Russia is so "powerful" state that it manages to seize the same Ukrainian settlements several times for months in a row. Russia usually tells about its "victories" in small villages, which the vast majority of the Russians are unlikely to find on a map. However, the Russians also have "great victories". This article published by "Trubyn" is about the most brilliant occupiers' stories.
Zelenskyy's capitulation
High losses and the lack of tangible successes in the war, which, according to the Russians, must be over "in three days" made occupiers' propaganda resources broadcast messages about the victory from the very beginning of the full-scale invasion.
These resources reported about the "seizure of the reserve command post" of the Kyiv Military District in Mykolaivka, then about the "destruction of the command post of the Ukrainian Armed Forces" by a unit of Ka-52 helicopters, and then demonstrated "the abandoned positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Maryinka."
In March 2022, TV channel "Ukraine 24" even showed a fake appeal made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy about "surrender". The video appeared as a result of a hacker attack.
The false appeal was the following: "Dear Ukrainians! Dear defenders! Being the president was not so easy. I have to make difficult decisions. At first, I decided to return Donbas. It's time to look each other in the eye. It failed. It only got worse. Much worse. There is no more tomorrow. At least for me. I have decided to say goodbye to you. I advise you to lay down your arms and return to your families. It is not worth dying in this war. My advice to you is to live. I am going to do the same."
Later TV channel "Ukraine 24" commented that hostile hackers had interfered with the work of the information tape and the "Sohodni" website.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the situation.
"As for the latest childish provocation with advice to lay down arms, I only advise that the troops of the Russian Federation lay down their arms and return home. We are already home, we are defending our land, our children, our families. So, we are not going to lay down any arms until our victory," - Zelenskyy said in his video appeal
Newspapers about fake failures experienced by the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Russians began to distribute newspapers about fake failures of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in summer. As a matter of fact, such newspapers were printed purely for Ukrainian prisoners of war, including those from "Azovstal", in order to break their faith and unwavering dedication to Ukraine. For example, one of fake newspapers include Valerii Zaluzhnyi's statement about the "loss of Zaporizhzhia" and Oleksii Arestovych's view that "if something happen, the western regions will definitely remain for us". Otherwise, the Russian Federation cannot achieve any victories.
New occupation of already occupied settlements
In the spring of 2022, Russian propaganda managed to present as new "victories" information about the villages in Kharkiv oblast captured since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Russian propagandists, some of whom call themselves "war correspondents", began to actively spread fakes about battles results in north of Kharkiv. Accodring to propagandist publics and Telegram channels, Ukrainian troops allegedly abandoned Tsupivka, Tokarivka, and in some reports also Ruska Lozova.
In fact, these settlements were occupied in the very first days of the full-scale invasion of Russian troops into the territory of Ukraine. In addition, the invaders shelled Kharkiv from the territory of these settlements.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine de-occupied all these settlements in April-May 2022.
Pseudo-referendums
The real purpose of the pseudo-referendums that the Russians held in the occupied parts of four Ukrainian regions is their attempt to gain a foothold on Ukrainian land. The fact that the Russians conducted "voting" on their own territory, opening about 200 "polling stations" in the suburbs of Moscow, in the Jewish Autonomous region, Sakhalin and Kamchatka clearly demonstrates the theatrics and orientation on the domestic consumer.
The results were quite predictable, as for a propaganda fake - almost one hundred percent turnout and almost one hundred percent approval. The statement made by the Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmytro Medvedev is considered to be a clear evidence. According to him, after the so-called referendums these territories will be "Russian" and Moscow will be able to use "all the forces of self-defense."
Attempts to justify the annexation of part of the Ukrainian territories, which are still controlled by the occupying forces, also aim to create the illusion that the aggressor cares about the fate of the population in the captured territories. While a protracted and exhausting war is lasting, Putin and his entourage are making great efforts to show their citizens at least some victories.
Reports on the "capture" of cities and villages in Donbas
The analytical portal "Slovo i Dilo" noted that the invaders "took" the village of Pisky, not far from occupied Donetsk, at least four times, and Opytne - about six times.
Previously, Russian troops also "took control" of Rubizhne in Luhansk oblast at least 4 times. Firstly, the occupiers announced it on March 18.On April 20, Rubizhne was personally "liberated" by the head of Chechnia Ramzan Kadyrov. Five days later he once again "completely liberated" this settlement for reliability. On May 13, the fighters of the "LPR" "cleaned up" Rubizhne again. The story of village of Pisky near Donetsk was also "victorious" for the occupiers: they "сaptured" it, like Rubizhne, four times. On August 4, the "DPR" fighters reported the capture of the settlement. On August 13, the representative of the Russian Ministry of Defense Ihor Konashenkov provided the same information. After Pisky was "taken" by Kadyrov, and then also the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Serhii Shoihu did it in September.
