Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/832LT/Archive

Suspected sockpuppets

 * ( original case name)

Appears to be a misguided (AGF) newbie creating user accounts for Indian regiments in place of draft articles. Cabayi (talk) 15:14, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Comments by other users

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Also Dreamy Jazz talk to me &#124; my contributions 20:42, 1 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Closing. Izno (talk) 23:43, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
User:Locators 267 was blocked two hours ago for promotional name and edits. Master and were both created 22 May, 11 hours apart. Both are SPAs creating spammy unsourced articles about units of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army. Both began editing by posting the promotional article at their user pages. Both use similarly stilted language, jargon and abbreviations. Compare the initial versions of master's user page, 267 SATA Battery, Draft:267 SATA Battery, and Hdwiki2024's user page (now moved to draft), 16 Medium Regiment and 16 Field Regiment. Wikishovel (talk) 13:02, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Hdwiki2024 has just been indeffed as an advertising-only account. Wikishovel (talk) 14:59, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Both accounts already blocked, closing.  Girth Summit  (blether)  15:12, 1 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Usual MO of previous socks is to create account, create user page and sandbox with unsourced spammy article about a unit of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army, and copy it to main space. In this case, user page and sandbox were the usual mess, but 313 Field Regiment (now at draft) was created from scratch in main space, unsourced but not as promotional. Pretty obvious it's the same editor though.

Please also merge in Sockpuppet investigations/Locators 267, identical behaviour, but this master is older than User:Locators 267: thanks User:Cabayi for pointing out the older master. Wikishovel (talk) 10:14, 2 June 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked. - See merge request. Izno (talk) 17:37, 2 June 2024 (UTC)
 * It looks like we've got a huge COI problem. See User talk:PRISH123, where a user admitted receiving directions, if not orders, from army higher-ups to modify the article for their regiment. This is only going to snowball, and depending on how the Indian Army does outbound internet, a bunch of independent users may appear to be on the same IP and therefore sockpuppets. This is currently at WP:COIN. —C.Fred (talk) 17:55, 2 June 2024 (UTC)
 * I've merged the SPI into this. Closing report...  ~Oshwah~  (talk)  (contribs)   03:00, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
User:Sauravkshirsagar69, created Draft:237_FIELD_REGIMENT  Qcne  (talk)  09:10, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

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Adding, creator of Draft:150 FD REGT. Wikishovel (talk) 09:23, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

Adding, creator of Draft:268 field regiment and the usual spammy user page. Wikishovel (talk) 10:09, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

Adding, creator of Draft:111 Rocket Regiment, with overlap at 111 Rocket Regiment and Regiment of Artillery. Wikishovel (talk) 16:20, 3 June 2024 (UTC)


 * Adding User:Rahulheer18, creator of Draft:150_FIELD_REGIMENT  Qcne  (talk)  20:30, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Created 253 Medium Regiment which I recently moved to draftspace. CycloneYoris talk! 09:56, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

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Suspected sockpuppets
Same spam pattern, similar to what was reported recently in this SPI case as well.  A09  | (talk)  18:20, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

Comments by other users

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * This is much more complex than a straightforward matter of sockpuppetry. It is about editing on behalf of the Indian Army. Orders have been given to multiple units to edit or create articles about those units. The editing is unsuitable in a number of ways, including the fact that in many cases the writing is not competent, it is often written in a form which is not likely to be comprehensible to most users of the encyclopaedia, it is unsourced, there is no evidence of satisfying the notability guidelines, COI, undisclosed paid editing, etc etc... I have blocked the accounts above which had not already been blocked. Technically this is Meatpuppetry, and so by policy can be treated as Sockpuppetry, but it is virtually certain that there are numerous people involved who have no direct contact with one another, and who are unaware of messages to and blocks of other accounts, so I don't think the usual sock block notices are appropriate. The different accounts, representing different regiments etc, can be expected to edit from different places, so there is unlikely to be much point in using CheckUser. JBW (talk) 21:24, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Putting this whole list here from WP:AN/I per Ponyo's request. —Jéské Couriano v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 21:37, 4 June 2024 (UTC)

