According to Ukrinform, one doctored clip shows Leto — actor and lead singer of rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars — allegedly announcing plans to “hit up Russia” and stage a large-scale concert on the Black Sea peninsula.
The agency noted suspicious facial movements and “mysterious wrinkles” on his forehead vanishing mid-video, pointing to deepfake technology.
The bogus concert was said to mark the “anniversary of reunification” between Russia and Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014. Thirty Seconds to Mars’s official website lists no tour dates in Russia or Crimea.
In a related hoax, purported announcements claimed American pop star Billie Eilish would appear in Crimea as well. Ukrinform says Russian propagandists forged an Instagram post from Eilish’s producer, though no official sources confirm such a performance. Eilish has publicly backed Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion, assisting in charity efforts for the war-torn nation.
Last year, Leto stirred controversy last year over remarks in Belgrade about “feeling the Russian energy,” which some in Kyiv interpreted as downplaying the conflict.
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Source: Ukrinform