North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia has sparked concerns about escalation in the war in Ukraine, but viral posts purporting to show troops massing on the battlefield point to another challenge stemming from the DPRK’s deployment — fake news.

In recent weeks, social media users have taken to popular platforms like Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) to share photos and videos showing seemingly dead DPRK soldiers, Russians trying North Korean dog meat and more.

However, further analysis suggests these viral posts were staged or edited, raising questions about who spread the false claims and what they stand to gain.