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 * I'm unsure how it happened, but you copied Velluvons wrong (it's Velluvoms at ANI, the other one doesn't exist). – 2804:F14:80BE:B501:BC28:2F:9049:1F4D (talk) 21:42, 4 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Danke, fixed. (My second screen has some crud on it and so I misread it.) —Jéské Couriano v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 21:45, 4 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Fixed a few more; apologies for my sloppiness. —Jéské Couriano v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 21:52, 4 June 2024 (UTC)
 * These turned out to not be errors, but I did a stringdiff, other differences were: 172fdregt was 72fdregt at ANI and 171FieldRegt was 171FieldReg at ANI, though this time ANI's ones are the ones that don't exist. – 2804:F14:80BE:B501:BC28:2F:9049:1F4D (talk) 21:59, 4 June 2024 (UTC)
 * I've U5'd the promotional drafts in userspace by all the socks identified so far here. I'd assume the drafts will fall six months later under G13, if they can't be deleted under G5 (technically, they're not socks?). Air on White (talk) 00:05, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * and also do not exist.--  Ponyo bons mots 21:49, 4 June 2024 (UTC)
 * I've blocked the lot as WP:MEAT per the evidence here, ANI and COIN. I left the accounts untagged as it's not always helpful to tag in extensive MEAT socking, but am not fussed if someone chooses to do so.-- Ponyo bons mots 22:00, 4 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Adding this blocked account per this ANI comment. This may be the earliest of these accounts to have been blocked (thus useful as a cut-off date for G5 deletions). Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 12:56, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Also adding AyushRoy99 for evaluation, not sure if this is part of the same group (please see User:AyushRoy99/sandbox). Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 13:00, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Both now blocked. Closing.-- Ponyo bons mots 15:50, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Adding an other accounts that was were just spun up today. —Jéské Couriano v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 17:16, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

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Also add, and. Looking at contribs should be proof enough. Procyon117 (talk) 17:27, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * All blocked. Hopefully word will spread that this is a fruitless endeavour and we'll stop seeing these COI drafts being forced through.--  Ponyo bons mots 17:34, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Same pattern as all others. Found these two right as the previous SPI closed. Procyon117 (talk) 17:56, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Comments by other users

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked.

Suspected sockpuppets
Draft:336_FIELD_REGIMENT_(INDIA)  Qcne  (talk)  18:02, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Comments by other users

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 * Comment What's disturbing is that Ananthua9560b, a previously identified sock, was created in 2018. There probably are some more sleepers. Air on White (talk) 18:06, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Ananthua is the only outlier I've seen that far out. The next oldest account was created in April of this year, with all the rest being created in May or within the past week. —Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 18:10, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
 * I'll see your 2018, and raise you 2008: hadn't edited since 2018, but awoke suddenly to clean up 111 Rocket Regiment on 3 June. I suspect that Vyom25 is a meatpuppet, a friend of the socks whom the sock begged for help to avoid the wrath of a commanding officer: see the comments about Ironfist336 at WP:ANI. So I tried to engage with Vyom25 at their user talk, but three days later, no further edits. Wikishovel (talk) 06:38, 6 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Adding Huntershera. —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 18:08, 5 June 2024 (UTC)


 * @Ponyo I am dumb as a sack of bricks, I just source edit on the most recent report and copy the existing username formatting with the new sock, right?  Qcne  (talk)  19:18, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Thank you! Didn't even reply in the right thread...  Qcne  (talk)  19:22, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked. you can just reopen the most recent report and add names of the new socks - you don't have to create a new report (unless it's been archived).--  Ponyo bons mots 18:06, 5 June 2024 (UTC)
 * just change the case status from to  and add the name of the new user somewhere in the report (preferably in the sock list template, but not necessary). I'll see it.--  Ponyo bons mots 19:21, 5 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
quack quack Air on White (talk) 05:50, 6 June 2024 (UTC)

Comments by other users

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 * Added 198victorious, who created (a week or so ago) Draft:198th Medium Regiment and just now resubmitted it. --DoubleGrazing (talk) 07:56, 6 June 2024 (UTC)
 * ...and 102MEDREGT (Draft:102 MEDIUM REGIMENT (SP)). BTW, this is a brand new account, so looks like word hasn't even got around them barracks to stop creating these obvious COI/UPE accounts, let alone to stop submitting completely unreferenced drafts. -- DoubleGrazing (talk) 08:00, 6 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Snap!  Qcne  (talk)  08:01, 6 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Adding Locators122 (Draft:122 SATA Regiment); 102MEDREGT (Draft:102_MEDIUM_REGIMENT); Adjt63 (Draft:63 Fd Regiment - The Saga Of Valour).  Qcne  (talk)  08:01, 6 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Adding Chetanprakash226 (User:Chetanprakash226/sandbox)  Qcne  (talk)  09:25, 6 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked all, closing. —Ingenuity (t • c) 13:02, 6 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Sorry to be reviving this zombie case, but we seem to have one more... brand new account creating Draft:12 field regiment. DoubleGrazing (talk) 06:17, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

