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A deep fake video depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin declaring martial law and warning that he would order a general mobilization briefly dominated televisions and radios in some of the country’s border cities Monday.
The broadcast, which also claimed there was an ongoing Ukrainian incursion into Russia, was aired in Belgorod, Voronezh, and Rostov, cities in close proximity to Ukraine’s border.
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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed to state-affiliated news agency TASS that the deep fake video had aired, adding there was no state media address made by Putin on Monday.
“There was a hack in some regions. In particular, I know that there was a hack on Mir radio and in some networks,” Peskov said. The government has taken control of the affected networks, and are “sorting out” the situation, he added.
Those responsible for the hack have yet to be identified.