Such information was disseminated in social networks, in particular, on telegram channels broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric. Reports say that the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Kyryl Budanov, announced his intention to exterminate three million residents of Crimea. Allegedly, he said that people in the Crimea will be "physically destroyed", as they are imbued with Russian propaganda. The authors refer to Kyryl Budanov's interview for the documentary film “Year” and add a video excerpt from the film. It's a lie.

The case was noticed by the VoxCheck project specialists, who found that the video had been edited. The phrase about the “physical destruction of people” was mounted on several different answers by Budanov. In fact, in an interview for the documentary film “Year”, Kyryl Budanov said that after the victory he plans to go to Sevastopol. However, he added that after the victory, the process of reintegration of Ukrainian territories would be lengthy. He did not mention the so-called destruction of civilians. However, he added that the physical destruction of enemies concerns Russian soldiers who committed war crimes in the temporarily occupied territories. These parts were compiled to make it look like Kyryl  Budanov is talking about killing civilians.

By spreading such a fake, propagandists seek to once again nourish the narrative about the existence of Nazi Ukrainians who are ready to kill civilians. Therefore, the Russians whitewash themselves and justify a large-scale war and daily war crimes. Allegedly, the goal of Ukraine is to destroy the Russians, so they are defending themselves.