New Fakes About the War in Donbas: How Russian Propaganda Works

«Vchasno» collected the most popular fake videos created by Russian propagandists and ORDLO collaborators in recent days.

Shelling of a kindergarten in Stanytsia Luhanska

Kindergarten «Kazka» in Stanytsia Luhanska (Ukrainian government-controlled area) came under fire from pro-Russian militants on February 17, the shell broke through the wall of the building. Fortunately, the children were not in the room at that time, they were not injured, but three employees of the institution received a shell shock. Immediately after that, the channels on social networks of the Luhansk militants reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces allegedly fired at a kindergarten in the so-called «Luhansk People's Republic».

Title of the fake news: "A shell of Ukrainian militants damaged a kindergarten in the LPR"

After it turned out that the kindergarten is located on the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government, the propagandists changed their tactics. They stated that the shelling was staged by the Ukrainian side.

Propagandists stated that the shelling was staged by the Ukrainian side: the text says "A shell from Ukrainian militants hit here this morning"

Chemical sabotage at the «Styrol» concern in occupied Horlivka

On February 18, ORDLO propagandists stated that an attack on the «Styrol» chemical concern had taken place in occupied Horlivka. Allegedly, Ukrainian saboteurs tried to break into the concern's territory to blow up ammonia tanks, and the concern's security guards were allegedly injured and two saboteurs were killed. It was also stated that the saboteurs allegedly spoke Polish.

Ukrainian intelligence reported on such a scenario by the militants a month ago.

The purpose of the militant sabotage is to accuse the Ukrainian side of using chemicals against civilians.

Emergency evacuation «because of the attack of the Ukrainian Armed Forces»

Militant leaders Leonid Pasichnyk and Denys Pushylin announced a mass evacuation of Luhansk and Donetsk residents.

But their «emergency appeals to citizens» videos were recorded at least two days in advance.

On February 18, leaders of Russian terrorist organizations controlling the ORDLO released a video announcing the evacuation of the population «in connection with the attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces».

But, according to video metadata — both in the first and in the second — these videos were recorded on February 16. That is, one day before the escalation — when in the morning the occupying forces began to massively shell the territories controlled by Ukraine — and two days before the announcement of the evacuation.

A shootout between ORDLO militants and allegedly units of the Armed Forces

So-called «People's Militia of the Donetsk People's Republic» publishes a video of a shootout between ORDLO militants and alleged units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Metadata of the creation of this staged «action movie» showed that it was filmed 10 days earlier.

Terrorist attack in occupied Donetsk

An old «UAZ» car of the head of the «people's militia» was blown up. Of course, he was not in the car. And the car number, as it turned out, was on a completely different new vehicle a year ago.

The title: "Ukrainian saboteurs tried to kill the head of the People's Militia of the DPR Denys Sinenkov"

The car number, as it turned out, was on a completely different new vehicle a year ago

The explosion of the «Luganskgaz» gas-distributing station

Russian propagandists reported that «Ukrainian saboteurs» blew up the «Luрanskgaz» gas distribution station, which led to the fire on the «Druzhba» pipeline. But in fact, it doesn't even go there.

Information about the explosions turned out to be another element of the Russian information war. In fact, the video that was circulating online showed an explosion at a gas distribution station on the outskirts of occupied Luhansk, which was a year ago. It was not a purposeful undermining, then no one was hurt.

The video that was circulating online showed an explosion at a gas distribution station on the outskirts of occupied Luhansk, which was a year ago

The shelling of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Russian Rostov oblast

«News» about the hit of two shells of Ukrainian «Grads» (multiple rocket launchers) on objects in Russia — namely in the village of Mityakinskaya in the Rostov oblast.

The artillery units of Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation are located in the areas of withdrawal at a distance of more than 21 km from the line of contact, which exceeds the maximum firing range of «Grads» and 122-mm guns, which are in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Official statement of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant General Valerii Zaluzhnyi: "Units of the Joint Forces Operation did not carry out any shelling from artillery systems or the occupied territories or the territory of the Russian Federation".

Shelling and death of people in Luhansk oblast

The terrorist organization «Luhansk People's Republic» accused the Ukrainian army of shelling, which allegedly killed civilians — they died in the house.

The video presented by the propagandists of the so-called «LPR» shows that the house from which the bodies were allegedly taken out is unfinished, has no interior, only bare bricks, and there are not even frames in the windows.

Also on the walls, where the fire allegedly raged, there are no traces of this fire — no smoke and soot.

All indicates that there are was no heavy fire in the house, and the militants simply filmed another fake in the old and empty house.