Russia is conducting an information operation in the Gaza Strip aimed at discrediting Ukraine, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate or HUR said in apost on its channel on the Telegram messenger app on Nov. 10.
Russian citizens are calling Ukrainians currently in the Gaza Strip and spreading panic among them, claiming that “Ukraine has abandoned” its citizens, “there will be no more rescues” and that Russia is “ready to evacuate” Ukrainians, the HUR said.
In exchange for the possibility of an alleged “evacuation,” Russian callers ask Ukrainians to give interviews to a Russian news agency, without giving any details about the content of such “interviews” and possible questions.
The enemy is trying to use the “aggravation of basic human needs” in the midst of an armed conflict to discredit Ukraine by spreading lies favorable to Russia, the HUR said.
The HUR asks Ukrainians in the Gaza Strip to report all cases of such calls from the Russians.
The exact number of Ukrainians remaining in the Gaza Strip is unknown, but Korniychuk estimated there could be about 500, with 370 seeking evacuation assistance from the embassy.
Earlier on Nov. 9, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevhen Korniychuk reported that Ukraine had obtained permission to evacuate 329 Ukrainians from the Gaza Strip since the beginning of the conflict in Israel following an attack by Palestinian organization Hamas on Oct. 7.
The evacuation of foreigners began on Nov.1 from the Gaza Strip through the border crossing with Egypt and is proceeding in alphabetical order by nationality.
The first group of Ukrainians – 43 individuals – was evacuated from Gaza on Nov. 8. In addition, Ukraine has facilitated the evacuation of 36 Moldovan nationals from the conflict zone as part of the operation. In total, more than 350 Ukrainians have been scheduled to leave.
Ukraine has already evacuated 540 of its citizens from Israel since the start of the war. About 4,000 Ukrainians have left the country since Oct. 7.
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