Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert Brovdi warned against scanning a QR code on leaflets from a Russian Shahed-type drone he said was shot down Nov. 4, citing possible data theft or phone infection.
In a Nov. 4 Telegram post, Brovdi located the interception near Ukrainian brigade positions and said the drone carried propaganda leaflets bound for Kyiv. He warned that the code could be a phishing trap.
Ukrainska Pravda reported that one leaflet promoted a purported “Ukrainian volunteer brigade” within the Russian Armed Forces. It said a second urged readers to end what it described as the lawlessness of military recruiters.
ArmyInform said the QR code was blurred in its published photographs. The Kyiv Independent said it could not verify Brovdi’s account before publication.
ArmyInform also reported earlier cases of Russian drones dropping QR-coded fake banknotes in Sumy region in April and propaganda leaflets there in May. Brovdi’s Nov. 4 account described one drone carrying leaflets.
