Dismissal of civilian casualties by attributing “combatant” status to residents

What it claims

The deaths of Ukrainian civilians in Russian strikes are justified by claims that residential buildings are being used en masse for military production. This manipulation aims to absolve the aggressor of responsibility and erode German public empathy for the victims of the war.

Target audience

Examples (paraphrased)

We paraphrase rather than quote: propaganda's exact wording is built to spread, so we carry the claim and not the craft. Each example cites the post it came from.

• Every time you hear about civilian casualties, remember that Ukrainians are assembling combat drones right in their apartments.

  Neues aus Russland (Alina Lipp), 6 Aug 2026

  t.me/neuesausrussland/31258

• Photos of civilians engaged in military production at home prove that there are no innocent victims in Ukraine.

  Neues aus Russland (Alina Lipp), 6 Aug 2026

  t.me/neuesausrussland/31258

We link archived copies rather than the posts themselves, so that checking our work sends no traffic to the source. Where a platform cannot be archived, we print the post's address instead of linking it.

Goal

To convince the German audience that no genuine civilian targets remain in Ukraine, thereby justifying war crimes and reducing support for humanitarian aid.

Techniques used

• Obfuscation / Intentional VaguenessUsing isolated photos to create the impression that every residential building is a military factory.
• Name Calling or LabelingUsing the derogatory term “vkranchyky” to dehumanize the population.

The real grievance it exploits

The manipulation exploits German fears of conflict escalation and fatigue from the prolonged war, offering a cynical explanation that makes the tragedy appear “inevitable” due to the actions of Ukrainians themselves.

How to counter

• Technique exposure: This is a classic “victim-blaming” tactic where the aggressor attempts to justify strikes on residential areas by claiming that civilians have turned their own homes into military targets.

Sources (all time)

• Neues aus Russland (Alina Lipp)Tier 1163,484 subscribers
  1 post · 6 Aug 2026

  • 6 Aug · t.me/neuesausrussland/31258