The occupiers announced the capture of Maryinka in Donetsk region three times - on March 17, August 22 and November 22.The story of "success" was repeated with Soledar in Donetsk region. Russia reported on its "complete liberation" several times.
Yevhen Pryhozhyn, the founder of Private Military Company "Wagner", was the first to announce the capture of Soledar. He said that this "victory" was achieved due to work of his mercenaries alone. Next day, Moscow urged people not to hurry with such statements, but Pryhozhyn again announced his "success". On January 12, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the capture of the city.
At least twice, the Russians "captured" Zaitseve (August 19 and September 20) and Pavlivka (October 30 and November 14) in Donetsk oblast.
"Russia is experiencing a serious shortage of victories at the front - the offensive in Donetsk oblast is slow and with heavy losses. However, it is necessary to imitate success for Russian society. That's why, the Russian Federation not only declares the destruction of non-existent Ukrainian equipment, but also repeatedly "captures" the same settlements. As a rule, these are villages in which several thousand or even hundreds of people lived before the war, and their names mean nothing to the Russians,"- the press service of the InformNapalm volunteer project noted.
However, such tactics are not unusual for Russia: the aggressor country built a parallel reality for its population long ago.
"The only significant victory for the Kremlin in this war was the effective intimidation and brainwashing of its own population, the creation of an alternate reality with cosplay for the Second World War with all its Soviet manifestations - floggings, meat waves, generals who do not value the lives of soldiers in order to report on capture of the village.When even meat waves do not help - they make fake " victories", - InformNapalm stated.
Destruction of Ukrainian weapons
The daily reports from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation mainly say that Multiple Launch Rocket Systems HIMARS are allegedly destroyed. The first of such statements was made on July 6, 2022.
"In the area of the settlement of Malotaranivka of the Donetsk People's Republic, two launchers of the US-made Multiple Launch Rocket Systems "HIMARS" and two ammunition depots for them were destroyed by high-precision air-based missiles," - the representative of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation Ihor Konashenkov said.
Then "HIMARS" were "destroyed" every two weeks. Two were sometimes destroyed at once. For example, on July 17, August 1 and 13, it allegedly happened in Pokrovsk, Kharkiv and Kramatorsk.Both ammunition and rocket launchers were "destroyed".
Then the propagandists started “destroying” HIMARS almost every other day - on September 3, 5 and 9 in Kostyantynivka, Tymchenko, and Chervonyi Dinets. It was stated that 1 MLRS was "destroyed" at all three points. Sometimes - with ammunition and loading equipment, sometimes - with personnel.
After that, there was a short pause in the reports of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. At the end of September, they allegedly "destroyed" one HIMARS in the village of Monachynivka, Kharkiv region, and another one - in the village of Berezneguvate, Mykolaiv region. A week later, near Zaporizhzhia, two HIMARS systems were allegedly destroyed by "high-precision strikes". In October, they "destroyed" two HIMARS at once in Kharkiv oblast, and in December they did the same near Kramatorsk and Konstantinovka in Donetsk oblast. Since January, they have been "destroying" HIMARS every month.
In addition, at least 10 rocket launch systems were claimed to be "injured", "damaged", and "suppressed." However, no photograph or satellite image was shown. Then the Russians face a serious problem: only 20 MLRS installations were brought to Ukraine.
It is difficult to calculate how many times the occupiers declared the "destruction" of "HIMARS" because the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation often writes that the equipment is not "destroyed" but "damaged" or "suppressed". The meaning of those phrases are not explained. The fact that at least one HIMARS installation suffered at the Russian hands is denied both in Kyiv and in the West. At most, the Ukrainian military managed to fool the Russians with the help of wooden models. The Washington Post wrote that the occupiers spent expensive Kalibr missiles on strikes against the models of HIMARS, which the Russian military took for real ones.
Russian propaganda is still trying to downplay the achievements of the Armed Forces and, in order to raise the morale of its soldiers, continues to dispel the myth of the destruction of the HIMARS systems supplied to Ukraine. Soon the number of equipment "damaged" and "destroyed" will exceed five dozen in the imagination of propagandists.
