Russian propaganda spreads AI-generated deepfake videos about Kupiansk encirclement
Russian authorities created and distributed AI-generated deepfake videos on TikTok falsely depicting the encirclement of the Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, reportedly as part of a disinformation campaign intended to demoralize the Ukrainian population. Ukrainian authorities stated the claims were false and that their forces were holding positions in the area.
What happened
Russian propaganda launched a series of deepfake videos on TikTok depicting an alleged complete encirclement of the city of Kupiansk by Russian military forces. The videos featured AI-generated characters appearing as Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters describing a critical situation on that front.
The deepfake videos could be identified by unnatural facial expressions, templated voice, and incorrect stress placement on the Ukrainian word Kupiansk. The Centre for Countering Disinformation stated the videos were created using generative AI technology.
Reported impact
The Centre for Countering Disinformation characterized these videos as part of a Russian information operation intended to demoralize Ukrainians. The centre noted that actual combat conditions in the area involved intense fighting with Ukrainian forces holding their positions.
Index analysis
The incident exemplifies how generative AI can be weaponized to create convincing synthetic media for disinformation campaigns. The detectable flaws in the deepfakes—including prosody errors and unnatural animation—suggest the technology remains imperfect but increasingly sophisticated.
Governance controls
TikTok blocked a major channel that had systematically spread deepfakes featuring Ukrainian military personnel, according to reporting by Ukrinform.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.