Former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi allegedly started a war against the Russian-speaking population of Donbas by launching an anti-terrorist operation during which the Ukrainian army allegedly killed women, children and innocent people. This was noted by the Center for Countering Disinformation.

The Center's experts explain that the anti-terrorist operation in Donbas was a response to the Russian-backed armed aggression that began after the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. Ukraine did not initiate the war, but acted within the framework of international law, defending its territory and citizens from pro-Russian separatists and Russian troops. The accusation of mass murder of civilians is part of the Kremlin's disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the Ukrainian government and justifying its aggressive actions.

Russia is trying to create an image of Ukraine as an aggressor country that violates the rights of the Russian-speaking population. This is done in order to justify its actions on the international stage, in particular the occupation of Crimea and support for militants in Donbas. The spread of such fakes is aimed at causing tensions between different ethnic and linguistic groups in Ukraine, especially among Russian-speaking citizens, which could lead to internal destabilization. Russia is also trying to influence public opinion in Europe and the United States in order to reduce support for Ukraine from the international community. With such statements, the Kremlin seeks to portray the conflict in Donbas as an internal civil conflict, rather than an act of external aggression.