Aug. 28, 2025, 8 p.m.
(The army. SOURCE: actum.com.ua)
Russian propagandists have spread disinformation about a 'retaliation operation' in Odesa against Ukrainian police officers. The reports, which are accompanied by fake photos and videos, claim that the operation killed a mobilized soldier and one of the law enforcement officers allegedly involved in the 'forced mobilization'.
This is stated in the Ukrinform investigation.
The reports, which are accompanied by fake photos and videos, claim that the 'operation' resulted in the deaths of a mobilized person and one of the law enforcement officers.
SOURCE: Ukrinform
The disinformation about the "retaliation operation" comes from the telegram channel "Odessaniy Partizan", which is moderated from the territory of Russia. This channel is part of a wide network of z-telegram channels created to spread anti-Ukrainian disinformation. Usually, these publics use Ukrainian place names in their names or belong to collaborators to create the illusion of local origin of the information. Thus, the source of the fake news is unreliable and driven by Russian propaganda.
In particular, the police officers who were allegedly eliminated have nothing to do with the mobilization. The information about their involvement in the death of an Odesa resident is not true. The press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa region has officially denied the information about the alleged murder of Senior Lieutenant Igor Gapenko. The police confirmed that he is alive, healthy and currently on vacation.
The photo, which propagandists presented as a photo of Mykhailo Lymar, is actually of police officer <b>Mykola Lymar</b>. He was one of the seven law enforcement officers killed on November 18, 2024, during the Russian shelling of Odesa. Obviously, the deceased policeman could not have participated in the mobilization activities in May 2025.
The very story of the man's death during 'forced mobilization' spread by Russian propaganda is completely fabricated. The video presented as evidence has nothing to do with mobilization activities. According to the official information of the Main Department of the National Police in Odesa region, no illegal actions were committed against the man. He had <b>an epileptic</b>seizure caused by excessive alcohol consumption. This information was confirmed by doctors who were called by passers-by.
The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council also officially denied this fake, stating that it is part of a broader and larger disinformation campaign by Russia. The goal of this campaign is to discredit the mobilization in Ukraine and sow panic and distrust among the population. Such materials are created to portray Ukrainian law enforcement officers as criminals and the mobilization process as violent and dangerous.
Катерина Глушко