London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

European mayors duped into calls with fake Kyiv mayor

European mayors duped into calls with fake Kyiv mayor

The mayor of the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv warned Saturday that an imposter is posing as him and communicating with other officials, including three European mayors who were duped into believing they were having a video call with the real Vitali Klitschko.
“Several mayors in Europe have been contacted by a fake mayor of Kyiv who has been saying absurd things,” Klitschko told German daily newspaper Bild. “This is criminal energy. It must be urgently investigated who is behind it.”

The office of Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey tweeted Friday night that she cut short a call with the reputed Kyiv mayor after his comments and questions made her suspicious. “The course of the conversation and the setting of topics” made Giffey wary, her office said without elaborating.

The office published a photo that showed both the German capital’s mayor and the fake Klitschko on a big screen. It said that initially, “there was no evidence that the video conference was not conducted with a real person. To all appearances, it is deep fake.”

Police were investigating the incident, Giffey’s office said.

Madrid Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida also interrupted a video call with someone claiming to be Klitschko on Friday. The mayor of Spain’s capital suspected he wasn’t speaking with his Kyiv counterpart and has filed a complaint with police.

Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig did not end his call with the imposter earlier this week because he didn’t notice any suspicious behavior, Austrian public broadcaster ORF reported.

“Since no tricky topics were discussed in the conversation, this is certainly annoying in the specific occasion but not a big problem,” Ludwig said.

It was not clear who was behind the calls or what means were used to try to make the mayors think they were communicating with Klitschko.

On Saturday, Berlin’s mayor said her encounter with the fraudster means that “in the future we will have to be even more scrutinizing, even more suspicious.“

She called the use of a phony Klitschko “a means of modern warfare,” referring to Russia’s four-month war on Ukraine.

Kyiv’s actual mayor also made a link to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“Friends! The enemy does not let up and is waging war on all fronts - in particular by disinformation, by discrediting Ukrainian politicians,” Klitschko said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. “In order to quarrel with European partners, so that Ukraine would not be helped.”

In his remarks to Bild, he warned other European officials to be careful if they are contacted by someone claiming to represent his office. “Please be careful in the future how appointments are arranged by me. Official conversations only come through official channels,” he said.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
×