Russian propagandists amplify false claims about rising Ukrainian casualties during offensive in Kursk region

Russian propaganda fabricated a three-year-old video and distorted a news story about the planned construction of a crematorium in Lviv

Russian media outlets, pro-war Telegram channels, and bots on social media platforms X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube are sharing a video purportedly showing a Ukrainian morgue. The footage, with blurred visuals, depicts numerous black bags allegedly containing the remains of Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russia's Kursk region. To lend credibility, propagandists overlaid the video with a Ukrainian-language song.

However, the video is a fabrication. Analysis reveals it was first uploaded online in December 2021 -- two months before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The original video, shared on TikTok by an anonymous user, includes distinct details such as the U.S. flag and sounds of industrial machinery, indicating it was likely filmed at a facility in the United States.

In addition to spreading outright fakes, Russian propaganda manipulates facts to foster the impression within Ukrainian society of heightened losses in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. For instance, Russian news outlets have claimed that a crematorium is being built in Lviv because funeral services allegedly cannot keep up with traditional burials due to the large number of fallen soldiers.

This claim is manipulative. In Lviv, a symbolic capsule was placed on January 2 to mark the start of constructing a crematorium at the Holosko cemetery. However, according to the official website of the Lviv City Council, the decision to build this facility was made in 2021, with an architectural project already developed at that time.

These fabrications are surfacing amid Ukraine's intensified offensive operations in Russia's Kursk region. According to Ukraine's Center for Countering Disinformation, the narrative of heavy Ukrainian losses is a core tactic in Russia's information warfare. The goal is to intimidate Ukrainian citizens, disrupt mobilization efforts, and undermine morale.

Previously, Russian propaganda circulated false claims about U.S. journalists "gloating" over Ukrainian military losses.

Andriy Olenin