Russian propagandists spread such messages by using, in particular, a quote from the American economist Jeffrey Sachs, who has pro-Russian views.

According to the Center for Combating Disinformation, the Kremlin media took the words of former US military officer Murphy Donovan out of context and spread false reports that the population of Odesa will come under Russian control on its own. Donovan's article generally talks about the importance of Odesa for Ukraine.