Myth: Ukraine is striking its own cities to blame Russia.
Fact: This is a false claim. In 2014, during the conflict in eastern Ukraine, Russian forces and their separatist allies regularly struck both Ukrainian-controlled cities and separatist-held territories. For example, Russia’s artillery and airstrikes often targeted Ukrainian cities like Mariupol, while separatists in Donbas also launched attacks on both sides. The idea that Ukraine would intentionally strike its own cities to blame Russia is baseless and ignores the evidence of Russian aggression, which has been well-documented by international observers. Ukraine has consistently been defending its territory, not attacking it.
For instance, on July 8, 2024, Russian forces conducted a missile attack on the Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, Ukraine’s largest pediatric medical center. At 10:42 a.m., a powerful explosion struck the intensive care and therapy departments, causing significant damage and civilian casualties. Russian propagandists attempted to claim that Ukraine staged the attack, but independent investigations, including those by Bellingcat, identified Russian missiles as the source. This incident exemplifies Russia’s pattern of disinformation, attempting to attribute their own actions to Ukraine.