Signed, Sealed… Faked? Inside the PsyOp Behind a Ukrainian ‘Leak’

What happens when a fake document wears real insignia? Disinformation meets investigation.

Jun 04, 2025

Presented by The Ministry of Absolute Truth™

Dispatch No. 25-0604-01
Issued: June 4, 2025
Classification: Public Enlightenment Directive
Subject: Operation Tenebris – The Document That Wasn’t

📍 Executive Summary:

A suspicious document allegedly linking Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) to cross-border raids into Russia using a private British PMC, “Tenebris Global Defense & Logistics,” surfaced online this week. Styled to appear as an official GUR order signed by General Kyrylo Budanov, the document outlines a mission for sabotage, reconnaissance, and abductions within Russian territory. Upon forensic analysis and open-source comparison, The Ministry of Absolute Truth™ concludes the document is almost certainly fabricated. Its release appears to be part of an evolving campaign of narrative warfare and psychological operations (PSYOP).

🤔 The Claim:

The document, dated May 2, 2025, and stamped with the seal of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, purports to:

Authorize 10 operators from the so-called “Tenebris Division”
Detail missions including “deep raids” and “abduction of objects of interest”
Indicate that orders would be carried out in line with internal PMC protocols

The document has circulated on Telegram and fringe OSINT channels as “proof” of Western-backed covert actions inside Russia.

🚨 Forensic Findings:

🧾 Real vs. Fake Seal Comparison:

Left: Authentic Ukrainian Government Seal | Right: Suspected Fake Seal

⚠️ Key Red Flags in the Fake Seal

Font Mismatch – Official stamps use consistent Cyrillic fonts; the fake uses an exaggerated bold typeface with uneven kerning.
Stamp Shape & Alignment – The fake’s seal is noticeably off-center and lacks the tight registration of a hand-stamped document.
No Individual Attribution – Ukrainian stamps for official orders usually include an individual’s title or department; the fake gives no such context.
Shading Uniformity – A real stamp has minor ink bleed and density variation; the fake has uniform tone, indicating print or overlay.

Verdict: The seal on the right does not meet any visual or structural standard of authentic Ukrainian military documentation and further confirms the document is likely forged.

🖋️ Verified Public Examples of Kyrylo Budanov’s Signature:

Left: Verified signature from RDI-ACHF flag | Right: Signature from alleged GUR document

Here is the side-by-side comparison of Kyrylo Budanov’s verified signature (from the FFU flag) and the signature found on the alleged GUR document:

🟦 Left: Verified Budanov signature (clear, confident pen stroke with unique flourishes, and strong pressure points in specific locations)
🟥 Right: Alleged document signature (simplistic, lacks structure, unlikely to match handwriting under official protocols)

This visual strongly supports this article’s conclusion that the document is fabricated.

Several publicly accessible items show confirmed Budanov autographs, which can be used to compare with the alleged signature:

Signed First Day Cover on eBay – An envelope issued by Ukrposhta, co-signed by Budanov and Igor Smelyansky. Note the same form and pressure points.
Flag Signed for Pfizer via FFU – Presented to the Pfizer company in 2023.
Defense Intelligence FDC Stamp (Ebay) – Another commemorative postal item featuring his signature.
RDI-ACHF Auction Flag – A charity auction piece with his autograph.

These samples reveal consistent stylistic traits that diverge significantly from the simplistic line presented on the alleged GUR document, further supporting the conclusion of forgery.

Language Red Flags: The English section uses phrases like “the territory of the russia” and “group is ready for use,” inconsistent with military or diplomatic grammar. Ukrainian MoD translators do not make such mistakes.
Formatting Inconsistencies: The document’s layout, margins, and header alignment deviate from verified GUR memos. The bilingual format is atypical for official internal documents.
Forged Signature: The Budanov signature is a simplistic line resembling a scribble and does not match authenticated specimens.1
Stamp Analysis: The round stamp lacks microtext, embossing, or rotation—indicating it may be digitally added or printed, not physically stamped.

🏛️ Known Truths vs. Fictional Details:

While Ukraine has admitted to drone attacks and sabotage operations against military targets inside Russia (e.g., Operation Spider’s Web on June 12), these operations have been explicitly conducted by SBU and regular forces, not outsourced to a UK-based PMC. The name “Tenebris” does not appear in any verified defense procurement registry or Ukrainian foreign contract disclosure.3

⚖️ Motivations Behind the Fake:

The document appears designed to:

Justify retaliatory rhetoric by unreliable pro-Russia Telegram accounts
Undermine Ukrainian legitimacy by suggesting reliance on foreign mercenaries
Stoke panic or legal pressure in the UK against PMC operations
Feed into a broader anti-Western propaganda ecosystem online

This mirrors past disinformation attempts such as the forged CIA-Ukraine biological weapons contracts (2022)4 and fake NATO movement orders in Belarus (2023)5.

🧰 Tracing the Origins:

No EXIF data is embedded in the image file, suggesting it was scrubbed or generated digitally. Reverse image searches (TinEye, Google Lens) show no older instances of the image, implying it’s a fresh fabrication. Early shares of the image trace back to Telegram accounts tied to narrative laundering operations previously flagged by disinformation researchers.6

✅ Verdict:

Fabricated Document.

No credible source, no corroborating evidence, and extensive forensic red flags. Classic hallmarks of wartime forgery designed for influence operations.