Ukraine says downed Russian drone carried leaflets and phishing QR codes

Brovdi shared photographs of the pamphlets, one of which asks respondents to vote on a name for a Ukrainian volunteer brigade within the Russian Armed Forces, while another denounces military recruitment policies. He warned residents not to scan any codes on such flyers, saying: "It is highly likely that this is an enemy trap designed to steal your data or infect your smartphone with a virus."

The report follows a clash between Ukraine's National Guard and civilians in Kyiv Oblast on November 2. Presidential Office Head Kyrylo Budanov said the incident was "not without outside influence" and acknowledged it reflected real social tensions as well as a provocation. Ukrainian law enforcement arrested two suspects on November 4 accused of spreading disinformation and provoking the unrest; one, Tetiana Kiriieva, was charged with spreading false information on social media about alleged illegal detention, torture and murder at a military facility.

Brovdi said Russia was adding "psychological manipulation" to the explosives its drones carry. "It's just the right time for (Russia)s to destabilize Ukraine with information and psychological operations, at a moment when society is being bombarded with disinformation, a mixture of truth and lies," he said. The Kyiv Independent said it could not verify the reports at the time of publication.