Tsaplienko reported unverified news about Putin's demands to attack Kyiv – fact checkers

Ukrainian military journalist Andriy Tsaplienko reported in his Telegram channel that Putin was allegedly "insisting on the need to advance on two additional axises: towards Kyiv from the Republic of Belarus and towards Kharkiv from Belgorod region."

Media checkers from the "Other Side Of The News" project pointed this out.

According to the journalist himself, this was reported by sources close to the Kremlin. "For some reason, he does not clarify whom they reported this to. But it is obvious that Andriy does not have any sources of his own in the Kremlin and cannot have any. And if he himself thinks otherwise, it is even worse. Because they may be manipulating him there," note the media checkers.

They add that the truth turned out to be, as it often happens, "quite unexciting".

"As Stanislav Bezushko, who calls himself an analyst, found out, the text of Tsaplienko's post is reproduced verbatim on anonymous anti-Ukrainian Telegram channels. Tsaplienko only translated it into Ukrainian. Compare for yourself. This is what the 'General SVR' Telegram channel, which we checked, writes: 'President believes that drafting five hundred thousand people provides an opportunity both to fill the gaps on the already existing axises and to create two new ones.' And here is Tsaplienko's text: 'The dictator believes that drafting five hundred thousand people provides an opportunity both to fill the gaps on the already existing axises and to create two new ones.' He just replaced "president" with "dictator". And that's how it is throughout the post," reads the message from "Other Side Of The News".

The media checkers also noted that Andriy Tsaplienko was not only spreading unverified information in his channel, but also writing about it on the Obozryevatel website in the "Opinions" section.

"After being 'authorized' like that, it has spread from there to other media outlets. Adding to the irony is the fact that there is an editorial note which comes immediately under the headline: "We only post verified information in our Telegram channel. Don't fall for fakes!" the "Other Side Of The News" team concluded.