Ukraine debunks fake Russian propaganda video of doctor at site of attack on Kyiv children's hospital – video

Russian Telegram channels are spreading a video of a "Ukrainian police officer" supposedly spraying fake blood on a doctor from the Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital, which was severely damaged in a missile attack on 8 July.

Source: Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation (CCD), which has debunked the video as a fake and refuted attempts by Russian propagandists to present the video as genuine

"Having verified the information with the National Police of Ukraine, the Centre announces that this video is a staged work by Russian propagandists," the CCD said.

Experts have analysed the video and found several facts that prove it was staged.

First of all, the uniform and shoes worn by the "police officer" and the "doctor" are perfectly clean, while anyone working at the site of the attack had their clothes covered in dust.

Secondly, in the video, the "National Police officer" does not have a belt system – a weapon, holster, radio, first aid kit, etc – or a helmet cover, and the placement of the National Police badge is not in line with the uniform regulations.

The analysts also paid attention to the footwear. The "law enforcement officer" is wearing boots. However, Ukrainian police officers have been wearing special sneakers for some time now.

The "doctor" himself also aroused the CCD’s suspicions.

"The hair of the 'doctor' in the Russian propagandists’ video looks like a wig by all visual indications. The materials of the clothes in reality and in the video are entirely different. In addition, the uniform of a real doctor has a horizontal seam on the back, while the Russian actor's uniform does not," the CCD said.

Background:

• It should be noted that the doctor in the video is based on a real person – Oleh Holubchenko, a paediatric surgeon from Okhmatdyt who was wearing blood-stained scrubs as he helped survivors at the site of the Russian attack on the children's hospital.
• His wife, Olena Holubchenko-Bilinska, has confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda. Zhyttia that Holubchenko suffered a contusion and back injury due to the shock wave.
• The Okhmatdyt Children's Hospital has partially reopened. Some of the buildings that suffered the worst damage are beyond repair.

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