figures like Sheikh Tamir for several reasons. The publication of absurd statements about “escaping doctors” or “shot down eagles” is aimed at creating the impression of chaos in Ukraine. Absurd but emotionally charged statements are intended to provoke distrust among Ukrainian citizens towards state institutions. The focus on supposed “failures” of the Ukrainian government justifies Russia's actions in the eyes of part of the audience. Spreading false narratives about a “crisis” and “collapse” of Ukraine is meant to reduce trust in Kyiv among Western allies. Sheikh Tamir serves as a transmitter of pro-Russian talking points, creating the illusion of an “alternative viewpoint”.