Copyright tass
MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. Ukrainian secret services, acting with the support of Western patrons, are behind deepfakes using the voice of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, simulated by a neural network, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the sidelines of the Made in Russia forum. "Indeed, the number of deepfakes continues to grow exponentially. In recent months, a number of major video leaks have been recorded and debunked, using generated footage, in particular the image and voice of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, simulated by a neural network. The quality of these fakes varies, but overall, the style of the provocations is recognizable. The most likely perpetrators and authors are Ukrainian intelligence services, relying on the support of Western sponsors," she said. Many of these fakes are spreading not only in the Russian public digital space but are also deliberately planted in online communities and so-called public pages in the online environments of our partners in the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. "It's clear that this is being done in anticipation of a quick emotional reaction from a wide audience and the potential virality of these fake videos. Some na·ve users could indeed be mistaken and believe a fake, as generative technologies today make it possible to create such deepfakes practically on an industrial scale," Zakharova noted. She emphasized that the Russian Foreign Ministry monitors the emergence of fakes in real time. "We expose the most odious and vile ones, promptly refute them, analyze them, and always provide a video comparison of the real source and the fake," she added. Anglo-Saxon toolkit Zakharova noted that Russia's opponents resort to any, even the most sordid, methods. "Broadly speaking, this is all just one aspect of the hybrid war unleashed by the West and its Kiev proxies against our country. This isn't about competing viewpoints or a fair competition of ideas. No, our opponents don't shy away from any methods, even the most vile ones. Slander, provocation, and lies are the main tools of the Anglo-Saxons, who are in the habit of 'divide and rule' tactic They train their prot·g·s at the regime’s office on Bankovaya Street in Kiev using the same method. What does this indicate? It means they have nothing to say or present in response to the facts and arguments we present. Therefore, they act covertly, thereby demonstrating their complete incompetence," she said. Urgent task Furthermore, Zakhkarova drew attention to the pressing issue of regulating generative content and labeling videos and photos created using artificial intelligence technology. "It's absolutely clear that a consolidated international effort is needed here. Moreover, we can't expect a constructive position from the West: fakes are produced with its direct participation. Therefore, we will discuss and agree on common rules and solutions with the majority of countries," she noted. Zakharova emphasized that protecting the information space from fakes is one of the most pressing challenges today. "Improving users' digital literacy, the need to maintain digital hygiene, and following basic information verification rules also play a key role in this matter. Only official sources of information can be trusted, while it's important to avoid emotional reactions (which is precisely what the authors of fakes are counting on), and to develop a culture of handling information and always verifying the source material," she emphasized.
