Ukraine‘s Interior Ministry, which confirmed that three men were shot dead and three others were injured during the incident, adding that it believed the event to be fabricated.

In a statement on its website, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) called the incident a „cynical provocation“ and said it, too, believed the whole thing was staged.

Russia‘s RIA Novosti and Life News blamed the far-right nationalist group Right Sector for instigating the gun battle. In a video report, Life News showed what it said was the body of one man killed during the shootout next to weapons, ammunition and gear left behind by Right Sector members at the scene. It also showed crisp U.S. $100 bills, uncreased printed satellite images of Slovyansk from Google Maps.