Russia accuses Ukraine of plotting provocations with help of West to blame Russian troops

Amid the ongoing brutal war, Russia has accused Ukraine of plotting provocations, including a massacre of civilians in the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR), with the help of the West, in order to pin the blame on the Russian armed forces. Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center, stated that Ukrainian authorities continue to plan barbaric and vicious acts in the Lugansk People's Republic, including mass killings of people, which they would subsequently blame on Russian forces and LPR troops. A provocation is also planned in the Ragovka settlement in the Kyiv region, according to him.

Mizintsev further claimed that the Ukrainian side is planning to shoot a fake video regarding searches for mass graves of civilians allegedly killed by Russian troops. "A team of Ukrainian forensic experts and police officers will be involved in the provocation to make it look more trustworthy," he was quoted as saying by the TASS news agency. Mizintsev also claimed that reporters from foreign media organisations have arrived in the city of Kremennaya in the Severodonetsk region and are staying in the local hospital's building. They are supposed to document the Ukrainian army's provocation in the form of Russian troops allegedly selling ambulance cars transporting patients, he added. 

Ukrainian navy vessels attempted to attack Black Sea Fleet ships: Russia

Furthermore, the chief of Russia’s National Defense Management Center claimed that Ukrainian nationalists had mined chlorine reservoirs at a water utility in the Popyasnaya region with an intention of blowing them up once LPR forces approach the city. Meanwhile, Russian Defense Ministry stated that at least 16 Ukrainian navy vessels attempted to attack Black Sea Fleet ships evacuating Ukrainian troops who had laid down their arms and surrendered on Snake Island. The ministry further claimed that these Ukrainian vessels might have been "guided by US drones."

176 children killed, over 300 injured since onset of war: Ukraine

It is pertinent to mention here that the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine claimed as many as 176 children have been killed and more than 324 injured since the onset of Russian aggression on February 24. It further stated that over 500 children have suffered so far in the war-torn country owing to the full-fledged attack by the invaders. According to the data shared by Prosecutor General's Office, children suffered the most in the Donetsk region with the number as high as 102.

Image: AP