On Sunday, July 26, the Ukrainian information space was rocked by news that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mykhailo Drapaty, had launched a massive audit within the army. The message, attributed to the new commander-in-chief, promised strict inspections and accountability for everyone, including the "untouchables." However, on the same day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially refuted this information, calling it a fake.
Spread of false information
Rumors about the start of the audit began to circulate actively in the media and Telegram channels, citing a post on the social network X (formerly Twitter). The message, allegedly posted by Drapaty, spoke of the need to "honestly assess the real situation in every military unit".
The text of the message sounded threatening to violators: "There will be no untouchables. If violations, negligence, or abuse are detected, everyone will be held accountable." It was precisely this emphatic tone that attracted the attention of a wide audience, making them believe in the seriousness of the intentions of the new command.
Official refutation
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine quickly reacted to the disinformation. In an official statement, it was confirmed that the account from which the news was published is fake. There is no such profile in the list of verified pages of the Commander-in-Chief on social networks.
The command emphasized the importance of verifying information sources and published a list of Mykhailo Drapaty's real accounts on Facebook, X, and Viber so that citizens could receive reliable data directly from the army leadership.
Context of appointment
This incident occurred against the backdrop of a recent change in leadership in the Ukrainian army. On July 22, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially appointed Mykhailo Drapaty as the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi in this position. On the same day, the transfer of powers took place, and Syrskyi announced the beginning of a "new stage" in the work of the armed forces.
The President immediately set a number of strategic tasks for the new commander-in-chief, which probably became the ground for the emergence of speculation about upcoming reforms and inspections, which malicious actors dressed up as a fake statement.
