Some families in Russia have begun using artificial intelligence to create digital recreations of relatives killed in the war in Ukraine, a practice that has drawn both sympathy and ethical criticism, according to BBC Russian.
The AI-generated videos typically depict soldiers in uniform returning home to embrace their families, sometimes set against scenes of celebration or peaceful streets. In some cases the imagery shows the deceased ascending to the sky or appearing as a spectral figure alongside surviving relatives. The BBC reported that the trend gained momentum from around mid-2025.
A widely followed account, run by a blogger using the handle "Katya Jin," is reported to have built a following of about 10 million on TikTok before removing its AI-generated content after BBC inquiries. The account had previously shared tutorials showing users how to animate photographs of dead relatives, according to the broadcaster.
Anna Korableva, from the town of Kamensk-Uralsky, told the BBC she began producing such videos with her sister in May 2025.
The phenomenon has prompted debate among researchers and online audiences. Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basińska, a researcher at the University of Cambridge quoted by the BBC, said the creation of so-called "deadbots" raises complex ethical questions and that there is still limited understanding of the long-term psychological effects on grieving families.
Reaction on social media has been divided, with some users describing the videos as a way of coping with loss and others calling the practice disturbing. Ukrainian commentators have also criticised the videos for presenting an idealised image of returning soldiers while omitting the destruction and civilian toll of the war.
Russia's authorities maintain tight control over public discussion of military casualties, and official messaging tends to emphasise patriotic narratives rather than the scale of frontline losses.
Sources: BBC Russian
