Ukraine hacks into call of Russia-supporting Ukrainians to charge them with ... trends now
Ukraine's security services have hacked into a video call between Moscow and their Ukrainian supporters to tell them they have all been charged with treason - before blasting them with a rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem.
A video posted online appears to show a Ukrainian official interrupting a call attended by various representatives for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, an area of the Donetsk region currently led by supporters Russian rule.
Although not officially verified by government figures, those on the video certainly seemed convinced it was real as they rushed to turn off their cameras and leave the conference call.
It comes as the bodies of two Britons were handed over by Russian forces on Saturday as part of a large-scale prisoner swap.
In a translation posted underneath the video, the call leader can be heard asking: 'Donetsk People's Republic, who is with us?'
The official is said to have hacked into the conference call between Moscow and some of its supporters in the Donetsk region of Ukraine
The start of a list of those on the call is then read out, and includes Colleagues, Gortsev Dmitry Anatolyevich, Minister of Internal Affairs, Deputy Minister of Medical Affairs, Martinov and two individuals named as Anastasia and Lenin.
Several seconds later, the person filming the meeting interrupts the conference call and announces themselves as a member of Ukraine's Security Services.
The man tells those on the call: 'The Security Service of Ukraine has identified and traced all of you.
'You will all be on the international search list from tomorrow.
'You will all be held accountable under Article 111 of the Criminal Code, State treason.'
Once the man has finished speaking, the national anthem of Ukraine begins playing loudly.
Although difficult to substantiate independently whether this was indeed an operation by the Ukrainian security services those on the Zoom call certainly seemed convinced.
Participants quickly turned off their video feeds and began leaving the call, having initially looked somewhat skeptical of the interruption.
During the first few seconds of the interruption, those on the call looked confused and skeptical
As the official continued making their announcement, more and more of the
