At the end of November 2023, photographs of flyers with slogans persuading elderly Ukrainians to enlist in the military circulated on social networks. We checked whether such leaflets were actually distributed in Ukraine.
As reported in publications, against the background of an acute mobilization crisis in Kyiv, propaganda leaflets with the phrases were noticed:
“You’ve already lived your life - go to the front!”
“It’s never too late to enroll in the Armed Forces of Ukraine!”
“A happy old age is possible. Update the data in the TCC (territorial acquisition center. - Editor's note)! "
“Age is only in your head. Join the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine!”
These calls, allegedly addressed to elderly Ukrainians, were written about “Arguments and facts", "Constantinople", "Komsomolskaya Pravda", "Regnum"and other Russian publications. Among the Telegram channels that talked about the campaign were: “Sladkov+"(368,000 views at the time of writing this analysis), Colonelcassad (283,000), Ne.Sugar (269,000), Solovyov (176,000), "Kirill Fedorov"(160,000), Kotsnews (121,000) and "Sheikh Tamir"(119,000). Many publications were accompanied by photographs and videos of the flyers.
Pro-Kremlin resources often write about problems with mobilization in Ukraine. From 2022 in similar sources appear including unreliable news about the general conscription of Ukrainians of retirement age for military service, as well as rumors about the delivery of subpoenas to some of them. According to the project's research "Media detector”, this is far from the only fake narrative about elderly Ukrainians spread by propaganda media. At the same time, according to the current Ukrainian legislation The age limit for military service is 60 years (only for senior officers), and when special situation - up to 65 years old. Nevertheless, a man, even after reaching the specified age, can try to enroll in the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a volunteer. However, as of the end of November 2023, there really were problems with mobilization in Ukraine - in particular, the Secretary of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence Roman Kostenko stated about the failure of the campaign recently.
As for the replicated photographs with propaganda leaflets, there are only two images: one on a stand with cells (there is also a video taken from the same angle) and one on an unknown surface.
The number on the flyer is hotline Ministry of Defense of Ukraine - apparently, pensioners who want to respond should call it. However, generally accepted algorithm for those wishing to serve under a contract in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it involves applying to the local military registration and enlistment office, and for admission to the National Guard - to the recruitment center or through an online form. Here's what these kinds of campaign ads usually look like: Kyiv And other regions.
Kyiv - millionaire city, and if the campaign were actually carried out, it would be logical to place such leaflets in dozens of different places. However, “Verified” did not find any images, except for two viral ones - this is extremely suspicious and certainly does not confirm reports of mass agitation. Moreover, the photos and videos circulating on social networks do not contain a single detail indicating that they were filmed in Ukraine.
Photos of the leaflets (or at least news about their distribution) were not published by any popular and somewhat authoritative Ukrainian resource - only Russian ones. According to the TGStat service, on Telegram the distribution of pictures and videos (separately) began on the afternoon of November 29 in the channels “Military observer", "Bai Biden" And "Cat Kostyan" All these resources have been caught “Checked” in disseminating false information, and some even became its primary sources.
On November 30, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine released statement, in which he called reports of leaflets appearing in Kyiv “another fake propaganda that she created as part of her information campaign about “forced mobilization” in Ukraine.” “No leaflets with such content are being distributed in the capital,” the center assured.
Also our colleagues from the Stopfake.org project contacted Please contact the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for comment. They stated that the department has nothing to do with such propaganda materials, and “the quoted derogatory calls to older people are not part of the mobilization campaign in Ukraine.”
Thus, all the facts indicate that such leaflets were not distributed in Kyiv; they are a product of anti-Ukrainian propaganda in pro-government Russian sources. Note that “Verified” previously examined other false reports on the topic of the lack of military personnel in Ukraine: for example, about the search for potential conscripts among Ukrainian refugees, about travel restrictions teenagers for subsequent mobilization, as well as cases self-harm in order not to get into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Cover photo: social networks
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