Russian propagandists have falsely manipulated a church video to drive division around Ukraine’s Christmas celebrations, according to fact-checkers who have debunked the deceptive content.

Several Russian Telegram channels recently shared footage of a church service in Ukraine with an added female voiceover claiming the video was recorded for the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU). The manipulated video falsely alleges that Ukrainians attending January 7 Christmas services are considered “traitors” while suggesting December 25 services were empty.

Investigators determined the original footage was actually recorded during December 25, 2024, Christmas celebrations at a Kyiv church. The video first appeared on TikTok on December 26 before propagandists altered it by adding the “traitors” caption and overlaying the misleading audio track.

The timing of the disinformation campaign coincides with Ukraine’s ongoing transition in Christmas observance dates. In July 2023, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, passed legislation officially establishing December 25 as the country’s Christmas holiday. This change removed January 7 as a public holiday, marking a significant shift in the country’s calendar traditions.

The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) had already announced its switch to the Revised Julian calendar beginning September 1, 2023. However, the church emphasized that this transition remains voluntary, acknowledging that some parishes and monasteries would continue following the Julian calendar tradition.

“The OCU has made it clear that calendar differences should not be a source of division among Ukrainians,” explained religious studies expert Tetiana Kalenychenko. “This flexibility allows communities to maintain their traditions while the broader institution aligns with most Orthodox churches globally.”

The calendar distinction carries significant cultural and geopolitical implications. The January 7 date, observed according to the Julian calendar, remains the practice in the Russian, Serbian, Georgian, and Jerusalem Orthodox churches. Meanwhile, most Orthodox churches worldwide, including the influential Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, follow the Revised Julian calendar and celebrate Christmas on December 25.

This disinformation effort represents a pattern in Russian propaganda tactics around Ukrainian religious holidays. Security analysts note these campaigns consistently attempt to portray Ukraine’s calendar transition as a rejection of Orthodox tradition rather than an alignment with mainstream Orthodox practice.

“Moscow’s religious propaganda consistently frames any Ukrainian departure from Russian practices as a deviation from ‘true’ Orthodoxy,” said Oleksandr Sagan, religious affairs analyst. “This narrative ignores that Ukraine is actually joining the majority of the Orthodox world in its calendar practices.”

The manipulated video follows other recent religious-themed propaganda efforts. Ukrinform previously reported on Russian disinformation that created a fake Charlie Hebdo magazine cover featuring a falsified Christmas greeting from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Religious observances have become increasingly politicized in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022, with many Ukrainians viewing the calendar shift as another step in distinguishing Ukrainian cultural identity from Russian influence.

For Ukrainian citizens, the practical reality remains that Christmas celebrations now span both dates, with many families adapting traditions to incorporate both observances during the transition period. While government offices and most businesses now recognize only the December 25 date as the official holiday, many Ukrainians continue celebrating religious aspects of the holiday on January 7 as well.

The incident highlights how religious customs and traditions remain vulnerable targets for information warfare in the ongoing conflict, with seemingly innocuous church videos being weaponized to sow division during important religious holidays.