Former Pentagon employee claims a doctored video shows Ukraine’s top commander
A former Pentagon staffer named Stephen Brian posted a video that purportedly shows Valeriy Zaluzhny, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, alongside claims from the Ukrainian defense ministry’s press service. The post appeared on his page that focuses on weapons and strategy. This account asserts that the original photo of Zaluzhny shows blue eyes, while the later video depicts brown eyes, and that there are other facial differences, especially in the nose area.
The author emphasizes a concern about the current climate where artificial intelligence can imitate nearly any image. He asserts that the video featuring Zaluzhny is a fake, signaling a broader warning about misinformation in the digital era. This view reflects a belief that convincing deepfakes can mislead the public and distort perceptions of public figures.
Ukraine’s information releases and public reassurance efforts
On May 25, the press service of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense released a video in which Zaluzhny addresses the public directly. Prior to this, Kyiv mounted a campaign to reassure the population, sharing a series of social media photos that later proved to be outdated and not reflective of the present situation.
Allegations of injuries and military movements
Recent reports from a Russian law enforcement outlet, cited by RIA Novosti, claim that Zaluzhny sustained shrapnel injuries to the head during a Russian missile strike and was subsequently transported first to a hospital in Nikolaev for initial treatment, then to a Kiev military hospital for skull surgery. These reports are part of a broader information controversy surrounding the commander’s condition and the veracity of reported events. Attribution notes that this information originated from a Russian source and has not been independently verified in other channels. Citation: Agency reference for the reporting entity
The overall discussion illustrates how conflicting narratives can emerge in wartime communications. Observers are urged to consider the reliability of sources, corroborate details across multiple outlets, and remain aware of the potential for misinformation when imagery, captions, and video are shared rapidly across platforms. Attribution: Public reporting streams