Ukrainian Armed Forces Warn of Fake Account Impersonating Territorial Defense Commander Plakhuta

Ukrainian Military Warns of Fake Commander’s Social Media Account Used for Disinformation

The Command of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has issued an urgent security alert regarding a fraudulent social media account impersonating Major General Ihor Plakhuta, the Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces. The communications department made this announcement in a statement reported by Ukrainian National News (UNN).

Military officials emphasized that Major General Plakhuta maintains no presence on any social media platforms, making the impersonation account particularly concerning for national security. “The fake page has absolutely no connection to the Commander or the Command of the Territorial Defense Forces,” the statement clarified.

Security experts from the Command believe the counterfeit account was created with several malicious objectives: spreading disinformation, conducting financial fraud under the guise of military fundraising, collecting personal data from unsuspecting users, and generally creating confusion in Ukraine’s information space.

This incident occurs amid Russia’s ongoing hybrid warfare campaign against Ukraine, which combines conventional military operations with sophisticated information warfare tactics. Military intelligence sources have documented numerous cases of Russian operatives creating fake Ukrainian military accounts to undermine trust and sow discord among Ukrainian citizens.

The Territorial Defense Forces, a critical component of Ukraine’s defense infrastructure established in 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion, has become an essential branch of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The organization has been particularly vulnerable to such impersonation attempts due to its high public profile and role in coordinating civilian defense efforts.

“Verify information before sharing it. The security of the information space is our shared responsibility,” emphasized the communications department in their statement, highlighting the importance of information hygiene during wartime.

This warning comes as Ukrainian security services have been battling an increase in sophisticated online scams targeting military personnel and civilians alike. Earlier this month, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) prevented terrorist attacks in Lviv that were reportedly organized by Russian special services operating through fake social media accounts. These incidents demonstrate Russia’s continued use of social engineering tactics as part of its broader strategy against Ukraine.

Cybersecurity experts note that impersonation attacks have become increasingly common during the conflict, with fraudsters exploiting the public’s trust in military figures to conduct various schemes. The targeting of high-ranking officials like Major General Plakhuta represents an escalation in such tactics.

The Command of the Territorial Defense Forces has urged citizens to exercise vigilance regarding information security and to avoid spreading content from unverified sources. They also encouraged reporting suspicious accounts to both social media platform administrators and law enforcement agencies to prevent further exploitation.

Ukrainian digital security analysts suggest that such impersonation attempts may be part of a coordinated effort to undermine trust in legitimate military communications channels at a time when accurate information is crucial for public safety.

The military’s communication department has advised citizens to only rely on official channels for information about the Territorial Defense Forces, including their verified websites and official statements distributed through recognized media outlets.

This incident underscores the importance of digital literacy and critical information assessment skills during times of conflict, when the battle for accurate information becomes as crucial as physical security measures.