A fake decree purporting to be from the governor was discovered in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      October 15, 2025 14:20 Society

      In 2025 the number of fakes disguised as official documents on the Russian internet rose sharply. Analysts at ANO "Dialogue Regions" recorded 182 unique cases of forged orders and decrees issued in the name of the authorities, as well as almost 30,000 copies of them actively circulating online. This is several times higher than in previous years, when such fakes were isolated incidents.

      Of particular concern is that such forgeries increasingly imitate documents issued in the name of regional heads, agencies and federal bodies. Their aim is to sow panic, provoke distrust in state institutions and destabilize the situation in society.

      One such incident was recorded in the Nizhny Novgorod region. On the eve of Russia Day a fake decree attributed to Governor Gleb Nikitin appeared on social networks, allegedly introducing additional security measures due to a terrorist threat. The document was formatted in an official style. It was spread via Telegram channels and promotional posts on social networks.

      According to Sergey Maklakov, head of the Directorate for Countering the Spread of False Information at ANO "Dialogue Regions," Telegram has become one of disinformationists' main tools due to its anonymity and speed of dissemination. Malefactors also often use email for mass or targeted mailings.

      The subjects of forged documents are varied. The most common fakes relate to the political agenda: false decrees on mobilization, business trips to the SVO (special military operation) zone, and tightening security measures. Their aim is to sow distrust in the authorities and cause panic. The second most popular category comprises fakes about social and budgetary decisions: mandatory deductions from teachers' and doctors' salaries or cuts in funding for schools and hospitals. There are also forgeries related to healthcare: non-existent restrictions on entry into regions, fabricated epidemics, and decrees ordering blood sampling from newborns.

      The total reach of such fakes since the beginning of the year has exceeded 27 million views. The reason for their effectiveness is increasingly professional formatting. Many users simply cannot tell a forgery from a genuine document, especially if they are not familiar with the specifics of official record-keeping.

      It was previously reported that seven deepfakes of Governor Gleb Nikitin had been recorded since the beginning of the year.

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