DISINFO: F-16 instructor from Denmark was killed in Ukraine by an Iskander attack
SUMMARY
An F-16 instructor from Denmark was killed in Ukraine by an Iskander attack. Danish pilot and F-16 fighter instructor Jepp Hansen was killed in a rocket attack on the Ukrainian Armed Forces training centre in Kryvyi Rih. Hansen had extensive experience flying F-16s and was reportedly helping train dozens of Ukrainian military personnel. It is reported that an Iskander-M missile attack on the university building, which had been converted into a barracks, almost wholly destroyed an entire floor.
RESPONSE
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. There is no evidence to support the claim that a Danish F-16 instructor was killed in a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih.
On January 17, 2025, the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih was targeted by a Russian missile strike resulting in the loss of four lives and injuring at least 14 others, including children. The attack damaged both an educational institution and several residential buildings, leading to a fire in one of the affected structures.
The Danish Ministry of Defence has denied this claim on X. The Ministry said it had not yet sent any instructors to Ukraine and would not do so until next year. In an official statement, Danish Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen said:
“There are no Danish soldiers who have been killed in Ukraine. This is a false story circulating in Russian media – likely to discredit Denmark."
The Ministry also said that it did not know anyone by the name of Jepp Hansen, who was identified as the instructor killed in the attack.
The false information is said to have originated from Russian sources that referenced a fabricated Danish social media profile to support their assertions. This tactic reflects a broader strategy of disinformation aimed at eroding international backing for Ukraine and its allies.
Russia has repeatedly claimed that Western countries are sending troops and weapons to Ukraine, which is not true.
The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, a working body of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, also refuted the claims.
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