The video is fake. To create it, the propagandists used artificial intelligence.
The pro-Russian segment of the Internet is spreading a video allegedly made by the well-known journalist protection organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF). In the video, RSF Director General Thibaut Bruttin discusses the obstacles and challenges facing the free press around the world. Bruttin reportedly states that in Ukraine, 54 journalists have fallen victim to the “Zelenskyy regime,” while another 167 are reportedly missing. The footage even includes Gonzalo Lira, whose previous claims of being arrested for “criticizing Zelenskyy” we’ve previously debunked. Subsequently, some sources published another video claiming that because of this situation, RSF has filed a lawsuit against the Office of the President of Ukraine, allegedly joined by 120 European newsrooms, for violating journalists’ rights and restricting freedom of speech.
However, both videos are fake, and neither has appeared on any of Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) official communication channels. The lawsuit video was created by propagandists by overlaying text on stock footage; however, for the video about alleged victims of the Zelenskyy regime, they used artificial intelligence to make it more convincing. The propagandists used the beginning of a real RSF video featuring Thibaut Bruttin, in which he discusses the organization’s 2024 annual report, which states that 54 journalists worldwide have died as a result of their professional activities. Of course, Bruttin said nothing about the “Zelenskyy regime” or its alleged victims – in the second half of the video, his voice was faked using AI technology.
In a comment to StopFake, RSF noted that propagandists regularly use the organization’s logo and branding to spread disinformation. “Six false videos in just over six months: the relentless nature of this Russian propaganda reflects how effective RSF is. This false and misleading content — which uses the credible reputation of RSF to spread untrue information — illustrates not only the dangers of Russian disinformation but the consequences of the inaction of platforms like X, how ineffective the current fight against informational interference is, and how dangerous the news media’s passivity in the face of these attacks can be. These videos are not mere anecdotes but part of a massive strategy to influence and manipulate public opinion and legitimise the Kremlin’s discourse, particularly on Ukraine. Who benefits from this crime? The Kremlin and its allies,” stated RSF Director General Thibaut Bruttin. In an earlier article, the organization analyzed this strategy of Russian propaganda.
Earlier, we debunked a similar fake in our piece Fake: Ukrainians «Arrested» and «Tortured» for Calling Russian Phone Numbers — Reporters Without Borders.
