Russian Propagandists Fabricate Claims of Ukrainian Forces Using Civilians to Clear Mines

Russian propaganda outlets have launched a new wave of disinformation, falsely accusing Ukrainian Defense Forces of using civilians as human minesweepers in the Pokrovsk area of eastern Ukraine. The Center for Countering Disinformation (CPD) of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council has firmly refuted these baseless allegations, calling them “outright lies” designed to shift attention from Russia’s own documented war crimes in the region.

According to the CPD, Russian propagandists are circulating claims that Ukrainian forces are forcing civilians to walk on potentially mined roads to “neutralize mines with their bodies.” These allegations rely solely on unverified statements from a Russian military member, lacking any credible evidence or independent confirmation.

“Such unsubstantiated accusations are a typical technique of Russian propaganda,” the CPD stated. “Their goal is to demonize the Ukrainian military and shift the focus from the war crimes of the Russian occupiers.”

The timing of these false narratives appears strategic, coming shortly after documented cases of Russian forces executing civilians in Pokrovsk. Security officials believe this represents a deliberate attempt to create an alternative narrative that portrays Ukrainian forces as the aggressors, while distracting from Russia’s own actions in the region.

This disinformation campaign emerges against the backdrop of a particularly brutal incident on October 20, when Russian occupiers reportedly shot and killed multiple civilians in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. The victims, who were hiding in basements of private homes, included a married couple, their youngest son, and a neighboring woman with her son.

Pokrovsk has become a focal point in the conflict following Russia’s offensive push in eastern Ukraine. Located in government-controlled territory of Donetsk Oblast, the city has strategic significance due to its position as a logistics hub and its proximity to active frontlines. As Russian forces have intensified their campaign in the region, civilian casualties have mounted, prompting increased international concern about Russia’s adherence to international humanitarian law.

The fabricated claims about Ukrainian forces using civilians as mine clearers follows a well-established pattern of Russian information warfare. Since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, Moscow has repeatedly deployed disinformation to justify its military actions and discredit Ukrainian forces. Similar tactics were used in Bucha, Mariupol, and other areas where Russian forces were later documented to have committed serious human rights violations.

International organizations monitoring the conflict have consistently found that Russia’s accusations against Ukrainian forces frequently lack substantiation, while evidence of Russian military abuses continues to accumulate. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has documented numerous cases of Russian forces targeting civilians, using torture, and committing summary executions.

Media analysts note that these propaganda efforts often target both domestic Russian audiences and international observers, attempting to create confusion about responsibility for civilian suffering in the conflict. By flooding information channels with contradictory narratives, Russian propagandists aim to undermine public confidence in verified reports of war crimes.

Ukrainian authorities continue to urge international journalists and human rights organizations to maintain access to conflict-affected areas to document conditions firsthand, rather than relying on unverified claims from Russian military sources.

As fighting in eastern Ukraine intensifies, the information battle remains a crucial dimension of the broader conflict, with Russian propaganda efforts continuing to target Ukrainian military forces with fabricated atrocity claims while attempting to obscure documented cases of civilian targeting by Russian forces.