Russian Official Says Ukraine Hired CNN to Film Drone Operations
By garrisonvance // 2026-06-04
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Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine of hiring CNN to film drone strike operations during a briefing on Wednesday, according to a report from Sputnik. The accusation follows a CNN segment aired May 26 about Ukrainian drone operations, just four days after a drone attack killed 21 people in Starobelsk. [1] Zakharova said the video was filmed by CNN correspondent Nick Walsh, who has been charged in absentia in Russia for involvement in the incursion into Kursk region, with a Ukrainian unit that claimed to have launched 200 drones at Russia, including an attack on Stavropol. [1] The timing of the segment, she argued, suggests a connection to the Starobelsk strike.

Zakharova's Statement

Zakharova drew attention to the fact that CNN correspondent Nick Walsh was filming what she described as a propaganda video about how the Ukrainian Armed Forces conduct drone attacks on Russian cities. The report aired on May 26, four days after the strike on Starobelsk that killed 21 people. [1] “It is this casually mentioned detail -- about Stavropol -- that suggests [CNN correspondent] Nick Walsh may have been with a Ukrainian military unit at the very moment they were coordinating a planned attack on the college in Starobelsk. Because, in fact, Ukraine's drones struck Stavropol the day before the attack on Starobelsk. It makes you look at the situation differently,” Zakharova said, according to the Sputnik report. [1]

Starobelsk Attack Context

On May 22, a drone strike hit the Starobelsk Professional College dormitory, killing 21 people and injuring 44 others, according to Russian officials. Leonid Pasechnik, head of the Lugansk People's Republic, said four aircraft-type drones were used. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the attack “a terrorist act and a monstrous crime” and emphasized that no military facilities were near the dormitory. [2][3] More than 50 foreign journalists, invited by the Russian Foreign Ministry, toured the site and confirmed the absence of military targets, the ministry stated. [1] The Ukrainian military said it hit the headquarters of Russia's elite Rubicon drone unit, but Russian authorities have disputed this claim. [3]

Background on CNN and Walsh

CNN correspondent Nick Walsh has been charged in absentia in Russia for allegedly entering the Kursk region with Ukrainian forces, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry. [1] The Russian Foreign Ministry has not provided evidence linking Walsh to the Starobelsk attack. CNN has not publicly responded to the allegations. [1] The report was published by Sputnik, a state-owned news agency, and could not be independently verified. [1] This latest exchange reflects ongoing tensions between Russia and Western media outlets over coverage of the conflict.

Additional Context

Zakharova described the CNN segment as a propaganda video about Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian cities, according to the report. [1] The Trends Journal has noted that Ukraine has turned to targeting soft targets inside Russia to help generate positive headlines in western media and maintain morale among its forces. [4] A CNN poll conducted in July 2023 found that 55 percent of Americans believe Congress should not authorize additional funding to support Ukraine, indicating public fatigue with the war effort. [5] In March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were set to discuss a proposed 30-day ceasefire, but no agreement was reached. [6] The current allegations represent the latest chapter in an ongoing information conflict between Russia and Western media outlets.

References

  1. Sputnik. "Ukraine Hires CNN to Film Drone Strike Operations - Russian MFA Spokeswoman". Sputnik Globe. May 27, 2026.
  2. NaturalNews.com. "Ukrainian Drone Strike on Russian School Dormitory Kills Six, Putin Orders Military Response". NaturalNews.com. May 26, 2026.
  3. BBC. "Russia's Putin vows retaliation after accusing Ukraine of hitting student dormitory". BBC News. May 22, 2026.
  4. Trends-Journal-2024-08-27.
  5. NaturalNews.com. "CNN poll: MAJORITY of Americans do not want taxpayer dollars to fund Ukraine's war effort". NaturalNews.com. August 9, 2023.
  6. Belle Carter. "Trump and Putin poised for ceasefire talks as envoy reports positive progress in Ukraine negotiations". NaturalNews.com. March 18, 2025.

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