Against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict, Russia and Belarus have leveled serious accusations against Ukraine. According to their version, Ukrainian forces struck a bus carrying a children's football team. However, this incident raises questions not only about the facts but also about how it is being used in the information war.
Accusations and Minsk's reaction
RBC-Ukraine, citing a report from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports that Moscow is apparently using this case to involve Belarus in its information operations. The goal is to present large-scale strikes against Ukraine as a response to alleged attacks on the civilian population.
Belarusian rhetoric has fully aligned with the Russian: Minsk also blamed Ukraine, stating that Kyiv is trying to provoke a "harsh" response and escalate the war.
Ukraine's position and denials
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Center for Countering Disinformation have refuted claims of a strike on a bus with children in the Bryansk region. They emphasized that Ukrainian Defense Forces did not use drones against targets in that region at the specified time.
After the accusations appeared, Dmytro Lubinets, the Ombudsman of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, contacted the Belarusian side and declared readiness to join an impartial investigation.
Information war and narratives
As ISW notes, such statements have been appearing for several weeks in a row. Russia regularly claims that its strikes against Ukraine are a "justified response" to alleged attacks on the peaceful population. However, ISW emphasizes that it cannot independently verify the fact of a strike on the bus.
This incident demonstrates how quickly events can be used to form narratives justifying the escalation of the conflict. While independent confirmation is absent, both sides continue to use this case to strengthen their position in the information struggle.