Russian propagandists have fabricated photos and videos to spread disinformation.
Russian media outlets and pro-Kremlin Telegram channels are circulating claims that so-called “Odesa partisans” carried out a “revenge operation” against police officers in Odesa. According to these reports, officers named “Serhii Lymar” and “Ihor Hapenko” allegedly participated in “forced mobilization,” which supposedly led to the death of a mobilized man and one of the officers. Photos and videos are presented as “evidence.”
These claims are fake.
Firstly, the original source of the information is the Telegram channel Odesskiy Partizan, which, according to analytics platform Tgstat, is administered from Russia.
The channel is part of a broader network of pro-Russian “Z-channels” designed to spread disinformation about Ukraine. Such accounts typically use Ukrainian place names or are operated by collaborators.
Secondly, the police officers allegedly “killed” in the incident have no connection to mobilization processes. Claims that they were involved in the death of an Odesa resident during “forced mobilization” in May 2025 are entirely false.
The press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Odesa region officially denied reports about the alleged killing of Senior Lieutenant Ihor Hapenko, confirming that he is currently on vacation and in good health.
Furthermore, the photos of police officers shared by propagandists have nothing to do with Hapenko or any other officers in Odesa. One widely circulated photo allegedly depicting “Mykhailo Lymar” actually shows Mykola Lymar, a police officer who tragically died in a Russian strike on Odesa on November 18, 2024, along with six other officers. Clearly, he could not have participated in any mobilization activities in May 2025.
Thirdly, the narrative about a man’s death during “forced mobilization” is also fabricated. The video promoted by Odesskiy Partizan has no connection to mobilization.
According to the Odesa regional police press service, no unlawful actions were taken against the civilian shown in the video. The man suffered an epileptic seizure triggered by excessive alcohol consumption. A passerby called an ambulance, and doctors later confirmed he has epilepsy.
The Center for Countering Disinformation under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council has also debunked this fake.
This incident is part of a broader Russian disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting Ukraine’s mobilization efforts.
Earlier, Russian propagandists also spread false claims about President Volodymyr Zelensky following the Washington summit.
Andriy Olenin
Source: Russian propaganda invents 'partisans' in Odesa, fake attack on police over 'forced mobilization'
