A Russian „Shahed“ drone headed for Kyiv was shot down by Ukrainian forces, said Robert Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, known by the call sign Madyar. According to UNIAN and Ukrinform, the aircraft was carrying both a warhead and propaganda leaflets.
The drone was shot down near the combat positions of the 427th Separate Brigade of Unmanned Systems „Rarog“. The published photographs show materials claiming that a so-called „Ukrainian Volunteer Brigade“ has been created in the Russian army. The leaflets call on residents of Kyiv to suggest a name for the formation.
Warning About the QR Code
A QR code was included in the propaganda materials. According to Brovdi, it may lead to a phishing page designed to steal personal data or infect a mobile device.
He described the incident as a combination of a drone strike and psychological influence. According to him, the „Shahed propagandist“ shot down on the evening of November 4 was carrying inflammatory materials and a cyber-phishing trap toward Kyiv.
Ukrinform also reported that a Russian „Shahed“-type drone equipped with a warhead and leaflets containing a QR code had been shot down over Ukraine. The media outlet said that citizens were warned not to scan the code.
Part of the Information War
UNIAN placed the incident in the context of Russia's disinformation activities during the war. The media outlet recalled that in October, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov presented a report claiming achievements by Russian forces on the front, which Kyiv described as exaggerated.
UNIAN also reported an intensified Russian disinformation campaign in Poland aimed at deepening tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv. In the case of the drone headed for Kyiv, however, the specific warning is linked to a practical danger: an unverified QR code could be used to commit fraud or infect a device.
Sources: unian.net, ukrinform.ua