After the massive missile attack on the night of April 24, which hit Kyiv, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Kryvyi Rih, Kharkiv, and a number of other cities, the Kremlin media launched a coordinated disinformation campaign. The goal was to justify the actions of the Russian armed forces, which, according to the Ukrainian side, once again violated international humanitarian law by striking residential buildings, critical infrastructure, and medical facilities.
One of the most absurd narratives of this information wave was the story of the alleged “harvesting of organs” from wounded and dead Ukrainians. According to Russian propagandists, the “organ harvesting” operations are carried out under the guidance of Ukrainian special services and with the support of international humanitarian organizations. The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine notes that this fake has no basis in fact and is based on fictitious testimonies of anonymous “sources.” None of the leading international medical or human rights organizations have confirmed the existence of such cases, while Ukrainian and foreign experts emphasize that this is an example of manipulative rhetoric aimed at demonizing the Ukrainian side.
At the same time, another common narrative has been the accusation of Ukrainian air defense of allegedly “self-shelling” civilian objects. Russian media outlets promote the thesis that the destruction recorded in residential areas is the result of air defense, which allegedly fires uncontrollably at air targets, causing debris to fall on civilian neighborhoods. However, according to OSINT community analysts and independent experts, the nature of the destruction indicates direct hits by Kalibr and Iskander munitions, as well as strikes by Shahed-136 kamikaze drones. Geolocation images and video from the scene, analyzed by independent investigators, leave no doubt as to the origin of the explosions – they are the results of an attack by Russian weapons.
The Center for Countering Disinformation reports that such campaigns are part of a strategy to provide information cover for hostilities. This approach allows the Kremlin to simultaneously create an alternative reality in the information space alongside attacks on civilians – which can be qualified as war crimes – in which responsibility is shifted to the Ukrainian side. It is important to note that this tactic is not new. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russia has repeatedly launched similar disinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting the Ukrainian military, humanitarian organizations, and Western partners.
These fakes are disseminated through a chain of information platforms, including pro-Russian Telegram channels, fake accounts on social networks X and Facebook, as well as individual sites with a “neutral” positioning that target a foreign audience. In a number of cases, resources stylized as Western media are used, which, according to analysts, is part of the so-called influence operations. The focus is on disseminating content in English, German, and French with an emphasis on dubious “investigations” and “eyewitness accounts.”
Information security experts emphasize that in the active phase of hybrid warfare, users should be as cautious as possible about sources, especially during periods of aggravation at the front or after large-scale attacks. It is necessary to check the authenticity of information, its origin and purpose of dissemination. Signs of manipulation may include the absence of specific facts, anonymity of sources, appeal to emotions, and dissemination through dubious or newly created platforms.
We continue to monitor the situation and record new examples of the Kremlin’s use of disinformation to cover up the actions of its own army and discredit the Ukrainian resistance.
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