Pro-Kremlin operation weaponises investigative media to claim Ukraine uses orphans to clear mines

Published on 12/09/2025 - 10:34 GMT+2

Disinformation circulating connected societal media platforms falsely accuses nan Ukrainian authorities of utilizing susceptible groups — specified arsenic orphans, group pinch disabilities and aged civilians — to clear vulnerable landmines.

Perhaps astir shockingly, nan mendacious claims are attributed to renowned investigative media outlet Bellingcat and their journalist, Galen Reich.

A video circulating online, which EuroVerify estimates has been viewed complete 10 cardinal times connected X alone, claims Bellingcat confirmed their purported "revelations" utilizing outer imagery that showed Ukrainian civilians successful mined areas of Ukraine.

The video besides includes a screenshot of a Bellingcat article which allegedly recounts nan investigation.

The article successful mobility does exist, but successful truth tells nan communicative of workers from nan Halo Trust, an NGO that clears landmines and different explosive devices from conflict areas.

Responding to an enquiry by Euroverify, Bellingcat said that "this is not based connected nan activity of Bellingcat aliases Galen Reich."

The clone video besides claims Reich interviewed nan head of Age Concern Ukraine — an NGO which supports susceptible aged group successful Ukraine — Galyna Polyakova, who purportedly accused nan Kyiv authorities of taking susceptible group to landmines from infirmary wards.

Polyakova told Euronews that nan video is simply a "lie", adding that she had "never fixed an question and reply to immoderate Bellingcat journalist."

There is nary truth down these claims, and nan propagandists person weaponised investigative journalists and professionals specified arsenic Polyakova successful their operations.

The video bears nan tell-tale signs of Russian power operations, and has been shared by known disinformation actors.

Links to Prigozhin's R-FBI

The video besides carries nan logo of Foundation to Battle Injustice (R-FBI), a group founded successful 2021 by Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who died successful a level clang successful 2023, 2 months aft he led a failed mutiny against Russia's subject leadership.

R-FBI — which has been sanctioned by nan European Union — was group up to archive alleged quality authorities violations and injustices committed by nan West, but has been progressive successful respective targeted disinformation campaigns against Ukraine and nan West.

Since Prigozhin's death, R-FBI has been managed by Oksana Vovk, who now operates nether nan sanction Mira Terada, and who was antecedently imprisoned successful nan US for money laundering.

The group besides amplifies nan activities of Storm-1516, a highly successful pro-Russian disinformation cognition that discredits Ukraine and intends to undermine nan stableness and populist successful Europe and nan West

Other campaigns orchestrated by R-FBI see unfounded claims that nan German authorities is readying to legalise paedophilia.

The group is known to person recruited alleged "influencers" that amplify their clone reports.