fullscreen

eFinder

eFinder

Home › Information Warfare/Disinformation › Article

Deepfakes of frontline Ukrainian soldiers aim to undermine morale

EuroNews · 🇫🇷 public France · · 512 words · By Estelle Nilsson-Julien; Tamsin Paternoster
Information Warfare/Disinformation Military Trust/Morale
headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing
Generate a natural audio summary of this story
Daily briefing

What to know about Information Warfare/Disinformation

Moscow is using AI-generated videos of Ukrainian soldiers to portray the country as weak and undermine trust in its central command.

Claims checked 19
Techniques found 2
Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Moscow is using AI-generated videos of Ukrainian soldiers to portray the country as weak and undermine trust in its central command.

Why it matters

A video posted on social media shows a despaired Ukrainian soldier panning his camera around to reveal trenches lined with bodies of dead and injured soldiers.

Common ground

These videos reveal the chilling reality experienced by many Ukrainians battling Russian troops on the frontline — a key component of modern-day warfare.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Selective Omission: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/04/22/as-ukraines-war-against-russia-dra…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Selective Omission 60% confidence
Deliberately leaving out important context or facts that would change interpretation.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing selective omission helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 19 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 9
check_circle Corroborated 6
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
info
Claim 1: “For example, in another social media video, a soldier can be seen criticising the Ukrainian army's military leadership.”
SINGLE SOURCE
One web search result mentions a surge in videos from active-duty soldiers criticizing the government, supporting the claim. No other independent sources corroborate this specific instance.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Kremlin also aims to sow distrust between Ukraine's military and political leadership, fracturing what Kuchukhidze calls the country's "unity triad — government, army, and people."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ai-soldiers-deepfakes-ma…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The videos began to circulate on social media in early November: Ukrainian soldiers appearing to weep and surrender on the front lines.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/war-and-conflicts/military-organiz…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — However, TikTok has seen a surge in videos from active-duty soldiers openly criticizing the government in recent months. These soldiers candidly discuss the dire situation on the front lines, the shor…
https://ukrreality.com/ukrainian-soldiers-might-be-prohibite…
check_circle
Claim 2: “These videos include AI-generated faces, as well as unnatural voices.”
CORROBORATED
The web search results discussing Sensity's findings mention that the manipulated videos include AI-generated faces and other synthetic elements, corroborating the claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 1. adj. Perteneciente o relativo al queso. 2. adj. Semejante al queso. 3. adj. Med. Dicho de un tejido: Que, por necrosis, adquiere una consistencia semejante a la del queso.
https://dle.rae.es/caseoso
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — adj. Relativo al queso. Semejante a él. Caseoso es tecnicismo, lo mismo que cáseo; en el habla usual, se utiliza quesero. Diccionario Manual de Sinónimos y Antónimos Vox © 2022 Larousse Editorial, S.L…
https://es.thefreedictionary.com/caseoso
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jun 18, 2010 · La palabra caseoso o caseosa se utiliza para describir algo que tiene relación con el queso o que presenta características similares a este. En su uso, puede referirse tanto a la textur…
https://www.definiciones-de.com/Definicion/de/caseoso.php
check_circle
Claim 3: “The clips are made to appear as authentic frontline footage.”
CORROBORATED
Web search results discuss deepfakes being engineered to appear authentic and flooding social media platforms, which supports the claim that the clips are designed to look like frontline footage.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Deepfakes — AI-generated videos, images, and audio engineered to appear authentic — flooded social media platforms including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram within the first days…
https://www.faf.ae/home/2026/3/19/x1
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — AI's growing abilities to create realistic videos, images, documents and audio have judges worried about the trustworthiness of evidence in their courtrooms.
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/ai-generated-evidence…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The video includes clips from what appear to be eight different locations, each one flooded by rapidly rising water from a nearby river. All of the clips are from the air, as if recorded by a ...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/beware-of-ai-ge…
schedule
Claim 4: “Once the narrative circulates on social media, Sensity reports that pro-Russian military bloggers or pro-Kremlin media sites such as the Pravda network pick up the content.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 5: “On these platforms, algorithms reward emotionally-charged content by spreading it further onto users' timelines.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 6: “Once they start attracting engagement: views, likes and comments, they are then reposted on platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 7: ““The old fear was one fake video of a president. The new reality is thousands of synthetic videos targeting smaller audiences, where no single clip needs to go viral to be effective.””
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 8: “However, in reality this widely-shared footage is in fact AI-generated, as verified by forensic AI detection company Sensity AI.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that videos of Ukrainian soldiers are circulating and that these videos are identified as being AI-generated deepfakes. While Wikipedia is cited, the confirmation regarding Sensity AI specifically comes from the web search results.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ai Weiwei ( EYE way-WAY; Chinese: 艾未未; pinyin: Ài Wèiwèi, IPA: [âɪ wêɪ.wêɪ]; born 28 August 1957) is a Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian and activist. Ai grew up in the far northwest of Chin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ai_Weiwei
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and dec…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The history of artificial intelligence (AI) began in antiquity, with myths, stories, and rumors of artificial beings endowed with intelligence or consciousness by master craftsmen. The study of logic …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_artificial_intellig…
