Russian troops staged a fake "capture" of Borova settlement in Kharkiv Oblast and reported it to the Russian General Staff, after which General Staff chief Valery Gerasimov publicly announced its "liberation," Militarnyi reported. OSINT analysts geolocated the staged footage far from the town. Borova remains under Ukrainian control.
A victory report for a town no one reached
Russian soldiers staged the seizure of Borova while actually in the occupied part of Luhansk Oblast, and the fake report went up to the Russian General Staff, Militarnyi said. Gerasimov immediately claimed the settlement had been freed.
"The First Tank Army liberated the village of Borova," he stated.
Russian Telegram channels, including "Operativny prostor", began posting staged videos of Russian troops storming empty houses said to be in Borova.
The footage was filmed 26 km away
OSINT analysts immediately determined that the staged videos were shot in other settlements. The Russians were storming houses in the already-occupied village of Kolomyichykha in Luhansk Oblast, OSINT analyst Zoam reported, adding comparison maps.
Kolomyichykha lies about 26 km from Borova. Ukraine's General Staff does not even mention fighting for Borova in its recent updates, and the settlement stays under Ukrainian forces' control.
"Didn't even need to run there with a flag"
Map analysts at DeepState also said the settlement is under Ukrainian control.
"The Russians decided they didn't even need to run there with a flag. It's enough to cut some shots of infantry moving 25 km away, add in a reconnaissance drone flyover right over Borova, and that's it, as they say, 'job done,'" the analysts noted.
Ukrainian flag flies again over Odradne, six months after Russia overran the village
The settlement sits on the left bank of the Oskil reservoir, where the small Borova river flows into it, stretched 8 km along the river. Russia wants it in order to force a crossing of the Oskil and push toward the city of Izium.
