Russian state media are spreading disinformation, claiming that an evacuation of the southern part of Zaporizhzhia has allegedly been announced due to a “Russian offensive”. This was flagged by fact-checkers from the StopFake project. The false statement was made by collaborator Volodymyr Rohov, who is known for spreading fakes and false reports about the situation in Zaporizhzhia region.

In reality, no evacuation is taking place in Zaporizhzhia. On September 30, the city is only scheduled to hold an evacuation drill in the Komunarskyi district, aimed at checking the readiness of emergency services and practicing their coordination, not at actually relocating people.

Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Rehina Kharchenko said during the national telethon that there are no grounds for evacuating the population. She stressed that decisions on evacuation can only be made by the military and the regional military administration, and that there is currently no such need.

Fakes such as Rohov’s statement are intended to create the impression that the Ukrainian authorities are allegedly losing control of the situation, which could undermine trust in the government and the military.

The constant stoking of fear through fake reports about an offensive or evacuation is meant to psychologically exhaust both civilians and defenders, forcing them to remain in a state of constant tension.