Russian propaganda fabricates losses among foreigners defending Ukraine

Recently, pro-Russian Telegram channels circulated a doctored screenshot, allegedly from the website of the Kyiv-based funeral agency "Vik." The fabricated ad claims the company provides "Cargo 200" (military code for transporting deceased personnel) services worldwide, listing Poland, Canada, Colombia, Taiwan, and Australia as the most popular destinations. The ad also falsely states that these services began in 2022.

This claim is entirely false. First, the screenshot was created using a graphic editor. While the funeral agency indeed offers international transportation of deceased persons, its official website does not mention any "most common destinations" or indicate that the service began in 2022.

Second, the agency has been providing this service well before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. An analysis of the web archive confirms that the company offered international delivery of the deceased as early as 2018.

A representative of the funeral agency confirmed to Ukrinform that the Russian claims are fake. He clarified that the delivery service pertains to deceased persons in general, not exclusively military personnel.

This fake aligns with a broader Russian propaganda effort to inflate the narrative of "colossal" losses among foreign fighters who have been legally serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2022. By highlighting Poland and Canada, Russian propagandists also aim to reinforce their false claims about NATO's military involvement in Ukraine.

Previously, Ukrinform debunked a deepfake that falsely claimed the Ukrainian Armed Forces had withdrawn from positions in the Kursk region.

Dmytro Badrak