The account, allegedly running a Kremlin disinformation campaign, published videos of Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel.
25 March 2022
YouTube has removed an account publishing videos of hoax calls with Cabinet ministers who were targeted by imposters allegedly linked to the Kremlin.
The video sharing giant blocked the account on Friday as part of its investigation into “influence operations linked to Russia” after days of pressure to block the clips.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Home Secretary Priti Patel both featured in videos that have been trickling out on the Vovan222prank channel since Monday.
Things must be going so badly for the Kremlin that they are now resorting to pranks and video fakes. Not the actions of a confident Government, but then again after the Salisbury Cathedral sightseeing story, anything is possible…..👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/GE6B1VNGNt
— Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) March 21, 2022
The pair thought they were talking to Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal, but were in fact speaking to an imposter in what officials believe is a Russian disinformation campaign.
The Google-owned firm did not find that the videos breached its “community guidelines”, but removed it following an investigation into whether it was running an influence campaign.
A YouTube spokesman sad: “We have terminated the YouTube channel Vovan222prank as part of our ongoing investigation into coordinated influence operations linked to Russia.”
