Russia claims capture of non-existent village in Kharkiv region

The Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed to have captured the village of Shcherbakivka in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine. However, the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) has identified this claim as a piece of disinformation.

According to the CCD, Shcherbakivka has not officially existed as an inhabited settlement since 1997, after it lost its population. The Ukrainian side suggests that Russian propaganda outlets are using these claims to create a false impression of continuous military advances across multiple fronts.

A similar incident was reported in the Zaporizhzhia region, where Ukrainian forces reportedly captured a Russian soldier from the 5th Tank Brigade. The soldier was allegedly sent to the village of Zirnytsia to plant a Russian flag and film footage to serve as fabricated evidence of Russian territorial gains.