Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Thursday, Mar 19, 2026

Russian hoaxer called Poland’s Duda over missile strike

Russian hoaxer called Poland’s Duda over missile strike

Polish President Andrzej Duda spoke to a hoaxer posing as France’s Emmanuel Macron on the night a missile hit a village near the Ukraine border.
His office confirmed the call after two well-known Russian pranksters posted a recording of the caller asking Duda who he thought was responsible.

During the call Duda said he was being “extra careful” and wanted to avoid war with Russia. He was targeted shortly after the missile killed two people on a farm.

The Nov. 15 strike came during one of the biggest Russian missile barrages on neighboring Ukraine since the start of the war.

Poland said initially that the missile that landed in Przewodow, 6km (4 miles) from the border, was Russian-made but later added there were no signs of an intentional attack.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it was “most likely” a Ukrainian air defense missile that landed in Poland.

A week on, Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus claimed credit for hoax-calling the Polish president, prompting his office to respond on social media.

“During the call, President Andrzej Duda realized from the unusual way the interlocutor conducted the conversation that there might have been an attempted hoax attempt and ended the conversation,” it said, adding that an investigation was being conducted into how the callers managed to reach the president.

It is the second time he has been targeted by the pranksters, who have made their names targeting politicians and celebrities, especially those opposed to the Kremlin. Two years ago they impersonated UN Secretary General António Guterres.

Near the start of the prank call, President Duda said he had spoken with Stoltenberg and US President Joe Biden, and was considering invoking Article 4, which calls for consultations in the face of a security threat of NATO members.

The Macron impostor, who began speaking with a French accent that later changed to Russian, asked if President Biden believed Russia was responsible for the strike, to which the Polish President said “no”.

The prankster then asked Duda if he thought Russia was responsible, to which he responded that he didn’t know and that an investigation would be conducted.

The caller appeared particularly interested in Duda’s thoughts on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and his insistence that Russia was responsible for the attack.

Duda refused to be drawn further on the Ukrainian president.

“Do you think I want to have war with Russia? Believe me, I don’t want to have. I don’t want to have war with Russia, and believe me I am extra careful, extra careful,” he said.

“I’m talking only about Article 4, I don’t talk about Article 5,” he said, referring to the clause that says that an attack on one NATO member is an attack against all members.

Eventually, as the caller continued to push Duda on his thoughts on Zelensky, the Polish president ended the call.

Although the Kremlin insisted it had nothing to do with the missile deaths, Stoltenberg said after the attack that “Russia bears ultimate responsibility as it continues its illegal war against Ukraine”. He added: “Let me be clear, this is not Ukraine’s fault.”

Vovan and Lexus deny acting on behalf of the Kremlin but they receive uniformly positive coverage on Russian state TV. Their latest prank was given widespread coverage in Russian media.

Three years ago they hoax-called President Macron, pretending to be the Ukrainian president.

They have also pranked British singer Elton John, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and most recently UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, who was asked if he backed Ukraine’s nuclear ambitions.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Lawmakers Press Rubio to Enforce Strong Safeguards in Saudi Nuclear Deal
Iran Issues Evacuation Warning to Gulf States After Strike on Major Gas Field
Saudi Arabia to Convene Arab and Islamic Ministers for Urgent Talks on Regional Conflict
Saudi Arabia Confirms Eid al-Fitr as Moon Sighting Determines End of Ramadan
Saudi Arabia Boosts Crude Exports to Highest Levels Since 2023, Data Shows
Iran Issues Warning to Gulf Energy Infrastructure Following Strike on Major Gas Field
Saudi Arabia Restarts Ras Tanura Refinery Following Drone Strike, Reinforcing Energy Resilience
Saudi Arabia Restarts Ras Tanura Refinery Following Drone Strike, Reinforcing Energy Resilience
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Ballistic Missiles Targeting Riyadh Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Restores Significant Oil Flows Using Hormuz Bypass Amid Regional Tensions
Saudi Arabia Signals Potential Activation of Defence Pact with Pakistan Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Saudi Supreme Court Urges Muslims to Observe Crescent Moon for Eid Determination
Saudi Supreme Court Urges Muslims to Observe Crescent Moon for Eid Determination
Saudi Arabia Reassesses Iran Strategy as Regional Conflict Tests MBS’s Diplomatic Bet
Iran Steps Up Drone Strikes on Saudi Oil Sites, Heightening Risks to Global Supply
Regional Fallout Grows as Iran Conflict Sends Shockwaves Across Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Seven Drones in Intensifying Regional Security Threat
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Seven Drones in Intensifying Regional Security Threat
Saudi Arabia Weighs Regional Risks as Iran Conflict Deepens and Security Calculations Shift
Gulf States Confront Limits of U.S. Protection as Regional War Intensifies
Gulf Producers Rush to Reroute Oil Exports as Iran Tightens Control of Hormuz Strait
Saudi Gaming Investment Arm Acquires Strategic Stake in Capcom to Expand Global Influence
Iran Intensifies Strikes on Saudi Oil Infrastructure as Regional War Escalates
Saudi Arabia Targets South African Professionals in New Recruitment Drive Amid Regional Uncertainty
Formula One Faces Major Financial Hit as Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Cancelled Amid Middle East Conflict
U.S. and Saudi Firms Launch Local Production of Attritable Drone Systems in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia and UAE Warn Rising Gulf Tensions Could Endanger Regional Security
Saudi Arabia Rejects Claims It Encouraged Prolonged War With Iran
Saudi Arabia to Host World’s Largest Single-Cell Protein Plant as Food Security Push Accelerates
Saudi Crown Prince Urges Trump to Continue Military Pressure on Iran
Iran Intensifies Drone Campaign Against Saudi Arabia as Gulf Conflict Escalates
When Is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Saudi Arabia Awaits Moon Sighting to Confirm End of Ramadan
When Is Eid al-Fitr 2026? Saudi Arabia Awaits Moon Sighting to Confirm End of Ramadan
Iranian Missile Strike Damages Five U.S. Refueling Aircraft at Saudi Air Base
Iranian Missile Strike Damages Five U.S. Refueling Aircraft at Saudi Air Base
Washington State Pilot Among Six U.S. Airmen Killed in Military Aircraft Crash Over Iraq
Severe Storm Threat Looms Over Washington as Tornado Risk and Damaging Winds Target Mid-Atlantic
Trump Supports FCC Warning to Broadcasters Over Iran War Reporting
Trump Supports FCC Warning to Broadcasters Over Iran War Reporting
Saudi Stocks Edge Lower as Tadawul All Share Index Slips Slightly at Market Close
Iranian Missile and Drone Strike Targets Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base Hosting US Aircraft
Saudi Air Defenses Intercept Drone Over Eastern Province as Iranian Strike Campaign Intensifies
Middle East War Reshapes Gulf Economies as Saudi Arabia and Oman Gain Strategic Leverage While UAE Faces Economic Shock
Iranian Ambassador in Riyadh Blames ‘Enemies’ for Attacks Across the Gulf
Israeli Envoy Ron Dermer Reportedly Visits Saudi Arabia for Discussions on Potential Lebanon Talks
Formula One Cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix Scheduled for April
Iran’s Ambassador in Riyadh Rejects Claims Tehran Targeted Saudi Oil Facilities
Saudi Arabia Declares 2026 ‘Year of Artificial Intelligence’ in Major Push for Data-Driven Economy
Saudi Arabia’s 2018 Budget Signals Strong Push for Non-Oil Economic Growth
Pakistan Envoy in Riyadh Says Regional Diplomacy Intensifying to Prevent Wider Middle East War
×