Russian propagandists created fake content involving USA Today and Instagram story by American actress Jamie Lee Curtis
Amid large-scale forest fires in California, Russian propaganda began spreading false narratives about Ukraine, alleging that Ukrainians are “profiting” from the tragedy.
Specifically, Kremlin-backed media outlets and Telegram channels shared a fabricated news video with the USA Today logo. The video claimed that “Ukrainian” phone scammers had defrauded Americans of $40 million under the pretense of aiding fire victims.
This claim is false. The video does not exist on USA Today’s official website or social media platforms.
The propagandists manipulated stock videos, images, and online footage of fires to produce the fake video.
Additionally, Russian news platforms and bots on X (formerly Twitter) circulated a screenshot purportedly from an Instagram story by actress Jamie Lee Curtis. The fabricated post included a link to a Guardian article estimating California fire damages at over $200 billion. According to the propagandists, Curtis allegedly wrote: “Remind me how much we’ve spent on Ukraine so far?”
This, too, is false. Jamie Lee Curtis did not make such a post. While the actress has shared several Instagram stories about the fires, none contain the content claimed by Russian propaganda.
The propagandists forged the post to mimic the style of Curtis’s other stories, such as one about the BAFTA film awards.
Jamie Lee Curtis has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. She has highlighted the plight of the Ukrainian people on multiple occasions. On her Instagram page, she shared photographs by Ukrainian photographers Andriy Dubchak and Nadia Karpova from the stabilization point of the Ulf Medical Service of the 108th Da Vinci Wolves Battalion.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation debunked another Russian fake, which falsely claimed that eight estates belonging to “high-ranking Ukrainian military personnel” were destroyed in the California fires.
This disinformation campaign aims to undermine Ukraine’s reputation among Western allies. By spreading such falsehoods, Russian propagandists seek to persuade the American public to withdraw support for Ukraine.
On January 7, large-scale forest fires erupted in Los Angeles, engulfing forest areas and quickly spreading to residential neighborhoods. As a result, 180,000 people were evacuated, and at least 10,000 homes were destroyed.
The fires also affected Pacific Palisades, one of Los Angeles’s most prestigious neighborhoods, home to many world-famous celebrities.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner, 25 people lost their lives in the fires.
In response to the disaster, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko and Ukrainian diplomats to prepare for the potential involvement of Ukrainian rescuers in combating the fires.
Previously, Russian propaganda fabricated claims about Lavrov’s speech being displayed on Times Square screens.
Andriy Olenin
