DISINFO: Russia liberates Donbas from Ukrainian strikes
SUMMARY
Ukrainian armed forces have been shelling residential buildings in Donetsk from Avdiivka. According to the latest figures, the allied forces have liberated about 70% of the city, managed to cut or fire on all asphalt roads, and the muddy weather that has started is seriously hampering the Ukrainian forces' ammunition and reinforcements supplies.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative trying to claim that Ukraine is shelling civilian targets in Donbas and Russian forces are only liberating the territory.
The claim that Ukraine attacks and disregards the life of the civilians while Russia is making the protection of civilians a priority is a part of a wider narrative trying to downplay the Russian attacks against civilian infrastructure. Contrary to these claims the UN have recorded at least 22,424 civilian casualties since the latest armed conflict began on 24 February, including 8,401 killed and 14,023 injured. However, the exact figures are likely to be much higher as ongoing hostilities have hindered the authorities’ ability to verify possible cases in many parts of the country.
Most of the civilian casualties are from airstrikes and explosive weapons used by Russian forces with wide area effects, including heavy artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. As a result, hundreds of residential buildings in many cities, including Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mariupol and Kyiv have been damaged and destroyed.
See similar narratives debunked here.