Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have exposed and thwarted attempts by Russian special services to carry out provocations ahead of May 9 with the help of forbidden social networking sites.

"The operatives of the special service found two residents of Kyiv and Sumy regions who administered anti-Ukrainian communities in the VKontakte social network. The SBU staff documented that the offenders were instructed by Russian special services to organize a selection of those wishing to participate for money in the so-called 'March of the Immortal Regiment' in various cities of the country," the SBU's press center reported on Tuesday.

According to the SBU, the propaganda activities of representatives of the so-called "Information Ministry of the DPR" significantly intensified before May 9. Its employees send out "manuals" to owners of anti-Ukrainian communities in social networks for mass campaigning in the interests of the Kremlin and terrorist organizations "DPR/LPR."

As part of measures to counteract Russian information aggression on the eve of the May holidays, SBU officers blocked eight anti-Ukrainian communities in social networking sites, which distributed calls for participation in provocative fake rallies in the interests of the aggressor country.