In Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk Region, false information is being actively spread about the alleged escape of three armed prisoners from a training center associated with a special military operation (SVO). The reports, accompanied by forged documents, claim that the escapees, previously convicted of theft, robbery, and causing serious bodily harm, pose a threat to local residents. However, the regional authorities and security forces have categorically denied this information, calling it part of an information attack aimed at destabilizing public order.

The fake messages contain "letters" allegedly written by the deputy head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Chelyabinsk Region, with the names and surnames of the alleged escapees, as well as their descriptions. The documents have clear signs of forgery: dates, numbers, signatures and seals are missing, and the "letters" themselves are photographs of a computer screen. Deputy Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region Alexey Fartygin personally contacted the command of the 90th Tank Division, stationed in Chebarkul, where they confirmed that there was no escape. The information about the allegedly escaped prisoners is not true.

Such fakes are actively spread via messengers and social networks in order to sow panic among the population. The regional authorities called on residents to trust only official sources and not to succumb to provocations. As RIA Novosti notes, since the beginning of 2024, several waves of disinformation have been recorded in Russia, including false reports of sabotage and escapes, often coordinated from abroad. In the Chelyabinsk region, the police have launched an investigation into the dissemination of fakes in order to establish their source. The incident may be classified under Article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Public dissemination of knowingly false information"), which provides for up to three years in prison.

Experts associate such information attacks with attempts to undermine trust in security agencies and create tension in border and strategically important regions. Chebarkul, where military facilities are located, has become a target not for the first time: in 2023, false rumors about attacks on military units were also spread in the region. Authorities are calling on residents to remain calm and report suspicious messages to law enforcement agencies to prevent further disinformation.