The United States is deliberately spreading disinformation about the situation in Ukraine in an effort to confuse local residents and disrupt negotiations, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

Iran PressEurope: Russian Foreign Ministery Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was asked to comment on comments by her US counterpart, State Department spokesman Ned Price, who on Thursday called Russian statements about the Mariupol takeover “disinformation” of “well-worn playbook.”

Continuing a series of mutual accusations of lies, Zakharova claimed that “disinformation is handled directly by the State Department.

Commenting on the situation regarding the beleaguered Azovstal factory in Mariupol, Zakharova claimed that while the State Department was in the slightest bit interested in the fate of the Ukrainians remaining there, it was only from one point of view: “How to make these people stay there without taking advantage of the opportunities offered by Russia to leave the area.

Zakharova also dismissed accusations about Russia not allowing people to leave the Azovstal in Mariupol calling them "lies", describing all related statements as such as well. 219