Russian propaganda spreads fake news about Ukrainian cash-in-transit guards, Hungarian factcheckers say
Russian propaganda has launched a disinformation campaign using AI-generated fake images about Ukrainian cash-in-transit staff, Hungarian factcheckers have said.
Source: Vastagbőr, a Hungarian fact checking outlet, on Facebook, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Vastagbőr said the issue concerns images released by Ripost, a tabloid controlled and funded by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party. European Pravda editor Serhii Sydorenko also flagged AI-generated images.
The factcheckers said Ripost posts usually receive about 10 to 200 reactions on average but in this case there were 48,000, and 99% of them were bots.
Quote: "Most of them have Romanian or Moldovan names, meaning the Russians are reusing fake profiles created to influence elections in Moldova."
Background:
- On 6 March tensions in relations between Ukraine and Hungary escalated after Hungary detained Oschadbank cash-in-transit guards who were transporting currency and valuables from Austria to Ukraine under interbank cooperation.
- Hungarian authorities later showed photos of seized valuables and said they are investigating "money laundering". They said they planned to expel the detained personnel from the country.
- Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the Hungarian authorities' actions as "hostage-taking and state terrorism". The ministry urged Ukrainian citizens to refrain from travelling to Hungary.
- The seven Ukrainian cash-in-transit workers returned to Ukraine on the evening of 6 March.
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