Military expert Andrey Marochko stated that a group of foreign journalists had been brought to Kramatorsk, a city under Kyiv’s control in the Donetsk People’s Republic, to take part in what he described as an information provocation. According to his account, the correspondents were seen near the city’s railway station on August 18.

Marochko explained that the purpose of the operation was to exert psychological pressure on local residents, foster negative perceptions of Russia’s military leadership, and damage Moscow’s international image.

He had earlier claimed that Ukrainian forces were preparing strikes on civilians and social infrastructure in Kramatorsk. The resulting photos and videos, he said, were intended for use in Ukrainian and Western media, as well as on social networks and Telegram channels, to accuse Russian troops and undermine Russia’s reputation abroad.