Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, which operates under the National Security and Defense Council, has described claims that a Ukrainian drone struck a Belarusian bus in Russia’s Bryansk Region as a Russian propaganda provocation.
“The Russians have provided no evidence to support their claims and have not even published photographs from the scene. Notably, these reports are being circulated just two weeks after the widespread dissemination of another false claim alleging that a Ukrainian drone had attacked a Belarusian bus carrying a children’s football team in the same Bryansk Region. Those reports were fully refuted by information from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine,” the center said.
According to the statement, Belarusian society does not support Russia’s assistance in its aggression against Ukraine.
“The dissemination of false propaganda reports about alleged Ukrainian attacks on civilian buses from Belarus is a deliberate provocation by the Russians, who are eager to draw Belarus into the war against Ukraine.
Belarusian society does not support Russia’s assistance in its aggression against Ukraine. It cannot be ruled out that the Russians themselves are carrying out such provocations, since they have the greatest interest in using Belarusian territory for the war against Ukraine,” the center said in its statement.
As previously reported, on the afternoon of July 2, a Belarusian tourist bus operating on the Minsk–Anapa route was struck by a drone in the Zlynka District of Russia’s Bryansk Region. There were 19 passengers on board. Three people — two drivers and one passenger — were injured. All Belarusian citizens were transported to the Homiel Region, while six Russian citizens remained at a temporary accommodation center in the Bryansk Region.
Russia’s Investigative Committee said the strike had been carried out by Ukrainian forces and opened a criminal case on terrorism charges.
