The Danish Ministry of Defense has dismissed claims circulating in Russian media about the alleged death of a Danish F-16 instructor in Ukraine.
Reports from Russian news outlets like TASS stated that the instructor was killed during a missile strike, but Danish officials have labeled the story as false and part of a disinformation campaign.
Danish Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen rejected the claims on X, saying, "There are no Danish soldiers who have been killed in Ukraine. This is a false story circulating in Russian media—likely to discredit Denmark. I take this very seriously."
The ministry also emphasized that this disinformation is part of ongoing efforts to erode international support for Ukraine amid the conflict.
The false reports allegedly stemmed from Russian sources using a fabricated Danish social media profile to validate their claims.
In a social media post, the Danish Ministry of Defense addressed the situation directly: "The Minister of Defense debunks a false Russian story about a killed Danish F-16 instructor. A story is currently circulating in Russian media that a named Danish F-16 fighter jet instructor was killed yesterday in a missile attack in Ukraine."
The ministry advised the public to rely on credible sources and exercise caution when consuming information, especially during times of heightened geopolitical tension.