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Adding Northlost, an SPA focused on 40 Field Regiment (India). —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 07:02, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

Also adding Weareveer who looked to be doing similar edits on 97 Field Regiment (India) back on the 30th of May. -Sigma440 (talk) 07:14, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

Another looks to be Ashveer1796 who was deleting content on 1889 Missile Regiment (India) as a "matter of national security". -Sigma440 (talk) 07:28, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

Looks as though 80medregt is also related to the other users named after Indian Army units (80 Medium Regiment (India)). And Veeranyaar, Ak1470Ak, and Lonewolf qwerty were doing similar edits/deletions on 96 Medium Regiment (India), 93 Field Regiment (India), and 60 Medium Regiment (India) respectively within the past week or so. -Sigma440 (talk) 08:00, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * I have blocked Princelucifer6439, Northlost, & Weareveer, and deleted the page created by Princelucifer6439. I haven't dealt with the other accounts because of lack of time. JBW (talk) 08:37, 7 June 2024 (UTC)
 * 268 FD REGIMENT blocked & draft deleted. JBW (talk) 09:04, 7 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Blocked and tagged all, closing. —Ingenuity (t • c) 11:18, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Aaaannd.... here we go again. On the bright side, this was closed for several hours. :) DoubleGrazing (talk) 17:36, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked and draft deleted as G5.-- Ponyo bons mots 18:01, 7 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Created Draft:Regiment History, clearly the latest instalment in the ongoing Indian Army series. DoubleGrazing (talk) 15:53, 8 June 2024 (UTC)

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 * Added another account I found while trying to suss out what IPs are also involved in this. —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 16:42, 8 June 2024 (UTC)
 * And another. —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 17:04, 8 June 2024 (UTC)
 * And another. —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 17:23, 8 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked all, closing. —Ingenuity (t • c) 17:31, 8 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Same pattern as previous socks, contribs should be enough evidence. Procyon117 (talk) 18:03, 8 June 2024 (UTC) Procyon117 (talk) 18:03, 8 June 2024 (UTC)

Comments by other users

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked and tagged, closing. —Ingenuity (t • c) 18:35, 8 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Created User:PawanJoshi50094/sandbox about an Indian regiment. Air on White (talk) 05:39, 10 June 2024 (UTC)


 * I've added Water1968. -- DoubleGrazing (talk) 05:43, 10 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Water1968 created an article about an American battalion. This is inconsistent with the identified motive of this meatpuppetry campaign: to promote the Indian military. I do not believe that Water1968 can be blocked as a sock based on behavioral evidence. Air on White (talk) 05:51, 10 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Absolutely right, my bad. Thanks, -- DoubleGrazing (talk) 05:57, 10 June 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Sock is now blocked, closing. Bbb23 (talk) 13:22, 10 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Found these three while browsing through the active users list. 43 Fd Regt made their userpage, then blanked it one minute later, while judging from 284fdregt's user talk page, they've tried doing the same thing. Usernames have obvious connection. Procyon117 (talk) 13:25, 11 June 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked and tagged, closing. —Ingenuity (t • c) 14:12, 11 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Cute ducky Air on White (talk) 16:22, 16 June 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Already blocked, tagged, closing. —Ingenuity (t • c) 12:44, 17 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Another one of these. DoubleGrazing (talk) 05:51, 19 June 2024 (UTC)

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 * Note The ANI thread corresponding to this investigation has been archived, and the request for ArbCom restrictions to stymie this meatpuppetry campaign will not succeed. There is an LTA page at Long-term abuse/Indian military paid editors. Air on White (talk) 08:00, 19 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Another one of these blocked, and another draft deleted... JBW (talk) 07:40, 19 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Draft:102_Medium_Regiment_(India)  Qcne  (talk)  15:06, 19 June 2024 (UTC)

