Russian propagandists turned to TikTok as a platform to spread disinformation aimed at inciting divisions within Ukrainian society
Russian media outlets and Telegram channels are circulating a video of an unidentified girl on TikTok who claims that the Verkhovna Rada has allegedly passed a law “obliging” all female citizens in Ukraine named Tetiana to change their names to Horpyna from January 1. Failure to comply, she claims, will result in fines and “even imprisonment.” This false information has spread rapidly on the Chinese-owned TikTok platform and has already caused outrage among some women on the platform.
This claim is entirely fake. The girl in the video provides no evidence to support her statement, offers no references to a “draft law,” no date of its “approval,” or any other verifiable details. She merely states that she “heard” this information “somewhere.” Notably, the Verkhovna Rada has never considered such a bill, as it simply does not exist.
Judging by the TikTok account of the video’s creator, she resides in Germany.
This appears to be yet another absurd attempt by Russian propagandists to incite hostility within Ukrainian society, particularly on sensitive issues related to language and the de-Russification of place names in Ukraine. Such fakes aim to delegitimize these cultural processes, which hold significant importance for Ukraine’s identity and sovereignty.
These tactics are reminiscent of old Soviet methods designed to discredit Ukrainian culture and language. During the USSR era, the stereotype of a “Khokhol” — an ignorant villager with a primitive culture speaking a “ridiculous” language — was imposed. Jokes, fictional characters, and even derogatory terms were deliberately created to belittle Ukrainian heritage and undermine national pride.
It is also worth noting that the name Horpyna has no connection to Tetiana. Horpyna is the Ukrainian form of the Roman name Agrippina, while Tetiana originates from ancient Greek.
Earlier, Ukrinform debunked another Russian fake claiming that U.S. journalists were “mocking” the losses of the Ukrainian army.
Andriy Olenin
Source: Russian propaganda spreads fake about ban on female names in Ukraine
