Tucker Carlson declared on the April 13 episode of his Fox News show that “despite direct U.S. involvement, Ukraine is in fact losing the war” with Russia. “Seven Ukrainians are being killed for every Russian,” Carlson said.
This would be big news—if it was true. Carlson’s report was ostensibly based on the leaked intelligence documents Air National Guardsman Jake Teixeira allegedly shared on Discord. Fortunately for Ukraine and unfortunately for Carlson, the versions Carlson relied on were doctored images that inflated Ukraine’s losses and downplayed Russia’s.
On Sunday, Malcontent News reported that Carlson, along with some prominent “anti-American propagandists,” had shared the fakes as if they were factual. At least some of those who spread the altered documents likely did so to undermine support for the Ukraine war effort, for which the United States has provided significant aid. Carlson has been severely critical of U.S. providing assistance to Ukraine.
Carlson’s error was first reported by Insider. HIs broadcast also comes days after it was reported documents were being doctored.
On April 9, Bellingcat revealed that the documents on which Carlson would later rely were fake. The outlet said that it found the fakes first posted by the Donbass Devushka Telegram account.
Donbass Devushka is run by Sarah Bils, an American woman who formerly served in the Navy and maintains a pro-Russia persona online. The Wall Street Journal describes her blog as “the face of a network of pro-Kremlin social media, podcasting, merchandise, and fundraising accounts.”
Bellingcat reported that a closer examination of the document that claimed far more Ukrainians were dying in the war revealed obvious signs of being a sloppy Photoshop. The resolution was blurrier than other versions, the numbers were out of alignment, and the spacing between letters and numbers was inconsistent with the font.
According to Bellingcat, the original document showed that Russian losses were greater than Ukraine’s.
Donbass Devushka insists that it did not alter the documents. Gils told the Journal that one of her administrators posted the documents.
Nevertheless, Carlson ran with it. As he stared into the camera and claimed that seven Ukrainians were dying for each Russian, the chyron below him announced, “WE ARE BEING LIED TO ABOUT THE UKRAINE WAR.”
People were appalled, though not entirely surprised, that Carlson reported false information as fact.
“Given his well-known fidelity to the truth, Carlson will not rest until he gets to the bottom of this. I have no doubt he’s furious!” one person tweeted sarcastically.
Former congressman Adam Kinzinger commented, “Insane @TuckerCarlson used a completely discredited Russian disinformation op as gospel on his show.”
Several suggested that Carlson has become a mouthpiece for Russia.
Carlson has not commented on the matter or corrected his report after the error came to light.
