Ukrainian forces secured Nove, Katerynivka, and Novomykhailivka before Russian outlets released staged footage claiming military presence there.
Russian propaganda channels attempted to counter Ukrainian advances on the Lyman front by publishing staged videos showing flags in recently liberated villages. Ukrainian forces from the 3rd Assault Brigade had already consolidated control over Nove, Katerynivka, and Novomykhailivka before the footage appeared, according to Ukrainian military sources.
The videos, released urgently during the Ukrainian offensive, purport to show Russian military personnel in the three settlements. However, Ukrainian fighters say the recordings were made after their units secured the area, part of an information operation designed to create a false impression of Russian battlefield presence.
The settlements were retaken in a broader counteroffensive in Donetsk Oblast, where the 3rd Assault Brigade, known by the call sign "Triika," has played a leading role along the Lyman axis. Russian channels have yet to produce similar content from Orikhiv, which Ukrainian forces also cleared in recent days.
Military analysts view the staged flag videos as a recurring propaganda tactic deployed to mask territorial losses and sustain domestic morale in Russia. The speed of Ukrainian consolidation suggests the response was reactive rather than reflective of actual frontline conditions.
https://t.me/pacany_donbas/5904