Russia conducts information operations against Ukrainians in besieged Gaza, trying to sow panic for propaganda purposes, Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) said on Nov. 10.
Ukrainians trapped in the Palestinian enclave are reportedly receiving phone calls from Russian callers, who try to falsely convince them that Ukraine has abandoned them and promise them evacuation by Russia instead.
Ukrainian citizens would be reportedly asked to give an interview to a Russian state news agency should they agree to a Russian-facilitated rescue, the HUR said.
The goal of these efforts is to create propaganda materials to discredit Ukraine, the military intelligence concluded.
Anastasiia Lapatina
The evacuation of Ukrainians from Gaza is underway, with 203 of them being reportedly taken out through the Rafah checkpoint this week.
Some 358 Ukrainian citizens had requested to be evacuated from the embattled Gaza Strip, Foreign Ministry's spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said last week.
The fighting in Israel and Gaza broke out after the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israeli settlements on Oct. 7.
Tel Aviv has responded with retaliatory airstrikes against Gaza, a total blockade of the enclave, and a ground offensive. Thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed on both sides.
(Updated: )
