Radosław Sikorski, former Polish Foreign Minister, became the target of an elaborate prank orchestrated by Russian comedians known as “Wowan” and “Lexus.”
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On September 12, these comedians published a conversation they had with Sikorski, during which they impersonated the former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. In this conversation, the comedians inquired about sensitive international issues such as the Ukraine conflict, the destruction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and the possibility of nuclear weapons being stationed in Poland under NATO’s Nuclear Sharing program.
According to an official statement from Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MSZ), Sikorski was speaking to a high-quality artificial intelligence-generated video deepfake of Poroshenko, which imitated his voice in real-time. The video quality made it difficult for Sikorski to recognize that it was a fake, especially as the call seemed to have been arranged through a previously verified contact number.
🇵🇱🇷🇺 Radosław Sikorski Falls Victim to AI Scam
— Poland 24 🇵🇱 (@poland24com) October 18, 2024
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski was tricked by Russian comedians posing as former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko using advanced AI technology.
The prank, which involved a deepfake video, led to a discussion on… pic.twitter.com/e16BlpBYes
Deputy Foreign Minister Władysław Teofil Bartoszewski stressed that the conversation did not have an official or governmental nature, so it was not monitored by MSZ structures. He explained that Sikorski assumed maintaining contact with both government officials and opposition figures in Ukraine was part of diplomacy. Bartoszewski further clarified that Sikorski did not express any opinions during the call that he would not have shared publicly.
The prank, which also targeted other high-profile politicians from countries such as the UK and the US, was revealed to Sikorski by his then-British counterpart, James Cameron, approximately a month after the incident. Polish intelligence services were notified, and international warnings about Russia’s hybrid warfare tactics were issued. The incident raises concerns about the increasing use of deepfake technology in political manipulation, particularly against countries that support Ukraine.
Though Sikorski has been cautious in sharing his concerns privately with other world leaders, no official consequences have been imposed on him, as the call was not part of a formal government operation.
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