乌克兰军队谴责对斯坦尼察-卢甘斯克镇（Stanitsa Lugansk）的袭击，这次袭击在一个幼儿园的墙上炸出一个洞，并导致半个镇子停电。 这起炮击事件再次引发有关对俄罗斯即将入侵乌克兰的担忧。
欧安组织的观察人士报告说，仅星期六一天，乌克兰东部就发生了1500多次违反停火协议的事件，这是今年最高的单日数字。
拜登谴责俄罗斯支持的战斗人员炮击幼儿园事件，但是，莫斯科却宣称炮击是乌克兰所为。拜登还指出莫斯科向公众兜售的其他虚假信息，包括声称在顿巴斯发生种族灭绝，以及乌克兰对俄罗斯的袭击。
“所有这些都跟俄罗斯人此前使用的剧本一致，为他们对乌克兰采取行动提供虚假理由，”拜登说。几个星期以来，拜登政府一直在警告人们俄罗斯的借口场景和“假旗行动”。
美国国务院发言人在慕尼黑安全会议期间，就乌东亲俄武装宣布撤走平民到俄罗斯表示，这是利用平民试图转移国际社会对俄罗斯在乌克兰边境集结军队准备发达攻击的关注，此举"厚颜无耻”、“旨在进一步通过谎言和错误信息掩盖俄罗斯是这场冲突中的侵略者的事实。”
Russian shelling of Ukrainian territory today – across the entire frontline. Map by @donbassrealii pic.twitter.com/7qcI574qvN
— Anastasiia Lapatina (@lapatina_) February 17, 2022
VIDEO: Shelling of a Ukrainian checkpoint in Schastia in Luhansk Oblast. - @Liveuamap
— Conflict News (@Conflicts) February 19, 2022
pic.twitter.com/dT2R2q9Qat
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other international leaders have accused Russia of trying to engineer a reason to invade Ukraine.
— Channel 5 News (@5_News) February 17, 2022
They say an attack on a Ukrainian kindergarten was a "false-flag operation" designed to create a pretext for invasion.@andybell5news | #5News pic.twitter.com/J1wipdz57B
This attack, as with so many others, is a heinous Russian violation of the Minsk Agreements and again demonstrates Russia’s disregard for Ukrainian civilians on both sides of the line of contact.(2/2)
— U.S. Embassy Kyiv (@USEmbassyKyiv) February 17, 2022
We are aware that Russia is intent on creating a pretext to justify an invasion into Ukraine. Therefore, we must resolutely rebut the false narrative about a Ukrainian “escalation,” which finds no evidence whatsoever in the reports of the @OSCE_SMM.*****RjADUSHitI
— Michael Carpenter, U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE (@USAmbOSCE) February 18, 2022
Russia’s claim of genocide in Ukraine is a reprehensible falsehood. The SMM has complete access to the government controlled areas of Ukraine and HAS NEVER reported anything remotely resembling Russia’s claims. Read the publicly available reports. *****0KczWsQoEJ
— U.S. Mission to OSCE (@usosce) February 16, 2022
This abuse of the population Russia claims to be protecting would be shameful enough on its own, but as a trigger for war it would be worse.
— Tom Tugendhat (@TomTugendhat) February 18, 2022
Poland did not start the war in 1939. Ukraine is not attacking Russia or it’s own people. Dictators lie. *****qyweChUdxu
In Donetsk, local residents very confused and angry about the forced evacuation. Many say nothing is actually happening. What you see is staged. *****AeoSnQom3i
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) February 18, 2022
Video metadata for the clip in question shows February 16th (Wednesday), it was supposedly captured today. pic.twitter.com/7WwhR0GifF
— Aric Toler (@AricToler) February 18, 2022
Oho, @666_mancer posted this same vehicle as a parking hero a couple of weeks ago. (good find from @zcjbrooker) *****h1a5fCOjQO
— Aric Toler (@AricToler) February 18, 2022
Pegov scooting himself to the car, calling it a "terrorist attack", lol pic.twitter.com/MDGxkFHyZL
— Aric Toler (@AricToler) February 18, 2022
Well some misinformation from Ria Novosti, there is footages of an explosion they claim is I quote " gas pipeline Drujba (Friendhip". But 1) Drujba pipeline is an oil pipeline 2) it does not crosses Luhansk. But there is a gas pipeline that crosses Luhansk from Rostov. *****13pGbzsV1W pic.twitter.com/gCGpunRMgW
— Cristi Tataru (@Cristi_t_85) February 18, 2022
Joe Biden and Boris Johnson have warned that Russia has started “false flag” attacks as a pretext for invading Ukraine *****vaxBYuwWAA
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) February 18, 2022