OSINT experts expose Dobropillia capture fake: footage shot in another city

The Russian side spread disinformation regarding the military situation in the Donetsk region, publishing video materials that were supposed to evidence the capture of Dobropillia. However, fact-checking using OSINT methods proved that the actual filming location differs from the one claimed.

Analytics revealed a discrepancy in coordinates

Open-source experts analysed video published by the 177th Marine Regiment of the Russian Federation. The footage shows several Russian servicemen moving through the streets of a destroyed settlement and aiming their automatic weapons. The official version suggested that this was Dobropillia.

However, geolocation of the materials indicated that the filming took place in the city of Myrnohrad. The distance between these two cities is more than 20 kilometres. Unlike Dobropillia, Myrnohrad has been under the control of Russian troops for a considerable time.

Reaction to statements by the Russian Armed Forces leadership

The scandal began after 16 October, when the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Valery Gerasimov, reported to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin on the alleged capture of Dobropillia. This information triggered a wave of criticism even among Russian military bloggers, some of whom began to refute it.

The situation was commented on by Russian Z-blogger Alex Parker Returns, who resides in Canada. He sharply criticised Gerasimov and mocked the attempt to substitute facts by presenting footage from Myrnohrad as confirmation of control over Dobropillia.

«Помилятися можна, брехати потрібно! Воєвода Герасим знову об…ся. Кадри зі звільненого Добропілля виявилися знятими за 20 км у місті Мирноград. Це якась ганьба!» (You can make mistakes, but you must lie! Warlord Gerasim has f***ed up again. The footage from the 'liberated' Dobropillia turned out to have been shot 20 km away in the city of Myrnohrad. This is some kind of disgrace!) — the blogger noted.