Kathrine Frich
During World War II, occupying forces often dropped leaflets over cities in an attempt to influence civilian behavior and spread propaganda.
Now Putin seems to have taken inspiration from Hitler as a similar method appears to be resurfacing in Ukraine.
Fake cash tactic
Russian forces are conducting a psychological operation in border areas of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region by dropping propaganda leaflets from drones, according to Ukrinform.
The information was shared by the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) via Telegram.
“The enemy is massively dropping leaflets that visually imitate Ukrainian hryvnia banknotes. These fakes contain calls for collaboration, offers to ‘leak’ the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and attempts to discredit the country’s leadership,” the statement said.
Designed to deceive
Authorities say the leaflets are deliberately crafted to look like real money in order to attract attention.
They are often folded to resemble cash, encouraging people to pick them up and examine them more closely.
Many of the materials include QR codes, which officials warn could pose additional risks.
The CCD cautioned that scanning these codes could expose individuals to cyber threats.
“Scanning such a code may lead to phishing resources or hostile channels, which can result in your smartphone being hacked and your personal data stolen. Do not follow suspicious links, do not pick up enemy propaganda materials, and immediately report such findings to the police or via the Security Service of Ukraine chatbot @stop_russian_war_bot,” the CCD warned.
Sources: Ukrinform, Center for Countering Disinformation
