(DONETSK OBLAST) – Russia’s Ministry of Defence has been accused by its own military bloggers of using AI-generated footage to fake battlefield progress, in a propaganda blunder that Ukrainian forces exploited during Operation Vivaldi in eastern Ukraine.
The Russian chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov, briefed the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on 17th October 2026 with a series of claims that even pro-Kremlin sources described as wildly exaggerated.
Gerasimov claimed that Russian forces had “liberated” Dobropillia in the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic.
He also claimed that Russian forces had brought more than 1,800 square kilometres under their control since 1st September.
Further claims included that Russian troops were only five kilometres from the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia, and that they had thwarted Ukrainian attempts to dislodge them from Kupiansk.
To support the Dobropillia claim, the Russian Ministry of Defence released footage of soldiers waving a flag, purportedly geolocated to the town.
At least one segment appears to have been AI-generated.
The pro-Russian military blogger Military Informant noted that the flagpole in one video clip moved in ways that defied physics.
“A very interesting behaviour of the flag can be observed in one of the segments of the video released by the Russian Ministry of Defence in Dobropillia,” the blogger wrote. “Initially, the flagpole was horizontal at an angle to the white stripe. Then it suddenly became vertical relative to the red stripe and then it returned to the white stripe again.”
The blogger asked whether the Central Military District had “also adopted AI-powered flag systems following the example of their colleagues from the Western Military District.”
A quote circulating on X captured the mood among Russian commentators: “I never lied. I just doubled down on wrong information.”
A pro-Russian mapper, Creamy Caprice, whose maps are based on Russian Ministry of Defence claims, shows Russian forces on the southern and eastern outskirts of Dobropillia as of 17th October 2026, but nowhere near full control of the town.
The same source records 2,200 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory captured by Russian forces over the past 12 months, and just 177 square kilometres in September 2026.
On that basis, Gerasimov’s claim of 1,800 square kilometres in six weeks would imply a Russian advance of roughly 1,600 square kilometres in the past fortnight, an advance no independent or pro-Russian source has recorded.
Gerasimov’s claim that Russian forces are five kilometres from the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia was also contradicted by Russian mapping data, which places the nearest Russian positions approximately 22.9 kilometres from the city’s outskirts.
His claim to have thwarted Ukrainian attempts to dislodge Russian forces from Kupiansk was described as comical, given that Russian forces were pushed out of most of the city more than a year ago and Russian maps still show large areas as contested.
Russian military analysts have publicly criticised Gerasimov’s briefing.
The pro-Kremlin blogger Romanov wrote: “The Sever group under the patronage of Gerasimov once again reported inaccurate information to the president regarding encirclements.”
“Entering a settlement with three soldiers and waving a flag for broadcast does not constitute capturing the settlement. First, it must be completely cleared. Counterattacks repelled, defences established, and provisions made for troop rotations and logistics. These are the grounds to believe that unfortunately we will soon see the view from the other side, as in Ukrainian footage from many of the settlements marked as encircled in the map presented for the president.”
Ukraine has exploited the false reporting during Operation Vivaldi by advancing quietly and clearing areas Russia claimed to hold, without announcing that it was doing so.
Russian sources have complained in recent days that the effects of the false reporting are still being felt in areas of the front line including Dobropillia.
In a separate development, US Senators Roger Wicker and Kevin Kramer have proposed a deal under which Ukraine would pause strikes on Russian oil refineries in exchange for expanded Starlink satellite coverage reaching roughly 300 kilometres into Russian territory.
The proposal was published in the Wall Street Journal following a visit by Wicker and Kramer to Kyiv on 16th October 2026, where they met Ukrainian defence officials and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The deal would allow Ukraine to target Russian missile launchers before they fire on Ukrainian cities.
The Starlink proposal follows the unexplained reduction in Starshield activity several days ago, for which no party has claimed responsibility.
Elon Musk said Starshield is under the control of the Pentagon. The Pentagon referred questions to the White House. The White House denied involvement. Reuters reported that the White House was responsible. Trump then said it was not him.
Democrat and Republican lawmakers have demanded to know who made the decision.
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