Failure and collapse in war starts sometimes starts slowly, but it never remains a slow, predictable or containable process for long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yljkjJds-NY
Also see Preston Stewarts video that came out today about the situation in Crimea.
Governments & militaries regular leak things like this for strategic purposes. This could very well be misinformation to force Russia to try to quickly reinforce Crimea while Ukraine plans and eventually attacks Russia elsewhere.
Just by talking about it:
Civilians who moved to Crimea from Russia are likely to move back to Russia.
Encourages Russia to hold significant reserves and stockpiles in the peninsula to fend off an incursion instead of sending them to the front.
The story probably wouldn’t reach the majority in Russia or the areas it controls though. It has to come from within, like going to the gas station and having to be in a long queue, or hearing an explosion nearby.
they might get a clue when they suddenly see a significant influx in the amount of military equipment and defensive structures in their neighbourhoods