Fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists has raged in the region since 2014 and killed more than 14,000 people. Further amplifying the Russian rhetoric is a veritable army of Moscow-aligned digital activists and social media accounts. Pro-Russian journalists and activists claimed it was part of a large-scale bombardment by Ukrainian forces of areas controlled by the separatists. Another target of Russian disinformation is Ukraine itself. "It looks like another fake has been coined," Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said, according to Russian news agency Tass.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 17, 2022 20:28 UTC