Vladimir Putin deepfake video — Nov 2026

Russian military units have increasingly relied on AI-generated and manipulated footage to fabricate battlefield successes, creating a digital version of a Potemkin village to mislead their own leadership and Vladimir Putin. An investigation identified dozens of suspicious videos circulating among military units and pro-war bloggers, which are being used to disguise military setbacks as territorial gains.

What happened

The Institute for the Study of War identified 35 videos that appeared to be generated or altered using AI, featuring anomalies such as soldiers with impossible physical proportions and objects disappearing into trees. A prominent example involved the town of Dobropillia, where Russian commanders claimed to have captured the settlement in October. The Russian Defense Ministry released drone footage showing soldiers waving flags among ruins to confirm the victory; however, analysts from the Conflict Intelligence Team identified clear signs of digital manipulation, including a flag that suddenly changed direction in a way that could not be explained by camera artifacts or compression.

Despite these claims, Ukrainian forces continue to hold positions in Dobropillia. Experts note that this practice, dubbed "neural flag-sticking" by pro-war commentators, has created a dangerous feedback loop. Fabricated reports are passed up the chain of command, eventually reaching the commander-in-chief. This distortion of reality leads to military decisions based on territory that troops no longer control, resulting in unnecessary losses as commanders issue orders based on false intelligence. The propaganda effort is intended to convince domestic and international audiences that the Ukrainian frontline is collapsing, even as Ukrainian forces have reclaimed significant territory since September.