In a recent viral video, a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet was seen firing a missile at its Russian targets. Posted by Ukraine_defence, the video shows a fighter pilot dressed as Santa making a strike with a pair of US-integrated AGM-88 HARM air-to-surface anti-radiation missiles.

Along with the video, the caption reads, “A Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 makes a standoff SEAD strike with a pair of US-integrated AGM-88 HARM air-to-surface anti-radiation missiles. The MiG is armed with two AGM-88s on the inside hardpoints and two R-73 short-range air-to-air missiles on the outer hardpoints.”

The video has amassed over 2 lakh views on Instagram and the clip has triggered an array of comments. A user wrote, “Be 100% accurate on the targets this year and wish you to defeat the enemy and ruin it asap.” Another user commented, “So that’s why I got no presents. Santa had more important tasks to take care of. Go Santa!”

“Looks like a cross between a Wookie and Santa that is going to deliver a Christmas gift to the Russian Army,” the third user wrote.

“Don’t mess with Santa,” the fourth user wrote.

“I see that Santa still is punishing those that have been Naughty even after Christmas,” the fifth user wrote. 

Meanwhile, war-themed games is fuelling misinformation on Ukraine war. According to a report by AFP, Footage from the war-themed Arma 3 video game, often marked “live” or “breaking news” to make it appear genuine, has been used repeatedly in recent months in fake videos about the Russian offensive in Ukraine.

The frequency and ease with which gaming footage is mistaken as real, even by some media broadcasters, and shared as authentic news on social media highlight what researchers call its serious potential to spread misinformation.