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In a recent episode highlighting concerns over misinformation, several Russian state-owned news agencies shared fabricated images of Disney World in Florida purportedly flooded by Hurricane Milton. On October 10, Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti published three pictures on its Telegram channel, depicting the renowned theme park in Orlando submerged in knee-deep water.

The images rapidly gained traction, with multiple Russian outlets republishing them accompanied by eye-catching headlines. Commentaries and discussions on the subject surged on Yandex Dzen, Russia’s equivalent of Google News. However, experts have scrutinized the images and determined them to be AI-generated. Flaws identified include discrepancies in autofocus and background elements, indicative of digital manipulation.

Despite the striking visuals, Walt Disney World issued a statement clarifying that the park had "weathered the storm" and planned to reopen on October 11. Contrary to the claims, no significant flooding or damage was reported at the resort. The temporary closure on October 9 and 10 was precautionary, and tourists remained largely unaffected, with many characterizing the atmosphere in the hotels as celebratory.

Interestingly, while the veracity of the images was debunked, only Vechernyaya Moskva, a Russian publication, released a correction. Other news agencies, including RIA Novosti, continued to circulate the AI-generated photographs, keeping them trending on Yandex.

This incident has drawn attention to the broader issue of misinformation, especially around natural disasters. In the U.S., there have been calls to address the spread of false information, although a senior government official cited by CNN mentioned that the White House decided against appointing a disaster recovery coordinator to tackle such issues.

Russia's media coverage of hurricanes in the U.S., including recent storms like Helene and Milton, has often been skewed with political undertones. Reports have primarily focused on whether the damage might impact America's ongoing support for Ukraine amidst its defense efforts. Hurricane Milton itself wreaked havoc in Florida, causing significant destruction and claiming at least eight lives, a level of damage not seen from tornadoes in the region, as reported by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator, Deanne Criswell.