A fake video featuring Stefanchuk is circulating online
A video is circulating widely online in which Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk allegedly calls for “training Ukrainians with a stick.” In reality, the video is fake and, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation, was created using artificial intelligence.
A video has begun circulating on social media in which Ruslan Stefanchuk allegedly speaks about the need to “train Ukrainians with a stick.” The video is presented as an authentic recording featuring the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. However, this video is a fake. According to the Center for Countering Disinformation, it was created using artificial intelligence technology. The unnatural facial expressions and movements of the person in the frame are particular indicators of the video’s fake nature. There is also a noticeable mismatch between lip movements and the spoken words.
Another sign of the video’s falsity is the synthetic voice. In addition, the video contains visual artifacts characteristic of generated content. In other words, the video is not an authentic recording of Stefanchuk’s statement. Words he did not say were artificially attributed to him. The Center for Countering Disinformation believes that this video is being used to discredit the Ukrainian government. According to the Center, its dissemination is intended to create false “confirmation” of the Russian propaganda narrative about an allegedly “undemocratic Ukraine.”
Videos like this may seem convincing at first glance, especially if they are shared without any explanation of their origin. At the same time, unnatural facial expressions, articulation issues, and an artificial voice can be signs of content created or altered using AI. Therefore, the video purporting to show Stefanchuk calling for “training Ukrainians with a stick” should not be taken as an authentic statement by the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada. This information comes from the Center for Countering Disinformation.
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