Fakes about Uman: Russia invented a crazy antisemitic conspiracy theory

Russian propaganda resources have launched a new wave of disinformation, using the topic of the Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman. With the help of deepfakes, fake video interviews are created in which "pilgrims" allegedly declare plans to move to Ukraine and receive payments. The Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine refuted these myths, calling them an attempt to destabilize internal stability and provoke xenophobia.

Russian propaganda resources have launched a new wave of large-scale manipulations, using the topic of the annual Hasidic pilgrimage to Uman. The main goal of this information attack is an attempt to destabilize Ukraine's internal stability and artificially provoke a wave of xenophobia and antisemitism. During the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, Kremlin-controlled account networks launched a coordinated campaign on TikTok and other social platforms. The basis for the dumps were video interviews created using artificial intelligence technologies. In the fake stories, "pilgrims" allegedly declare plans to permanently move to Ukraine. Moreover, viewers are fed outright nonsense that the Ukrainian government allegedly pays each foreign guest 200,000 hryvnias, provides unique benefits, and even plans to turn Uman into an "independent entity." The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine officially refuted all the myths being spread. Experts emphasize that there is no mass resettlement: it is exclusively a traditional and temporary religious visit. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the distribution of the videos is behind a vast network of bots controlled from Russia. The main plan of the Russians is to use the increased media attention to the event for internal division of Ukrainian society and incitement of ethnic hatred.