Could Ukraine really give up Sumy? CCD responds

The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) says Russia has launched another wave of an information and psychological operation falsely claiming that Russian occupying forces are on the verge of capturing Sumy.

The CCD notes that after the Russian dictator claimed that occupying forces were «10.5 km from Sumy» which, according to the agency, is not true, pro-Kremlin resources began spreading manipulative content built around the narrative that «the authorities are surrendering the city.»

«Propagandists claim that the local authorities are deliberately neglecting the restoration of critical infrastructure because Sumy is allegedly being prepared for surrender, ” the CCD said.
The agency stressed that these claims failed to resonate with Ukrainians. As a result, Russia resorted to creating the artificial appearance of «mass discontent» among local residents. In particular, a video featuring a purported «Sumy resident» emotionally complaining about low water pressure was circulated on TikTok. The clip was quickly picked up and amplified by Russian Telegram channels.

«Notably, the original source of the video was an anonymous account posing as a Ukrainian serviceman rather than the alleged Sumy resident herself. This is a long-established tactic used by Russian intelligence services: an account is created and filled with neutral military-related content to gain the audience’s trust, after which destructive disinformation is spread through it, ” the agency explained.

The CCD stresses that Russia is seeking to sow fear among Sumy residents and undermine public trust in both the city authorities and the state.