Russian Propaganda Circulates False Reports of National Guard “Blocking Detachments” in Kharkiv Region

Russian propaganda has launched a new disinformation campaign targeting Ukraine’s military cohesion, according to the Center for Countering Disinformation (CPD) of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.

The latest fabrication claims that National Guard of Ukraine (NGU) units are operating as “blocking detachments” near the village of Zybyne in the Kharkiv region. According to these false reports, these units are allegedly preventing soldiers from the 113th Territorial Defense Forces brigade from withdrawing from their combat positions.

The CPD firmly denies these allegations, describing them as entirely manufactured. Security officials believe this is part of a calculated strategy to project Russia’s own military practices onto Ukrainian forces. Unlike Ukraine’s professional military approach, Russian forces have historically employed blocking units that prevent retreat, often leading to high casualty rates among their own troops.

“Russia is attempting to attribute its own disregard for human lives and brutal troop management practices to Ukrainian forces,” a CPD representative stated. “This is a classic case of projection propaganda.”

Military analysts note that such disinformation attacks typically intensify during periods when Russian forces are experiencing setbacks on the battlefield. The timing aligns with recent Ukrainian successes in holding defensive lines in the Kharkiv region despite renewed Russian pressure.

The broader objective of this disinformation campaign appears multifaceted. First, it aims to create discord between different branches of Ukraine’s defense forces, potentially undermining trust between regular army units, National Guard formations, and Territorial Defense volunteers. Second, it seeks to portray Ukraine’s defensive efforts as desperate and collapsing, requiring extreme measures to maintain positions.

“This false narrative about ‘blocking detachments’ is designed to create the impression that Ukrainian forces are resorting to Soviet-style coercive measures to prevent retreats,” explained a security expert familiar with Russian information warfare tactics. “It’s particularly ironic given the documented evidence of such practices being employed by Russian forces in Ukraine.”

The Kharkiv region has been a focal point of military operations since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. After Ukrainian forces successfully liberated much of the region in a counteroffensive in late 2022, Russian troops have repeatedly attempted to regain lost territory and disrupt Ukrainian defensive preparations.

This latest propaganda effort follows an established pattern of Russian disinformation campaigns targeting both domestic and international audiences. The CPD previously highlighted intensified Russian efforts to spread narratives about an alleged “split” within NATO and claims that Western support for Ukraine is diminishing.

Media monitoring organizations have tracked a significant increase in such narratives across Russian state-controlled media and affiliated websites, with coordinated messaging then amplified through social media channels and sympathetic outlets in other countries.

The ongoing information war parallels the physical conflict, with both sides recognizing the importance of shaping perceptions both on and off the battlefield. Ukrainian authorities have invested considerable resources in building institutional capacity to identify and counter Russian disinformation, with the CPD playing a central role in these efforts.

Military experts emphasize that maintaining unit cohesion and trust within Ukraine’s multilayered defense structure remains crucial as the conflict continues into its third year. The Russian targeting of potential fault lines between different elements of Ukraine’s forces demonstrates Moscow’s continued focus on psychological operations alongside conventional military pressure.

Ukrainian officials continue to urge both domestic and international audiences to approach unverified claims about military operations with skepticism, particularly when they align with established Russian propaganda narratives.