RT’s LIES: Ukrainian Soldiers Surrender, Civilian Fighters Part of ‘Neo-Nazi Battalions’

You may have thought CNN and MSNBC spewed outright lies and falsehoods but with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, they don’t hold a candle to state-controlled RT (Russia Today). On day five of the war, RT correspondent Murad Gazdiev made a host of outlandish claims ranging from Ukrainian soldiers surrendering en masse and the civilian defense forces were organizing into “neo-Nazi battalions,” in addition to the usual falsehoods about Russian forces not intentionally attacking civilian locations.

Gazdiev created a fictitious account and posted an update on the fighting in Mariupol’s eastern region. He suggested that the city be named after him. “almost surrounded.”He stated that the fighting units were his. “belonging to the regular military” were “choosing to negotiate” and “lay down their arms and return to their homes.” And only “nationalist elements” were still opposing the Russian advance.

To keep his mind on the potential delusion that the Russians would first invade, he continued to speak about how Russian troops were being welcomed openly.

We will see, obviously, in Ukraine, how different people react to this operation. There are certainly civilians who have been happy to see Russian forces, but there – but there have also been those who have been less than happy to see, again, Russian troops advancing through Ukraine.

“[L]ess than happy,” is one mighty understatement.

While he acknowledged that Ukrainian forces had allegedly mined roads to Berdyansk on the coast, he did not mention this. the civilian population rising upProtest to resist the occupation

He also tried to suggest that Russian forces cared about the civilian populations and how they were supposedly teaming up with local police to stop crime and murders (Click “expand”):

On the whole, with the authorities, with the – the administrations of various villages and towns, there has been contact. The authorities have tried to be responsible. They attempted to work with Russian forces to come to an agreement on joint patrols. The police were kept current and permitted to complete their jobs to keep looting at bay.

Russian troops ran over civilians, looting fuel stations and stores with food and fuel. There’s also a security video of Russian troops stealing a safe from a business.

Gazdiev also ignored how the Ukrainian air force decimated Russian armor columns on Sunday with TB-2 drone strikes, along with their expert use of fighters in dogfights, as he bragged about Russia blowing up aircraft on the ground (Click “expand”):

The Russian military also keeps us informed about its statistics. These include the number of different military infrastructures and sites they’ve destroyed. This is more than a thousand. According to what we know, the entire Ukrainian air force was destroyed. Many before being able to take off; many jets many helicopters before being able to take off in strikes directed at airports and airfields and hangars and other objects belonging – assets belonging to the Ukrainian air force.

He also smeared the civilian defenders of Kyiv by claiming, without evidence, that the city was in “anarchy” because they armed them with weapons as the Russians advanced.

According to him, the situation in the city was made “much more” “desperate” because authorities “had handed out almost thirty thousand, thirty thousand assault rifles, 10 million rounds of ammunition, RPGs as well as grenades to the civilian population.” Adding:

At first, we were told that a passport wasn’t required. Then there was footage of people just coming up to boxes and trucks picking up guns by the dozen and – and leaving. This has led to, as social media shows, unconfirmed footage of anarchy in Ukraine’s capital.

Gazdiev parroted the lies of dictator Vladimir Putin that Ukraine’s defenders were “nationalist” and “neo-Nazi battalions.”

And near the end of his nonsense, Gazdiev said Russia was “making all efforts to avoid civilian casualties” and put a “ban on bombing or launching rockets and missiles” at civilian infrastructure and residential areas.

Meanwhile, we know they’ve been bombarding civilian locations in Kharkiv, Kherson, Kyiv, and other cities and towns around the country.

You can find the transcript below. To read it, please click on “expand”.

RT’s Ask the question
February 28, 2022
Eastern, 12:03:46

MANILA CHAN : Here is RT’s Murad Gasdiev reporting on the eastern part of Ukraine.

MURAD GAZDIEV – The garrison is almost completely surrounded the city of Mariupol in Ukraine, the largest port. Russian forces claim that nationalist elements are resisting and they prefer that units that belong to regular military formations, or regular soldiers, negotiate. In some instances, they even surrender their weapons and go home to their families.

It is difficult, however, to confirm this information right now because of the rapid development and lack of reliable reports near the frontlines where it can be extremely dangerous.

There are many roads that have been minified. According to reports, Berdyetsk is half way between Mariupol and the Crimea. This is where Ukrainian troops have set up camp. Mariupol, or its vicinity is difficult at this time.

According to local reports, there have been more than 12 civilian deaths in Donetsk. Victims of undirected fire into – into neighborhoods, civilian neighborhoods, places where there are apartment buildings and other houses.

As we have witnessed, there were many reactions to the operation in Ukraine. There are certainly civilians who have been happy to see Russian forces, but there – but there have also been those who have been less than happy to see, again, Russian troops advancing through Ukraine.

On the whole, with the authorities, with the – the administrations of various villages and towns, there has been contact. The authorities have tried to be responsible. They attempted to work with Russian forces to come to an agreement on joint patrols. The police were kept current and permitted to complete their jobs to keep looting at bay.

The Russian military also keeps us informed about its statistics. These include the number of different military infrastructures and sites they’ve destroyed. This is more than a thousand. According to what we know, the entire Ukrainian air force was destroyed. Many before being able to take off; many jets many helicopters before being able to take off in strikes directed at airports and airfields and hangars and other objects belonging – assets belonging to the Ukrainian air force.

The west bank of – the west bank of Kiev is also said to be under the control of the Russian military. Accordingly, the current situation in Kiev seems to be very dire. This was made worse by the fact that authorities in Kiev boasted of having handed out close to thirty thousand assault rifles and thirty thousand RPGs to the civilian population.

At first, we were told that a passport wasn’t required. Then there was footage of people just coming up to boxes and trucks picking up guns by the dozen and – and leaving. This has led to, as social media shows, unconfirmed footage of anarchy at the capital of Ukraine.

Nevertheless, the Russian side says it is making all efforts to avoid civilian casualties, which — which includes a ban on bombing or launching rockets and missiles at – indiscriminately at cities. The Russian side is trying to prevent strikes from being launched at civilian infrastructure.

And again, have reiterated that they are – they are offering Ukrainian forces, those that don’t who don’t belong to nationalist or neo-Nazi battalions. They offer them the possibility to surrender, and they promise to treat them with respect so that they can return home to their families.

(…)