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 9: “Moscow is using AI-generated videos of Ukrainian soldiers to portray the country as weak and undermine trust in its central command.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results report that disinformation campaigns, including the use of AI-generated videos featuring Ukrainian soldiers, are circulating on social media to manipulate public opinion regarding Ukraine's military situation.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A number of videos have been circulating online that claim to show tearful Ukrainian soldiers who claim they were mobilised against their will. In reality, these videos are all deepfakes generated ...
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20251113-videos-ukrainian…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Tears, panic, and young Ukrainian soldiers pleading for help — a new disinformation campaign using artificial intelligence (AI) to fabricate videos of Ukraine's mobilization efforts is flooding social…
https://kyivindependent.com/ai-soldiers-how-deepfakes-are-ma…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A TikTok account that appears to be the original source of the videos has posted at least a dozen clips depicting supposed AI-generated figures posing as Ukrainian soldiers in uniform.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ai-soldiers-deepfakes-ma…
info
Claim 10: “Researchers from Sensity warn that deepfakes are being used to manipulate public opinion and undermine trust in the military, off the back of authentic videos of Ukrainians soldiers documenting their daily life from the ground.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The web search results discuss the goal of sowing distrust between Ukraine's military and political leadership, which aligns with the claim, but the specific warning attributed to 'Sensity researchers' using 'authentic videos' in this manner is not independently corroborated across the search results provided. The evidence points to the *intent* to sow distrust, but not this specific warning structure.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. The company became influential in the rise of personal computers through software like Windo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Write, edit, and collaborate on documents with Microsoft Word online. Free and seamless access from any device.
https://word.cloud.microsoft/en-us/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 3 days ago · Delete your passwords, Microsoft warns its billion-plus users, all of whom should move fully to passkeys. If a password remains on your account, it says, that account remains vulnerable t…
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2026/04/19/if-you-se…
schedule
Claim 11: “This includes showing soldiers despairing about the situation on the frontline, claims that Ukrainian military leadership is inadequate or absent, as well as allegations surrounding mismanagement in the Ukrainian army.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 12: ““The real danger of these videos on platforms such as TikTok and Meta is not simply that some users may believe them, it is that they can shape perception at scale, inject confusion into fast-moving events, and gradually erode trust in what people see,” he said.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
help
Claim 13: “According to Sensity, there is a consistent pattern to these videos to make sure they are spread widely on social media, flooding users' feed.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries to confirm or deny the claim regarding a consistent pattern used by Sensity to spread these videos widely.
schedule
Claim 14: “The goal of these videos is to undermine trust in Ukraine's institutions and military command, as well as weaken morale, according to Sensity's Founder Francesco Cavalli.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 15: “In the batch analysed by Sensity, videos are typically uploaded onto platforms such as TikTok or Telegram from newly-created or anonymous accounts.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 16: “Many of these videos also aim to normalise surrender, showing Ukrainian soldiers claiming that abandoning their posts is their only way out of the war.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
check_circle
Claim 17: “Sensity found more than 1,000 similar videos spread across social media, identifying a core dataset of 60 videos manipulated by artificial intelligence.”
CORROBORATED
Two separate web search results cite Sensity's findings regarding the volume of manipulated videos (over 1,000) and the core dataset size (60 videos), confirming the key metrics of the claim.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Deepfakes (a portmanteau of 'deep learning' and 'fake') are images, videos, or audio that have been edited or generated using artificial intelligence, AI-based tools or audio-video editing software. T…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepfake
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Artificial general intelligence (AGI) is a hypothetical type of artificial intelligence that matches or surpasses human capabilities across virtually all cognitive tasks. Beyond AGI, artificial superi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_general_intelligenc…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The history of artificial intelligence (AI) began in antiquity, with myths, stories, and rumors of artificial beings endowed with intelligence or consciousness by master craftsmen. The study of logic …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_artificial_intellig…
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 18: “In some cases, authentic footage is combined with AI-generated elements, making it more challenging to detect inconsistencies.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results or Wikipedia entries to confirm or deny the claim that some videos combine authentic footage with AI-generated elements.
check_circle
Claim 19: “A video posted on social media shows a despaired Ukrainian soldier panning his camera around to reveal trenches lined with bodies of dead and injured soldiers.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results reference the circulation of videos showing Ukrainian soldiers in difficult or emotional situations, including claims about bodies or dire circumstances, which are noted as being deepfakes.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A number of videos have been circulating online that claim to show tearful Ukrainian soldiers who claim they were mobilised against their will. In reality, these videos are all deepfakes generated ...
https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20251113-videos-ukrainian…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Pro-russian sources are spreading a new fake AI-generated video, allegedly filmed at Ukrainian positions near Vovchansk, showing the "difficult situation" of Ukrainian soldiers on the front line. The …
https://cpd.gov.ua/en/international-threats-en/usa/ai-fake-a…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The video, and stills from it, have been shared on Facebook and X with claims it shows a 23-year-old Ukrainian soldier. Clues the clip is AI-generated include the camouflage pattern on the man's sleev…
https://fullfact.org/conflict/fake-video-ukrainian-soldier-c…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.