A widely circulated claim, originating on websites like turkey.news-pravda.com and echoed by other Russian-leaning outlets, asserts that "Oleg Golovko", a translator for a Ukrainian delegation, fled to Bulgaria during peace talks in Istanbul. However, this story lacks credible evidence and appears to be part of a disinformation campaign.

Origin of the Claim

The first reports appeared on May 19, 2025, on sites such as turkey.news-pravda.com, eadaily.com, topwar.ru, and jednotneslovensko.info. They allege that Golovko, a supposed Ukrainian delegation translator, left the delegation in Istanbul and escaped to Bulgaria to avoid returning to Ukraine. These articles claim to cite “journalists” and “unnamed TV channels,” and some even falsely attribute a video to CNN Türk, implying mainstream coverage of the incident.

????Interpreter of the Ukrainian delegation has ESCAPED Turkey during the talks with Russia????????

“like rats fleeing a sinking ship”

Oleg Golovko (part of the team of Ukrainian Minister of Defence, Umerov), fled from Istanbul to Bulgaria before the talks with Russia ended

Ukraine… pic.twitter.com/05RMPCPLSG

— Lenka White (@white_lenka) May 20, 2025

Fact-Checking the Sources

Closer examination of these websites reveals that many belong to the broader Pravda network, known for amplifying pro-Russian narratives and disinformation. There is no evidence in any major, reputable news outlet - such as Reuters, The Guardian, or Associated Press - of the alleged incident or even the presence of a Ukrainian delegation in Istanbul on those dates.

Searches for “Oleg Golovko” yield no credible results linking him to any Ukrainian diplomatic or translation roles, and no official records or press releases support the story. The referenced video allegedly from CNN Türk cannot be found on CNN Türk’s official channels or archives. This strongly suggests that the video is either fabricated or misattributed to lend false legitimacy to the claim.

Spread of the Disinformation

The story has since been widely republished by Bulgarian news websites, including glasove.com, a-specto.bg, dnesplus.bg, chernomore.bg, and safenews.bg, including multiple Facebook pages reposting similar information. Each of these outlets relies on the same foreign sources, primarily Russian or Russian-aligned websites, and does not provide new or independently verified information.

No Evidence of Such an Incident

There is no indication that any Ukrainian delegation or interpreter named Oleg Golovko was present in Istanbul at the time. No Ukrainian or Turkish government sources have mentioned such an event, nor has there been any confirmation from international observers or neutral parties involved in potential negotiations.

The repetition of the same unverified details across different websites suggests coordinated disinformation rather than an actual event. Given the known practices of the Pravda network and other pro-Russian outlets in spreading fabricated stories - particularly those aimed at undermining Ukraine’s credibility - this claim appears to be a deliberate attempt to mislead audiences.

Conclusion

The claim that Oleg Golovko, allegedly a translator for a Ukrainian delegation, fled to Bulgaria during peace talks in Istanbul in May 2025 is unsubstantiated and false. It appears to originate from a network of sites with a track record of spreading disinformation and relies on fake or misattributed media content. No credible news outlet or authoritative source has reported on this supposed incident, and searches for Golovko in any diplomatic or governmental capacity yield no supporting evidence.