The Russian Ministry of Defense spreads such lies. According to Russian propagandists, Kyiv believes that in this way, it can deter the offensive and bring a chemical catastrophe to Russia. In addition, the Zelensky Office allegedly decided to stop the withdrawal of troops from Sievierodonetsk to Lysychansk to show the West that the fighting spirit justified the supply of weapons. Russian propaganda, working ahead of schedule, regularly disperses allegations that the Ukrainian army plans to mine or undermine and accuses Russia of doing so. Another goal of such a lie is to distrust the Ukrainian military.

Today there are active battles for Sievierodonetsk in the Luhansk region; the Russians are storming the city, throwing all the reserves there now; it is their main goal. At the same time, they are systematically shelling the Azot chemical plant, where people are in bomb shelters. According to the head of the regional military-civil administration Serhiy Haidai, it is impossible to deliver food and medicine to Sievierodonetsk due to constant shelling, and the humanitarian situation is complicated.