They lie and exaggerate: in the Russian Federation deliberately spread fakes about "losses of the Armed Forces in Selidovo" - ISW

The Kremlin propaganda tries to hide the losses of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the battles near Avdiivka, as well as to influence the moral state of Ukrainians. To this end, they prepared information operation, which was spread by various channels on social networks. The Russians launched a massive misinformation campaign to marry Ukrainian society in the size of losses that seemed to have occurred as a result of shelling of a "landfill in Selidovo".

The inconsistency and exaggeration of fake messages shows that there was no emergency event, but there is an operation to disturb Ukrainian society. The details of the information special operation are referred to in the analytical report of the Institute for the Study of War, published on February 13. Analysts have explored messages that were spreading in the pro-Kremliv Telegram channels.

The reports were told about the death of a large number of Ukrainian soldiers at a landfill in Selidovo in Donetsk region. Russian propagandists added "details": the blow was combined by several means of damage - cassette ammunition, Iskander missiles and aviation missiles. The authors pointed out that the fighters of the third assault brigade were on the landfill and they were injured from the air attack. At the same time, the number of "losses" from the post to the post changed, analysts noted.

In particular, the number - "up to 1,500 people" was first indicated. It was later admitted that the "dead" may be less - "from 300 to 1 500". In the end, they added details and reduced the "losses" of personnel - "30 people, two BMPs" and so on. Another proof of deliberateness is the publication at the Kremlin news agency TASS. The post of February 13 reported "losses in Selidovo" on the basis of a post at the Fake Telegram channel of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces.

At the same time, the authors of this channel themselves refuted their own message in a few hours. The ISW report summarized that "Russian sources deliberately exaggerate Ukrainian losses during a Russian blow near Selidovo. " The conclusion is confirmed by the data of the Center for Combating Misinformation: the specialists of the Center indicate that IPSO is "aimed at humiliation of the moral state of Ukrainians".

It should be noted that on February 13, the Russian Federation began to spread the reports of great losses among the Ukrainian army as a result of the shelling of Selidovo - a settlement in Donetsk region, located 20 km from the front line near Donetsk. At the same time, it was argued that the number of losses seemed to be about 1500 people, and the reason for the similar is to be shown in honor of the appointment of a new head committee.

Instructions on what messages should be distributed in the Telegram channel "Digital army of Russia,"-wrote on the portal "Without lies". The Armed Forces denied statements by Russian propagandists. Tavriya, the commander of "Tavriya" Brigade General Oleksandr Tarnavsky, made the denial. The military confirmed that the information-psychological special operation (IPSO) of the Russian Federation is taking place, which has a sole purpose: to hide significant losses of Russians on the front.

"Thus, the enemy distracts from his daily enormous losses in the Tavriya direction. They were only 645 people in the day on February 12, and 2947 people in the previous week (from 5th to 11 February)," the General wrote in Telegram channel . On February 14, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation really hit Selidovoy, - the city military administration reported.