Disappearing flag and 3-meter-wide soldier: Russian “proof” of progress exposed as fake

In modern conflicts, what happens on social media feeds often matters just as much as what takes place on the front line.

Military channels frequently post video footage to claim quick victories and shape public perception.

But when digital creators rush to manufacture success, the online propaganda machine can occasionally glitch in spectacularly obvious ways.

Digital giant

A recent video posted by Russian military channels claimed that troops had successfully taken the settlement of Bilyi Kolodyaz near Vovchansk.

The post claimed momentum on the ground. However, eagle-eyed online observers quickly noticed something was deeply wrong with the clip.

Open-source intelligence analyst Richard Zai flagged the video after spotting a soldier standing in a tree line on the eastern edge of the village. The figure appeared completely out of proportion, looking several meters wide against his immediate surroundings.

To make matters stranger, as the soldier waved a flag, the banner suddenly dissolved into thin air while the rest of the shot stayed entirely frozen.

Mocking the bizarre editing, the analyst poked fun at the obvious digital alteration. “I’ll say he is a 6m giant, that’s why he can occupy Bilyi Kolodyaz by himself,” Zai noted.

Pro-Kremlin channels had published the footage under an ambitious heading. They wrote: “Our own sources. Soldiers of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Battalion of the 127th Regiment, together with Storm-V detachments, completed the liberation of Bilyi Kolodyaz.” Instead of offering clear proof, the clip simply showed a massive edited figure alongside a disappearing flag.

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Flag-planting

According to reports from Radio Svoboda, Russian commanders are sending troops on high-risk missions to plant flags in contested Ukrainian territory.

The goal is simple: film a short video or take a photo to prove control over an area.

Yet these locations are often still active combat zones. Ukrainian drones quickly spot the exposed soldiers, leaving them with almost no cover.

A relative of Russian serviceman Yevgeny Kiselev told Sibir.Realii that his group went to Petrovka to raise a flag. “But in fact, it was not under our control then,” the relative said. “Most of the group was destroyed.”

War on credit

This tactic is known on the front lines as “war on credit.” Analysts note that commanders use these stunts to fabricate battlefield progress for their superiors.

Military expert David Sharp described the missions as a “window dressing for superiors and propaganda” in an interview with Radio Svoboda, adding that this practice serves command reporting rather than military strategy.

These staged victories can backfire badly. When commanders falsely report that a town has been secured, higher-ups believe them and refuse to send backup or artillery support to nearby troops.

This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation