Russia used AI-altered videos to claim control of Ukrainian towns it did not hold
Russian military units and pro-Kremlin bloggers have used videos generated or altered with artificial intelligence to claim territorial gains in Ukraine, including the capture of Dobropillia and the liberation of Bilyi Kolodiaz. Analysts identified signs of manipulation, while Ukrainian forces said they continued to hold positions contradicted by the Russian announcements. Some of the altered videos were circulated by Russia's Ministry of Defence and state media.
Key points
- Russian military units reported the alleged capture of Dobropillia to Vladimir Putin in mid-October.
- On October 20, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Presidential Office, said Dobropillia remained under Ukrainian control.
- Ukrainian forces still held positions in Dobropillia nearly three weeks after the capture claim.
- ISW identified 35 videos that Russian military units and bloggers likely created or altered using artificial intelligence.
- Russian military blogger Divgen posted a July 27 video showing an unnatural-looking soldier with a flag near Bilyi Kolodiaz in Kharkiv region, who then disappeared from the frame.
- A week after the Bilyi Kolodiaz video, Russia's Defence Ministry declared the village liberated, while the Ukrainian army said Russian troops remained about 10 km away.
- Russia's Ministry of Defence and state media circulated some of the videos despite apparent signs of AI manipulation.
Why it matters
The fabricated videos present Russian forces as controlling Ukrainian territory they do not hold, and some were amplified by official Russian channels. The reported capture of Dobropillia entered military reporting to Vladimir Putin, showing how false visual evidence can move into senior command decisions and public narratives. The continued Ukrainian positions in Dobropillia and the Russian troops' location near Bilyi Kolodiaz directly contradict the territorial announcements.
What happened
Russian military units and pro-Kremlin bloggers have produced and distributed videos generated or modified with AI to depict the capture of Ukrainian settlements. One video showed Russian soldiers holding flags amid the ruins of Dobropillia; in another fragment, a flag abruptly changes orientation in a way analysts say cannot be explained by compression or camera artifacts. Other videos feature soldiers with unnatural body proportions and people or flags that suddenly disappear from the frame.
In mid-October, Russian military personnel reported Dobropillia's alleged capture to Vladimir Putin, and the Defence Ministry later published drone footage of the destroyed city. On October 20, Kyrylo Budanov said the town remained under Ukrainian control, and Ukrainian troops were still holding positions nearly three weeks after the claim. The National Guard also reported control over the outskirts of Dobropillia, including the villages of Zolotyi Kolodiaz, Petrivka and Novotroitske.
A similar pattern appeared in Kharkiv region. On July 27, the military blogger Divgen posted a video of a soldier waving a flag near Bilyi Kolodiaz; the soldier had unnatural proportions and vanished from the frame. A week later, Russia's Defence Ministry declared the village liberated, although the Ukrainian army said Russian forces remained about 10 km away.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting emphasizes that Ukrainian forces retained Dobropillia and nearby villages when Russia announced their capture. Ukrainian accounts also focus on visible inconsistencies in the Russian footage, including abrupt changes in flag movement, unnatural body proportions, and people or flags disappearing from the frame. They contrast the Russian territorial announcements with reports showing where Russian troops actually remained.
How international sources describe it
International coverage focuses on AI-generated video as a means of exaggerating battlefield successes and shaping perceptions of the war. It traces the spread of deepfakes through military units, military bloggers, Russia's Ministry of Defence and state media, while noting that the activity may not be directed by a single central body. The material is presented against the backdrop of pressure to produce victories, slowing Russian advances, and information campaigns portraying Russian success as inevitable.
Where reporting differs
Daniel Miley characterized the deepfakes both as part of a broader campaign presenting Russian victory as inevitable and as the work of individual military units and associated bloggers rather than a single central authority. Separately, some Russian military units and bloggers claimed without evidence that Ukrainian forces also use AI to produce videos.
Background
Russian advances in 2024 and 2025 slowed during 2025 because of significant losses and a series of Ukrainian counteroffensives. The origin of the Dobropillia video remains unknown, although analysts identified signs of manipulation in the footage.