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This is by far the oldest account we've seen. It was created in 2011 but made no edits until today. —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 15:55, 19 June 2024 (UTC)


 * I imagine each of the individual military personnel may or may not have already created a Wikipedia account for personal use, but if so, they may use it to implement the paid edits ordered by their superior. Air on White (talk) 19:20, 19 June 2024 (UTC)

Add. Procyon117 (talk) 18:54, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
 * And . Procyon117 (talk) 18:56, 19 June 2024 (UTC)

I believe we should keep the SPI under the most well-known name just as we do with most established sockpuppetry/LTA cases even when older accounts are discovered. Air on White (talk) 21:54, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Keep the SPI here, at 832LT. I doubt Hogmos created their account with intent to spam, given the massive gulf here. (I'm also willing to buy the account was compromised, but that would require a lot more evidence than the zero we have.) —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 18:18, 21 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * All blocked and tagged. As has said, Hogmos is the oldest account, dating back to 2011, but in my opinion that is irrelevant, as the account has only recently started editing, and it wouldn't be particularly useful to move this SPI to that name. However,  I'll leave it for a clerk to decide. JBW (talk) 21:18, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
 * I agree; closing.-- Ponyo bons mots 21:23, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets


Created User:Prashantyadav1505 about an Indian regiment. Air on White (talk) 06:52, 21 June 2024 (UTC)

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Since this is still open, add to the list too, removing sourced info from 165 Medium Regiment. Procyon117 (talk) 17:44, 21 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Both blocked; closing.-- Ponyo bons mots 21:22, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
See this edit request and this revision of their user page.   [[User:CanonNi ]]  (talk • contribs) 07:01, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Comments by other users

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 * Note another newly registered user, created Draft:255_Medium_regiment. They might be related to this sockfarm.  Ratnahastin  (talk) 14:59, 24 June 2024 (UTC)
 * Nota Bene: Adding a user who I found in a search of the most-affected category. —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 20:24, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * I've blocked Sahil123Rana and Sarvatra1976, but I'm not so sure about BittuGADIWALA as they're removing information from a regiment article, not trying to create an article or add promo material. Let's see if this changes prior to blocking.-- Ponyo bons mots 21:16, 24 June 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Created both this and this. Procyon117 (talk) 14:20, 25 June 2024 (UTC)

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Adding ODSTsog; their first and only edit was to 166 Medium Regiment (India) and they were created yesterday. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Jéské Couriano (talk • contribs)
 * ODSTsog has finally begun editing, and it's in line with what the other Indian Army meatpuppets have been doing; see today's edits on 166 Medium Regiment (India). —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 18:01, 3 July 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Ive blocked . There's not enough evidence for to block at this time, just a single minor edit.--  Ponyo bons mots 16:57, 25 June 2024 (UTC)


 * I agree with that at the time she posted here there was not enough evidence to block ODSTsog, but now there is (See 's post above), so I have blocked the account. JBW (talk) 20:27, 3 July 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
I thought this had died down already, but looks like we've got us another one, Rajsingh281 with Draft:281st Field Regiment. DoubleGrazing (talk) 10:54, 1 July 2024 (UTC)


 * And Draft:318 MEDIUM REGIMENT.  Qcne  (talk)  18:51, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

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Rajsingh281 was created 26 May, but first edits were today, so a checkuser for further sleepers might be a good idea. Wikishovel (talk) 10:58, 1 July 2024 (UTC)


 * This is a case of meatpuppetry writ large, not sockpuppetry. Every user is a member of India's armed forces, acting on superior orders to spam Wikipedia. —<i style="color: #1E90FF;">Jéské Couriano</i> v^&lowbar;^v  threads critiques 15:27, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Both blocked. JBW (talk) 20:29, 1 July 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
Must be another one, created Draft:513 AD Missile Regiment (Self Propelled). DoubleGrazing (talk) 06:25, 5 July 2024 (UTC)


 * And another: Kuldeep12123 with Draft:316 Medium Regiment. -- DoubleGrazing (talk) 07:43, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Indeffed, thanks for reporting. Justlettersandnumbers (talk) 09:36, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Suspected sockpuppets
See Special:Contributions/Huntershera. Looks like a case of WP:DUCK. Huntthetroll (talk) 15:40, 12 July 2024 (UTC)

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Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Blocked. Closing.-- Ponyo bons mots 17:27, 12 July 2024 (UTC)