The image of the alleged Ukrainian pilot who shot down six Russian planes has been circulating since 2019 (Photo: Government of Ukraine)
Since the Russian military operation in Ukraine began, many fake videos have circulated that simulate war scenes in the countryside where the conflict is taking place. Many of these audiovisual materials have gone viral on TikTok and, on other occasions, thanks to large television networks.
“These videos are mostly clips from video games or other wars,” commented a well-known Youtuber in a video. “Many of these posts are used to raise money for fake charities.”
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There are real videos of the military operation, but the majority of those circulating are false and misleading. Some are from conflicts in the Middle East, or show explosions that have nothing to do with a war.
Antena 3 noticias acaba de utilizar una imagen de la explosión de Tianjin (China) de 2015, mientras informaba sobre la invasión rusa de Ucrania pic.twitter.com/H0CldIsDTh
— Sergio Carbó (@sergiocarbom) February 24, 2022
Perhaps the most emblematic fake was that of the Ghost of Kiev, a myth circulated about a Ukrainian pilot who shot down six Russian planes in the first days of the conflict. The video went viral and was released by both the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and the Ukrainian government.
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However, the truth is that such a pilot did not exist, the images are actually from a video game, and the photos published by the Ukrainian security agencies are from three-year old footage. An analysis by Spanish activist Julián Macías Tovar, an expert in digital disinformation, concluded that 60% of interactions on viral messages came from the United States.
Increibles cifras, en youtube hay decenas de vídeos que suman decenas de millones de visitas usando las mismas imágenes falsas. pic.twitter.com/INQcHTmOn3
— Julián Macías Tovar (@JulianMaciasT) March 1, 2022
In addition to the censorship of powerful social media corporations, such as Twitter and Facebook, which have decided to block Russian media and personal accounts from objectively reporting on the situation in Ukraine—or at least presenting their side of the story—these fake videos are circulating and have gone viral on these popular platforms, which have apparently taken the side of the West in this war.
Featured image: The image of the Ukrainian pilot who allegedly shot down six Russian planes has been circulating since 2019. Photo: Government of Ukraine.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
