Propagandists are disseminating information about alleged preparations for the evacuation of authorities from the Orikhovskyi and Huliaipilskyi districts of the Zaporizhzhia region. This was stated by the coordinator of the so-called Mykolaiv underground. However, this is fake.

The Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council drew attention to it. Its specialists checked the information with the head of the Polohivskyi district state military administration, Artur Krupskyi, who confirmed that this information was not true.

Several inaccuracies also indicate unreliability. Firstly, Orikhovskyi and Huliaipilskyi  districts were liquidated in 2020 in accordance with the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No. 807-IX dated July 17, 2020. On their basis, the enlarged Polohivskyi district was created. Secondly, the “news” about emergency evacuation is based on a false interpretation of information about a meeting of the Coordination Headquarters at the regional level to prepare plans for evacuation work in case of emergencies. Such events are regularly carried out at both the district and regional levels, including planned evacuation drills. In addition, a significant part of the Polohivskyi district is located in a zone of active hostilities, so the evacuation of civilians from populated areas near the conflict occurs daily.

By spreading such fakes, Russian propagandists are trying to sow panic among the local population and discredit local authorities. In this way, they try to create a feeling of uncertainty and fear in people. They say that the situation is so critical that local authorities are planning to evacuate, which means they are not able to cope with the situation and are leaving their citizens to fend for themselves. This could undermine confidence in the Ukrainian authorities, raising doubts about their ability to protect the population and maintain order.