Russian propaganda spreading fake story about Ukrainian soldiers killing civilians in Sumy region
According to Ukrinform, the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reported this on Facebook.
“This time, pro-Kremlin channels are circulating a story about the alleged ‘brutal murder of three civilians’ supposedly committed by servicemen of Ukraine’s 95th Air Assault Brigade near the village of Nyzy in Sumy region. To make the story seem credible, they are sharing a fabricated screenshot that looks like a post from the official Facebook page of the Sumy Regional Police. The post claims that the so-called ‘victims’ were involved in illegal alcohol production and includes two photos — jugs with mash and jars of moonshine,” the Center said.
The Center for Countering Disinformation noted that no such post exists on the official pages of the National Police of Ukraine.
“There are no mentions or matching photos on the police’s official accounts or in regional media. Real police reports always include a watermark on crime scene photos — which this fake lacks. The choice of images is also suspicious: for a report about a triple murder, one would expect photos of the crime scene or weapon, not containers of homemade alcohol. Moreover, there is no journalistic coverage of any such ‘triple murder,’ which would undoubtedly have become a major local news story,” the Center emphasized.
The Center also contacted the National Police for verification, which confirmed that the Russian-spread story about a “triple murder in Sumy region” is fake.
“Such fabrications are part of Russia’s ongoing campaign to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Fake-makers take real criminal news stories and add false details about alleged involvement of Ukrainian troops. The Center has repeatedly debunked similar fakes. The enemy’s goal is to undermine public trust in the military and sow division between soldiers and civilians,” the statement reads.
As Ukrinform previously reported, in the mid-October, Russian propaganda intensified its disinformation campaign about Ukraine’s alleged “unpreparedness for winter” and its “inability to resist Russia.”
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