Russia Targets Families of Ukrainian POWs with Fake Social Media Groups

Russia has intensified psychological operations targeting families of Ukrainian prisoners of war and missing soldiers, according to recent reports from Ukrainian officials. The campaign uses sophisticated social engineering techniques through fake social media groups that promise to help families reconnect with captured loved ones.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a warning through his Telegram channel about this growing threat. According to Lubinets, Russian operatives have created an elaborate network of fake profiles masquerading as volunteers, human rights advocates, and individuals supposedly involved in prisoner exchanges.

“They mask themselves as volunteers, human rights advocates, or allegedly ‘involved’ in the exchange processes. The goal is simple: to win the families’ trust,” Lubinets explained in his statement.

These fake groups typically invite desperate family members to join closed chat groups where they promise special contacts and exclusive methods to bring their loved ones home. However, the ombudsman warns that these are actually fronts for Russian security services engaged in intelligence gathering operations.

“In reality, these are Russian security services that collect data, test reactions, and cultivate dependency,” Lubinets cautioned.

The psychological operation appears designed to exploit the emotional vulnerability of families during a time of extreme distress. Intelligence experts note that such tactics are part of Russia’s broader information warfare strategy that has evolved significantly throughout the conflict.

The campaign has multiple objectives beyond intelligence collection. Lubinets warned that the ultimate goals include “coercion, psychological pressure, threats and provocations, and more broadly – undermining trust in the state.” By creating doubt about Ukrainian authorities’ ability or willingness to secure prisoner exchanges, these operations attempt to fracture social cohesion and erode civilian support for the government.

This tactic arrives as prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia have become increasingly complex diplomatic endeavors, with negotiations often stalling over various demands from both sides. International organizations, including the Red Cross, have repeatedly called for improved access to prisoners of war and compliance with Geneva Convention standards.

The Coordination Headquarters for dealing with prisoners of war in Ukraine has also issued related warnings about financial scams targeting these same vulnerable families. They report that criminals are devising elaborate schemes to extort money, including offering fraudulent legal services to families desperate for information.

Cybersecurity experts point out that these operations demonstrate increasing sophistication in Russia’s information warfare tactics. The approach combines social engineering with psychological manipulation, targeting not frontline combatants but the emotional support systems behind them.

In his message to families of Ukrainian defenders, Lubinets acknowledged their emotional struggles: “I understand your fear and helplessness when every call makes you hold your breath, and every piece of news hurts. You live between hope and worry.” He assured them that official channels are working tirelessly on legitimate prisoner exchange efforts.

Ukrainian authorities urge families to exercise extreme caution with unsolicited contacts regarding POWs and to rely solely on official government channels for information. They recommend verifying all communications through established governmental bodies responsible for prisoner exchanges.

The targeting of POW families highlights the evolving nature of modern conflict, where information operations extend far beyond the battlefield to target civilian morale and social cohesion. Military analysts suggest these operations are likely to continue as long as prisoner exchanges remain a contentious aspect of the ongoing conflict.