A fake news story about Peter Pellegrini appeared on the ČTK news agency's website on April 23, 2024. (source: ČTK/Deník N)
The Czech News Agency (ČTK) announced on Tuesday that a hacker had uploaded two fictional stories to its news website České noviny (Czech news), which the hacker claimed to be agency stories.
They were published by the hacker in Czech and English.
While one of the fake news stories informed about an alleged important statement made by Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, the latter concerned Slovakia’s president-elect Peter Pellegrini. The made-up story asserted that the BIS, a Czech secret service agency, prevented an assassination attempt on the newly elected Slovak President “Petr Pelligrini”. The story further claimed that the alleged assassination was planned by Ukrainian citizens, including Ukrainian Chargé d’Affaires Vitaliy Usatyy.
“ČTK didn’t publish any such information in its news service,” the agency said.
Moreover, a reader with an eagle eye could notice a mistake in Pellegrini’s surname.
On Tuesday, Pellegrini had his official portrait as the future president taken in Bratislava.
According to experts, fake news most helps Russian propaganda and the Kremlin, which is waging a war against Ukraine, reports the Czech news website Deník N.
The incident is now being handled by the BIS, a cyber security office, and the police.
The ČTK agency has been operating since October 28, 1918.
