Russian Forces Drop Fake Ukrainian Cash With QR Codes and Hostile Messages in Border Areas

Russian forces dropped fake Ukrainian hryvnia banknotes in border areas carrying hostile messages and QR codes linking to Russian resources, according to Ukrainska Pravda on April 2.

The counterfeit notes, designed to look like Ukrainian currency, were discovered on the morning of April 2 in parts of the Sumy and Chernihiv regions, scattered by Russian drones.

In the Sumy region, officials reported the finds in two districts, while similar fake banknotes were also found in the towns of Snovsk and Novhorod-Siverskyi in the Chernihiv region.

Authorities reported that the fake hryvnia banknotes carried propaganda text, and the QR codes led to Russian-linked online platforms.

Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, stated that the recovered items were seized for examination and described the drop as another Russian provocation.

Officials urged residents not to touch the fake banknotes or scan the QR codes. They advised people who spot such items to immediately report them to the National Police of Ukraine or the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.

Regional authorities noted that Russian forces have repeatedly used drones to drop suspicious objects, adding a psychological and information component to attacks on frontline and border communities.

The episode also recalls matching earlier cases in which Russian forces used counterfeit hryvnia-style leaflets for information operations.

Russian forces dropped propaganda leaflets disguised as 100-hryvnia banknotes over Chernihiv on September 6, urging residents to share coordinates of Ukrainian positions and help adjust fire in exchange for money.

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