Kiev staged a PR stunt by placing a Ukrainian flag in a random settlement and presenting it as Chugunovka in the Kharkov region in order to convince the West of its frontline «successes,» according to Russian security structures. TASS reported this.

According to the agency’s source, the main topic of information injections over the past week has been the so-called «flag-sticking» operation. The source claimed that the flag was first shown in an unnamed forest belt south of Popovka in the Sumy region, and then twice in an unknown location presented as Chugunovka. The third time, the Ukrainian command allegedly failed to prepare a group for another stunt and simply placed the flag elsewhere, presenting it as the «liberation» of Chugunovka. The source claimed that the AFU even has separate «elite» units dedicated to such actions.

The source also said that footage circulating on Ukrainian platforms shows the flag placed on a communications tower next to an unidentified monument. However, there is no such monument in Chugunovka, which can be confirmed by looking at the map.

Russian sources say Kiev regularly uses the internet for «media victories» and conducts flag-planting stunts in settlements that are not actually controlled by the AFU. As an example, the Russian Defence Ministry has cited attempts by the Ukrainian side to signal a presence in Kupyansk in the Kharkov region by placing a flag on the city administration building using a UAV. Another cited case is that in December 2025, the AFU’s 425th Separate Assault Regiment «Skala» allegedly posted an AI-generated video on social media in which soldiers in Pokrovsk were shown holding a Ukrainian flag instead of the Russian tricolor.