Russian propagandists have found a new way to manipulate public opinion by using Ukraine's own photographs against it. Yuriy Ignat, spokesperson for the Air Force of Ukraine, warned how citizens' posts on social media are turning into fake news claiming that the Ukrainian army is allegedly shelling its own Kyiv.
The mechanics of the fake: from debris to lies
On the night of June 15, Russia launched a massive strike on Ukraine, with Kyiv as the main target. During the attack, historical sites were damaged, including the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. The Ukrainian air defense system, in particular Patriot complexes, actively repelled the attack, shooting down ballistic missiles and attack drones.
After the strike, residents of the capital began publishing photos of debris on social media. Many filmed fragments of Patriot missiles, which likely shot down Russian "Zircon" hypersonic missiles. People, without understanding the technical details and origin of the debris, posted the photos in the public domain.
These photos were instantly picked up by enemy Telegram channels. Russian propagandists began circulating images of Patriot missile parts, claiming that it was the Ukrainian air defense that struck the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. Thus, real evidence of the Ukrainian defense's work was reclassified as "proof" of self-shelling.
Warning from the command
Yuriy Ignat emphasized the danger of such practices. He urged citizens not to post photos of debris from any missiles on social media, regardless of their origin. According to the spokesperson, the enemy uses any Ukrainian content to promote its own narratives.
"Another lie that we shelled ourselves!" — Ignat commented, showing screenshots from enemy channels where photos of Patriot debris were presented as proof of Ukrainian aggression.
The reality of the attack on the Lavra
Facts at the scene refute the version of self-shelling. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the occupiers deliberately attacked the area of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra and the "Mystetskyi Arsenal". "Geran-2" drones were used for the strike.
Fragments of the fuselage and engine of an enemy drone were found at the site of the impact in the Stefanovskyi chapel of the Dormition Cathedral. The head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epiphanius, reacted emotionally to the attack, condemning the strike on one of the country's main Christian shrines.