Russia has fabricated a Politico article and a news report from United 24 Media
Russian Telegram channels are spreading claims that Ukrainians have allegedly begun “hunting down” Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) employees. They go even further to assert that 12 TRC staff members were supposedly killed during mobilization operations. As supposed evidence, they circulate a screenshot of a Politico article and a video clip bearing the United 24 Media logo, which allegedly report on these attacks.
This is yet another attempt by Russian propaganda to frame such alleged acts as being “inspired” by recent Russian drone strikes on enlistment center buildings. On June 30, Russia carried out a UAV strike near a TRC in Kryvyi Rih, and on July 3, another recruitment center in Poltava was attacked. According to the Ukrainian Ground Forces, civilians were injured in both incidents.
In reality, no such reports have been published by either Politico or United 24 Media.
There is no such article on the official website of Politico. The purported video bearing the logo of the Ukrainian media project United 24 Media is also nowhere to be found — neither on their official website nor on their social media channels.
The video was fabricated using graphic editing tools and features unrelated images and footage. For instance, one clip showing a deceased individual is dated February 5, 2025 — five months before the Russian attacks on TRC buildings even occurred.
Russia continues to exploit drone and missile strikes on enlistment and conscription centers as a pretext to spread disinformation narratives aimed at sowing discord within Ukrainian society.
Russian sources had earlier circulated a false claim alleging that Ukrainian soldiers were looting in the border areas of the Sumy region.
Andriy Olenin
