Voice of America reports that pro-Russian actors are creating AI-generated deepfake videos targeting Ukrainian refugees and their supporters.
The investigation by VOA’s Russian and Ukrainian services revealed these videos as part of an online Russian disinformation operation called Matreshka.
The campaign spreads on Bluesky and X platforms. Two deepfake videos portray Ukrainian refugees as greedy and ungrateful. The videos also spread false claims about Western journalists allegedly stating Ukraine spreads war misinformation.
One video features a Ukrainian teenage refugee discussing her experience in a US private school. The footage then shifts to show overcrowded school hallways and crack cocaine packages. An AI-generated voice makes derogatory comments about public schools and African Americans.
“I realize it’s quite expensive [at private school],” the fake voice said. “But it wouldn’t be fair if my family was made to pay for my safety. Let Americans do it.”
Eliot Higgins, Bellingcat founder, confirmed to VOA that his voice was cloned in one of the videos.“
“I think it’s more about boosting their stats so [the disinformation actors] can keep milking the Russian state for money to keep doing it,” Higgins said via email.
The videos received significant exposure. One X post with fake refugee videos gained over 55,000 views, Olga Tokariuk, senior analyst at Institute for Strategic Dialogue, said. “It’s not viral content yet, but no longer marginal,” she added.
Roman Osadchuk from Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab told VOA: “Unfortunately, refugees are a very popular target for Russian disinformation campaigns, not only for attacks on the host community … but also in Ukraine.”
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