New video showed that pro-Russian fighters airdrop mock ‘death certificates’ and play traditional Soviet songs from an armored vehicle to convince Ukrainians to “stop resisting” in a propaganda move.
Based in the contested Donbas region, the People’s Militia of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) said they are using “death notes” to ‘nudge’ Ukrainians into giving up the fight.
In the footage, a DPR soldier explains: “The Peoples Militia of DPR is using methods like sending out leaflets.
“Death Certificates. ‘Stop resisting or fill out your death note’. Sent from our drones.
“Right now we are near the contact line where we launch drones with leaflets of the appropriate content.”
The video shows the unit then attaching the propaganda to the drone and sending it off to its destination.
In the second video, DPR member Konstantin Kolybelskiy says: “Today we will be broadcasting directly to the enemy.
“[In Ukrainian] we have over 2,000 people. Nobody needs us except our families. We are thrown to the slaughter by the Ukrainian oligarchs.”
He adds: “We made the broadcast in two languages, Russian and Ukrainian.
“After broadcasting detailed instructions for saving their lives, we play good old patriotic music.”
Elsewhere, pro-Russia forces have gained control of the city of Lyman in Donetsk Oblast, according to Ukrainian officials, following what they called a well-organized attack.
Officials are claiming that Russian forces have scattered up to 500 Soviet-era mines in the Black Sea, making it impossible for Ukraine to export goods from its ports.
From February 24 to May 29, the total combat losses of Russian troops stand at around 30,150 personnel, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian military also claims that Russia has lost 1,338 tanks, 3,270 armored fighting vehicles, 631 artillery systems, 203 multiple launch rocket systems, 93 anti-aircraft systems, 207 warplanes, 174 helicopters, 2,240 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 vessels, 504 unmanned aerial vehicles, 48 units of special equipment, and 116 cruise missiles.
Last week, Ukrainian officials said Russian forces attacked over 40 towns in the eastern Donbas region.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 in what Russian President Vladimir Putin initially called a “special military operation” to “demilitarize and denazify” Ukraine.
The Kremlin is still calling it a “special military operation” but now says the goal is to “protect Donbass”. May 30 marks the 96th day of the invasion.
