Researchers say Russia is using deepfake videos to claim wins in Ukraine

In short: Researchers say Russian military-linked accounts are sharing AI-altered videos to make it look like Russia has captured places in Ukraine.

What's going on

Researchers and open source investigators say Russian army units and pro-war military bloggers have posted dozens of videos that appear to be changed using artificial intelligence. These are often called deepfakes, which are videos edited or created by AI so they show something that did not happen (like a very convincing fake photo).

The Financial Times reports that one example came after Russian commanders told President Vladimir Putin they had captured the Ukrainian town of Dobropillia. Russia’s defence ministry later posted a montage of drone footage that included a clip of a soldier waving a Russian flag from a damaged building. Analysts at Conflict Intelligence Team said the flag behaves unnaturally, including suddenly flipping direction, which they described as a sign of AI manipulation.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said it identified 35 videos posted by Russian units and pro-war bloggers that were likely generated or altered with AI. The group pointed to visible mistakes in some clips, such as odd body proportions, or soldiers and flags that suddenly disappear into trees or bushes. ISW said the posts appear to come from several separate units and bloggers, not one central operation, but Russian state media and even the defence ministry have amplified some of the videos.

What to watch

As AI video tools improve, fakes can become harder to spot, even when the goal is simple, like showing a flag in a town (like putting a false “I was here” sticker on a map). This can confuse the public, shape political decisions, and possibly affect what commanders believe is happening on the battlefield.

Source: Financial Times