Russian Propaganda Circulates Fabricated Videos of ‘Overweight Ukrainian Soldiers’

Russian propagandists have ramped up their disinformation campaign against Ukraine by deploying a new wave of AI-generated videos across social media platforms, according to a recent alert from Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation.

The fabricated content features computer-generated characters presented as Ukrainian parliament members, police officers, territorial recruitment center staff, and soldiers. These artificial personas are deliberately portrayed as caricatured and overweight figures who, under the guise of satire, actually serve to amplify Russian propaganda narratives designed to fracture Ukrainian society.

Intelligence officials note that these sophisticated fakes strategically exploit Ukraine’s most sensitive social issues to provoke internal divisions and foster resentment toward military personnel, law enforcement, and government officials. While the videos may superficially resemble Ukrainian comedy or satire, their actual purpose is far more sinister.

“These AI-generated videos are being mass-produced and distributed with the explicit goal of destabilizing Ukraine from within and demoralizing our population,” a representative from the Center explained. “The enemy is weaponizing artificial intelligence to create content that appears indigenous but serves foreign interests.”

Digital forensics experts have identified telltale signs of artificial intelligence manipulation in these videos, despite their increasingly sophisticated appearance. The Center released sample images of these fabricated characters to help citizens identify the fraudulent content.

This latest disinformation tactic represents an evolution in Russia’s hybrid warfare strategy against Ukraine, combining advanced technology with psychological operations. By disguising propaganda as locally-produced entertainment, these videos attempt to bypass the critical filters many Ukrainians have developed against more obvious forms of Russian messaging.

The current campaign follows a pattern of similar disinformation efforts documented in recent months. Earlier this year, security services flagged AI-generated videos circulating on TikTok that featured fabricated “Ukrainian servicemen” claiming defensive positions had collapsed and that military commanders were indifferent to soldiers’ suffering.

Those videos were carefully crafted to appear as authentic “personal confessions from the front line” but were entirely generated using artificial intelligence tools. Similarly, Ukrainian authorities previously identified and debunked fake videos alleging “mass surrender” of Ukrainian troops near the strategically important city of Pokrovsk.

Media literacy experts warn that as AI technology becomes more sophisticated, distinguishing genuine content from fabricated material will become increasingly challenging for average social media users. The rapid production capabilities of generative AI allow hostile actors to flood platforms with convincing fake content faster than fact-checkers can respond.

“This represents a dangerous escalation in information warfare,” said a cybersecurity analyst who specializes in Eastern European disinformation campaigns. “When artificial intelligence can create seemingly authentic video testimonials that play on existing social tensions, it creates a perfect storm for undermining public trust and national unity during wartime.”

Ukrainian officials urge citizens to verify information through multiple reliable sources before sharing content online and to report suspicious videos to the appropriate authorities. They also recommend looking for inconsistencies in lighting, unnatural speech patterns, and visual glitches that often appear in AI-generated content.

As the conflict continues, digital platforms have become increasingly important battlegrounds where perception and morale are targeted with the same strategic importance as physical territory. The Center for Countering Disinformation continues to monitor these evolving tactics while developing new methods to quickly identify and neutralize artificial intelligence-powered propaganda.