Russia is preparing a major provocation in the Zaporizhia region to portray Ukrainian soldiers as inhumane.
Military correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko reported this on his Telegram channel.
"We have just received information from our special services about a large-scale information provocation against Ukraine. What will it look like? Russian soldiers in the village of Rozivka in Polohy district of Zaporizhia region have been tasked with finding the body of a deceased Ukrainian fighter, dressing him in a Russian uniform, attaching him by the legs to a car (the type typically used by Ukrainian military), and dragging him several times. According to sources in the occupied territory, Russian soldiers from the 'Storm Z' unit, disguised in Ukrainian uniforms, may engage in such desecration of the body. The goal of this 'operation' is to demonstrate that Ukrainians are allegedly violating the rules of warfare and committing crimes against Russian prisoners," the journalist's message stated.
According to his information, this information operation is being overseen by the top leadership of the FSB (Federal Security Service of Russia), and it involves not only Russian military personnel but also Russian diplomats and Russian journalists, as well as Western ones who are supposed to 'legitimize' this story.
"Why is this needed? Because recently, the UN recognized the authenticity of videos showing the execution of Ukrainian prisoners and the mistreatment of Ukrainian captives, and this has garnered significant attention in the Western world. Therefore, Russians, Russian diplomats, Russian journalists, and Russian intelligence agencies have been tasked, as they put it, to 'balance' this information and redirect the world's attention to alleged crimes committed by Ukrainian soldiers. And, I repeat, all of this is happening right now," emphasized Andriy Tsaplienko.
He appealed to Western journalists not to participate in this disinformation campaign. "After all, the war is not only on the ground but also in the information space. It's a battle for the minds of those who are helping Ukrainians defend their land," he noted