Russia Turns to AI-Made “Victory Videos” as Battlefield Gains in Ukraine Stall - UNITED24 Media

Russian sources are increasingly distributing AI-generated videos that allegedly show Russian troops raising flags in Ukrainian settlements along the front line. These videos appear to be part of a broader Russian information campaign aimed at amplifying claims of battlefield gains as the pace of Russian territorial advances in Ukraine slows.

What happened

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) observed an increase in AI-generated footage portraying Russian forces allegedly raising flags in multiple areas along the frontline. One video, circulated by Russian military-linked channels, claimed to show Ukrainian soldiers from the 81st Airmobile Brigade surrendering and raising a Russian flag in the village of Pyskunivka. Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation stated that the video address attributed to Ukrainian soldiers had been generated using artificial intelligence. ISW noted that these filmed "flag-raising" operations increased since the summer of 2025. According to ISW, Russia increased the complexity of these videos, creating more sophisticated montages in multiple locations. The think tank added that the use of AI tools indicates a coordinated effort linked to Russia’s senior military leadership, intended to compensate for the absence of major battlefield breakthroughs.