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Russian pranksters pose as France's Macron, trick Poland's president, again

Andrzej Duda's office said that he was put through last week to a person claiming to be France’s president Emmanuel Macron.

Published on: Nov 23, 2022, 10:08:09 IST
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Russian pranksters pretending to be France's president Emmanuel Macron tricked the Polish president, Andrzej Duda, into giving them sensitive information after a missile exploded in eastern Poland last week.

Andrzej Duda: Polish President Andrzej Duda is seen. (Reuters)
Andrzej Duda: Polish President Andrzej Duda is seen. (Reuters)

Andrzej Duda's office said that he was put through last week to a person claiming to be France’s president Emmanuel Macron and it seemed like the president was receiving one of many international calls at a tense time on November 15, just after a missile hit in eastern Poland, close to the border with Ukraine, killing two men.

“After the missile explosion in Przewodow, during the ongoing calls with heads of state and government, a person claiming to be French President Emmanuel Macron was connected. 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," his office said.

Read more: Video: Workers clash with security personnel at biggest iPhone plant in China

The office also informed that authorities are checking how the pranksters could have reached Andrzej Duda — for the second time.

In 2020, pranksters had talked to him posing as UN secretary-general. In the new recording posted on YouTube by Russian pranksters Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexei Stolyarov, known as Vovan and Lexus, Poland's president can be heard thanking a man whom he believes to be Macron for calling, Reuters reported.

Speaking in English, Andrzej Duda gives details of the missile incident, of his plans to request NATO consultations and of being very careful not to exacerbate the situation with Russia.

  • Mallika Soni
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Mallika Soni

    When not reading, this ex-literature student can be found searching for an answer to the question, "What is the purpose of journalism in society?"

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