Online observers have pointed out a striking anomaly in activity on the Facebook page of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Screenshots of recent posts show that almost all are drawing hundreds or even thousands of reactions from accounts with distinctly Asian names. The mismatch has fueled speculation that likes may have been purchased or that bot networks are being used to artificially boost reach.
Among the users leaving reactions, profiles with no active feed or only a minimal number of friends are predominant—another sign of possible automated boosting.
There is, however, an exception. President Volodymyr Zelensky’s evening video addresses, regularly posted on the page, receive likes mainly from users with Ukrainian and Russian names, unlike other posts. This suggests that genuine interest in the president’s addresses still exists, while ordinary publications appear to be “supported” artificially.