“3rd Separate assault brigade refuses to deploy to positions near Kharkiv”: compilation of Russian fakes for May 13

Espreso TV reported the information.

According to the Center for Countering Disinformation, on May 13, Russian propaganda launched two fakes. 

Fake: The pro-Russian Resident Telegram channel reported: “The third assault brigade, also known as Azov, ignores orders from Syrskyi (Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief - ed.) and refuses to deploy to positions near Kharkiv.” 

Refutation: Such fake reports are spread to discredit the 3rd separate assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and sow discord in the Ukrainian army. Also, such messages are spread to discredit the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi, who allegedly does not have the situation under control.

Fake news: the Russian media outlet RIA Novosti released a story in which residents of Semenivka (Donetsk region) allegedly stated that: “The Ukrainian Armed Forces used chemical warfare agents against civilians in the village of Semenivka in the ‘Donetsk People's Republic’, causing people to suffocate, vomit, and cough.” 

Refutation: One of the methods of spreading Russian propaganda is through staged stories featuring actors imported from Russia. Such “reports” are disseminated to discredit and demonize the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as to create the image of “liberators” for Russian murderers. 

• Earlier, reports said that Russian Telegram channels and those mimicking Ukrainian ones were spreading a fake that the Kharkiv region was left without leadership, which suddenly disappeared due to an attempted Russian offensive.