--- title: "CCD: Wave of AI-generated fakes featuring photos of 'deceased' Ukrainians — how manipulators operate and how to avoid falling for them" description: "🚨 CCD warns of a new wave of AI fakes: photos of 'deceased' Ukrainians generated by AI are being widely spread on social media. 🤖 The goal is to inflate reach and steal data via link clicks. 🔍 How to spot a fake: ❌ Strange fingers and hands ❌ 'Waxy' faces and distorted features ❌ Blurry background and unreadable text ❌ Lack of specifics in the description ⚠️ Do not click on suspicious links and verify facts in official sources!" date: 2026-08-06T10:10:01.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ccd-wave-of-ai-fakes-photos-of-deceased-ukrainians tags: [cpd, fake-news, ai-generated, cybersecurity, ukraine, disinformation] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # CCD: Wave of AI-generated fakes featuring photos of 'deceased' Ukrainians — how manipulators operate and how to avoid falling for them ![The word 'FAKE' made from cut-out letters on a black background, symbolizing fake news and AI manipulations with photos of deceased Ukrainians](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/06/cpd-volna-ii-fejkov-s-foto-pogibshih-ukrainscev/cpd-volna-ii-fejkov-s-foto-pogibshih-ukrainscev-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The CCD has recorded a surge in publications featuring AI-generated photos of shelling victims. - The goal of the fakes is to inflate reach, gain subscribers, and collect personal data. - Key signs of a fake: anatomical errors in hands, strange facial features, distorted text. - Experts urge to verify information in official sources and not click on suspicious links. **The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) has recorded a new wave of mass dissemination of fabricated materials on social media. Under the guise of real tragic events related to Russian shelling, bots and unscrupulous authors are publishing images generated by artificial intelligence.** According to data received from the CCD and published by RBK-Ukraine, the goal of such publications is not to inform, but to exploit the emotions of Ukrainians to inflate reach, gain subscribers, and collect personal data. ### Manipulation mechanics: from 'shocking' content to data theft The scheme of operation for disinformation channels is honed to the finest detail. The algorithm of actions for malicious actors looks as follows: - **Content generation:** Using neural networks, realistic-looking images are created. They allegedly depict deceased or injured Ukrainians as a result of strikes on civilian objects. - **Emotional trigger:** Aggressive captions are added to the photos, provoking anger, fear, or grief. The text urges users to react immediately to the 'terrible news'. - **Call to action (CTA):** The description contains a requirement to follow an external link to see the 'full list of victims', 'evidence', or 'details of the event'. CCD experts note that clicking on such links carries serious risks: - **Reach inflation:** Emotional footage provokes users to react and comment, artificially inflating the channel's virality. - **Data collection:** Suspicious links may lead to phishing sites where account credentials are stolen or confidential information is collected. - **Traffic redirection:** Users are redirected to dubious Telegram channels or resources for subsequent propaganda. ### How to recognize a generated image Although modern neural networks are becoming more sophisticated, they still leave characteristic traces. CCD specialists have compiled a checklist of signs by which you can distinguish an AI fake from a real photo: - **Anatomical errors:** The most common problem with generative models is hands. Pay attention to the number of fingers, their length, and curvature. Often, fingers merge or have an unrealistic structure. - **'Waxy' face:** The skin in the photo may look too smooth, without texture. Facial features may be asymmetrical, eyes may have a strange shine, or pupils may be distorted. - **Blurry background:** Objects in the background often lose their geometry, blend into a mess, or have impossible shapes. - **Text and symbols:** Neural networks struggle with letters. If there is text on clothing, signs, or equipment, it is often blurred, distorted, or written in non-existent symbols. - **Lack of context:** The description lacks specifics: the exact location and time of the event are not specified, and there is no link to the primary source (e.g., the Armed Forces of Ukraine press center or local authorities). ### Recommendations for digital hygiene In the conditions of an information war, critical thinking becomes the main tool of defense. The CCD calls on citizens to follow basic safety rules: - **Do not click on suspicious links**, especially if they are attached to emotionally charged messages. - **Do not subscribe to channels** that speculate on tragedies without confirming facts. - **Verify information** in official sources before liking or reposting material. The spread of fakes destabilizes the emotional state of society and distracts attention from real problems. Awareness is the best protection against manipulation. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Удар по Старобельску: как скрывают последствия попадания на ВОТ Луганской области, — расследователи - focus.ua](https://focus.ua) - [Правда ли, что коллажи со снимками погибших в Старобельске сделаны из чужих фото? - Проверено.Медиа - Проверено.Медиа](https://provereno.media) - [Фейк РИА «Новости»: детей в Украине вовлекают в «культ смерти» и заставляют «прославлять нацистов» - theins.ru](https://theins.ru) - [Россия распространяет созданный ИИ фейк об ударе по АЗС в Кременчуге — ЦПД - nv.ua](https://nv.ua) ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What exactly did the CCD discover? **A:** The CCD discovered a wave of messages on social media containing AI-generated photos allegedly showing deceased Ukrainians from shelling. ### Q: Why do creators publish such fakes? **A:** The main goals are to inflate reach, redirect traffic to third-party resources, and collect users' personal data. ### Q: How to tell if a photo was generated by a neural network? **A:** Pay attention to the number of fingers, skin texture, background clarity, and readability of text on objects. AI often makes mistakes in these details.