An alleged radio speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin broadcast on Russian radio on Monday was fake and the result of a hacker attack, according to the Kremlin.
The state-owned news agency RIA reports that a number of radio stations broadcast the speech. In the speech, Putin is said to have said that Ukrainian forces had entered the Russian regions of Kursk, Bryansk and Belgorod with the help of NATO and the United States.
Independent Russian media reports that the speech was broadcast to residents of Rostov, Belgorod and Voronezh regions, all on the border with Ukraine, for about 40 minutes.
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The Kremlin claims it is fake
According to the media, a person with a very similar voice to Putin said that a state of emergency had been declared in the three regions, and that a nationwide military mobilization had begun in Russia. In addition, Russians in the border areas were asked to evacuate further inland.
– All these messages are completely fake and the result of a hacker attack. Control has been restored, says Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday afternoon.
The authorities in Belgorod say the speech was a so-called “deep fake” with the aim of “sowing panic among the inhabitants of the region”. AFP reports that the speech is still going viral on social media.
Russia: Counteroffensive has been beaten back
On the night of Monday, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that Russian forces have halted a major Ukrainian offensive in the south of the Donetsk region.
In a statement reported by Reuters, it said that Ukraine launched the offensive on Sunday with six mechanized infantry battalions and two tank battalions.
– The enemy’s goal was to break through our defense lines in what they believe are the front’s most vulnerable sectors. The enemy did not achieve its goals, it had no success, the Russian statement said.
This information has not been verified by independent sources.
Also read: Putting Russia in a bind: – Acute dilemma
(©NTB)
2023-06-05 15:47:36
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