Russian fake about Ukraine encouraging pensioners to serve in army in exchange for sanatorium vouchers and TVs

Pro-Kremlin Telegram channels and bots on social media platform X are spreading a photo allegedly taken at a branch of the Pension Fund of Ukraine. Against the background of an announcement listing pension benefits, an unknown person holds a booklet allegedly from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine with an “invitation” for pensioners to join the military. The booklet is accompanied by the slogan “Your experience is our strength”. The “bonus” for the participants is supposed to be a “chance to win” a voucher to a sanatorium or a large-screen TV.

This is a fake. This booklet is a fake created by propagandists. Neither the official website nor the social media accounts of the Ministry of Defense or the Pension Fund contain any advertisements for pensioners.

The image of a pensioner in military uniform indicates that the picture had been created with the use of image editing programs. The photo of the man used by the propagandists can be found on stock image websites. Moreover, the man in the photo is wearing an American military uniform.

The image of this man in uniform is used by Russians for a variety of promotional materials. For example, he “advertises” hats for security guards and appears in publications about the military reserve in Russia.

As for the booklet on pension recalculation, which is visible in the background of the photo circulated by fake makers, it was relevant for the first half of 2024, when pensions were recalculated for working pensioners.

Such fakes are created to demoralize the military and Ukrainian society and are designed to convey the impression that no one in Ukraine wants to defend their country, and that the war is allegedly beneficial only to the ruling elite.  Russia is also spreading the narrative that Ukraine no longer has the resources to fight the aggressor.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, Russia launched a propaganda information campaign for Putin's birthday, spreading fake videos and photos.

Andriy Olenin