Russian media figures who actively support the war against Ukraine have claimed that "Ukrainian hackers" attempted massive cyberattacks in the run-up to May 9. This information is being spread by propaganda outlets, citing the well-known Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus, according to "Glavkom."
According to the pranksters’ reports, the following were “targeted”:
- Vladimir Solovyov, the Kremlin’s chief television propagandist;
- Singer Yaroslav Dronov, known as Shaman;
- Rapper Jigan (Denis Ustimenko-Weinstein), who has Ukrainian roots but remains silent about the war.
Russian pranksters claim they managed to intercept several calls addressed to these “opinion leaders.” According to their account, the main goal of the calls was to “stir up panic” among the Russian audience on the eve of Victory Day, a sacred date for the Russian Federation.
The propagandists provided no evidence that the calls were made from Ukraine. Experts note that such statements are often used in Russia to create the image of an “external enemy” and to glorify media figures loyal to the government.
It should be noted that Solovyov and Shaman are subject to numerous international sanctions for spreading disinformation and justifying Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
As a reminder, Italy summoned the Russian ambassador after Solovyov insulted Meloni on live TV, calling her a “fascist.” In Rome, such statements were called unacceptable, and an official protest was lodged. Earlier, Solovyov had used vulgar language in Italian on television, calling the Italian prime minister a “fascist, a certified idiot, a bad woman.”
