Russia Launches New Disinformation Campaign to Deflect War Crimes in Pokrovsk

Russian propaganda entities have initiated another disinformation campaign in an apparent attempt to shift responsibility for war crimes in eastern Ukraine onto Ukrainian forces, according to Ukrainian officials.

The Center for Countering Disinformation reported on January 22 that a Russian propaganda organization calling itself the “International Public Tribunal” released a “report” accusing Ukraine of “genocide” and military crimes in Pokrovsk, a strategic city in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

“The loud accusations are backed by a familiar propaganda setup: a made-up ‘tribunal’ with no international or legal status, statements from Russian officials representing the criminal Putin regime, and a complete lack of independent evidence,” the center’s statement noted.

The Russian-backed “tribunal” claims that Ukraine’s leadership authorized “scorched earth” tactics in Pokrovsk. However, these accusations come as Russian forces have subjected the city to over a year of fierce bombardment, leaving Pokrovsk largely in ruins and causing numerous civilian casualties.

“The launch of this campaign clearly aims to shift the blame for Russia’s own war crimes in Pokrovsk onto Ukraine,” the center added, highlighting what appears to be a recurring pattern in Russian information warfare strategy.

Military analysts have identified Pokrovsk as strategically significant due to its position as a logistics hub for Ukrainian defense operations in the eastern Donbas region. The city, which had a pre-war population of approximately 60,000, has been a focal point in Russia’s eastern offensive throughout 2025.

This isn’t the first instance of Russia attempting to reframe the narrative around its military actions in Ukraine. In August 2025, Russian state media released a propaganda film titled “At the Edge of the Abyss” about the siege of Mariupol. Paradoxically, the film inadvertently documented what international observers identified as war crimes committed by Russian forces, including footage of Russian soldiers firing on a civilian vehicle carrying elderly Ukrainians and children.

The timing of this new disinformation campaign coincides with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent announcement that Ukrainian forces had captured a Russian serviceman allegedly involved in the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia’s Kursk region in October last year. The International Criminal Court and various human rights organizations have documented numerous instances of prisoner mistreatment and executions throughout the conflict.

Russia’s tactics reflect a broader strategy of information warfare that has accompanied its military operations since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The creation of pseudo-legal entities like the “International Public Tribunal” appears designed to create a veneer of legitimacy for claims that lack credible evidence or independent verification.

International human rights monitors have consistently documented Russian forces’ systematic violations in occupied territories, including in Mariupol, Bucha, and other Ukrainian cities. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has reported extensive evidence of summary executions, torture, sexual violence, and forced deportations attributable to Russian forces.

Western intelligence officials note that these disinformation campaigns are typically targeted at both domestic Russian audiences and international observers, particularly in countries where Russia seeks to maintain diplomatic support or neutrality regarding its actions in Ukraine.

The Center for Countering Disinformation, established by Ukrainian authorities to combat Russian propaganda, continues to monitor and debunk false narratives emerging from Russian state media and affiliated organizations.

As the conflict approaches its fourth year, the battle over information and narrative control remains nearly as significant as the physical fighting on the frontlines, with both sides recognizing the importance of international public opinion in securing continued military, economic, and diplomatic support.