Chilling link between Ukrainian refugee murder in North Carolina and Russia’s intelligence agency

A chilling link between the horrific killing of a Ukrainian refugee on a train and Russian intelligence operations has emerged.

Iryna Zarutska, 23, was brutally stabbed on the Charlotte Light Rail on August 22 in a crime that has shocked America.

Zarutska fled a bomb shelter in Ukraine to come to the US in 2022 and escape war with Russia – but just a few years later she was knifed to death.

Shocking footage of the attack allegedly carried out by Decarlos Dejuan Brown Jr. has been circulating online showing ghoulish bystanders filming her bleeding to death rather than trying to save her life.

But an undated photograph of Zarutska shared by an X account linked to dangerous Russian disinformation attempts has simultaneously gone viral. 

The image shared by MyLordBebo appears to show the Ukrainian refugee in a bedroom with a poster on the wall behind her reading ‘Black Lives Matter’. 

The post was captioned ‘the Ukrainian girl that was killed on the subway’ and has been viewed millions of times on X, stirring up intense responses.

MyLordBebo is connected to Russian disinformation operation Storm-1516, according to a recent government report. Storm-1516 is reportedly aimed at harming Ukraine and its operatives are known to disseminate deepfake content.

The unverified photograph appears to show Zarutska lying on a bed and holding her phone to the photographer. A poster behind her is circled in red.

The placard featured slogans including ‘Black Lives Matter’ and ‘I Can’t Breathe’ – the phrase uttered by George Floyd before he was killed in Minneapolis police custody. 

The image was shared in a tribute album on Zartuska’s online obituary, but the origin and authenticity of the image remain unknown. 

Zartuska only arrived in the US in 2022 as she sought safety from Putin’s war in Ukraine, so is unlikely to have participated in the BLM riots that erupted across America two years prior.

Photographs taken in what appears to be her bedroom and posted to Zartuska’s own social media accounts also suggest the photo was captured at a different residence.

Motivation beyond MyLordBebo’s post is merely speculative, but experts allege the post mirrors Russia’s ‘standard playbook of exploiting existing discontent’.

Dr Lukasz Olejnik, a visiting senior research fellow in the department of war studies at King’s College London, says Kremlin disinformation operations try to deepen societal divisions and distort public perception.

‘While we do not know of the motivations behind the spreading of this particular content, such specific messages using current events, in this case a tragic photo of murdered Ukrainian refugee, and specifically highlighting a Black Lives Matter poster would be consistent in the pattern of known Russian information operations targeting the US,’ the cybersecurity and privacy consultant told Daily Mail.

‘Russia prioritizes acting in the most efficient, effective manner. 

‘In this case, such an approach would align with strategies applied in the past, and consistent with Russia’s practices of projecting information influences that are in line with their own strategic interests.’

Olejnik warned that spreading disinformation, as in the case of MyLordBebo’s tweet, is ‘highly dangerous, especially when it combines real tragedy with charged symbols trying to link it to some existing ‘Big Picture’ thing’.

‘It’s not just misleading, but deliberately manipulative, aimed at deepening societal divisions and distorting public perception,’ he said. 

He warned that by injecting themes into unrelated geopolitical events, Kremlin operatives are able to exploit sensitive issues to fuel distrust and polarization.

‘The impact is both immediate and long-term: eroding trust, inflaming tensions, sowing chaos, and distracting from important issues like the current geopolitical situation in Europe, specifically Russian attacks in Ukraine,’ Olejnik added.

Russian operatives follow a ‘standard playbook’ for exploiting discontent, Ojenik explained, highlighting how this includes genuine street protests.

During the height of France’s Yellow Vest movement in 2018 and 2019, Russia-linked troll networks were actively amplifying unrest, according to the expert.

In June last year, coffins labeled ‘French soldiers of Ukraine’ were placed near the Eiffel Tower in a provocative display.

Ojenik notes there have also been documented cases of staged protests in cities like Paris, The Hague, and Brussels.

‘The tactic is often quite simple: someone shows up at a real protest-unrelated to Ukraine or Russia! like for example, about pension reforms-with a pro-Russia or anti-Ukraine sign, takes a few photos, and leaves,’ he told Daily Mail.

‘Voilà—you now have images that can be circulated to falsely suggest that a large protest, attended by thousands, was actually in support of a completely different cause.’

VIGINUM, a French agency established to detect and counter foreign interference, has identified the MyLordBebo account as being linked to Kremlin-backed disinformation operation Storm-1516, according to its May 2025 report.

Storm-1516’s main objective is to discredit the Ukrainian government and damage the image of the country and its leader.

The operation is also tasked with disparaging Russian opposition, such as western leaders and governments, particularly during election seasons. 

Operatives are known to disseminate deepfake images and videos, and have ‘sometimes created narratives with twists and turns’, the report states. 

VIGINUM also warned that Storm-1516 operators are able to adapt their narratives to support various political contexts and have a desire to impact audiences in Europe and North America over the long term.