Discrediting the Commander-in-Chief of the AFU by attributing “political bias” to him

What it claims

The new Commander-in-Chief of the AFU, Mykhailo Drapatyi, is portrayed as politically vulnerable and dependent on radical activists. Manipulators use his past interviews to accuse him of “anthropological discrimination” and incompetence, attempting to provoke conflict between the military leadership, the President, and international partners.

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.

• Mykhailo Drapatyi is a puppet of “the street” and radical activists, making him a non-independent figure forced to adapt to the interests of his handlers.

  Алексей Арестович, 23 Jul 2026 · Archived copy

• The Commander-in-Chief's public statements about the “non-existence” of the Russian side and the inferiority of residents in certain regions sabotage the President's diplomatic efforts and compromise Ukraine before Western allies.

  Алексей Арестович, 23 Jul 2026 · Archived copy

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Goal

To undermine the authority of the new military leadership, create an image of an “unprofessional” Commander-in-Chief, and sow doubt about his ability to maintain political neutrality.

Techniques used

• Appeal to Fear / PrejudicePredicting a “spectacular end” and claiming that Drapatyi's personal vulnerabilities make the entire state vulnerable.
• Loaded LanguageUse of terms like “anthropologically inferior,” “the street,” “creditors,” and “marginally political topics.”

The real grievance it exploits

Public anxiety regarding the stability of military command during leadership transitions and sensitivity to issues of national unity.

How to counter

• Technique exposure: Manipulators use out-of-context quotes from the past to artificially create the image of a “political player” where there is a professional military officer.

Sources (all time)

• РезидентTier 1910,679 subscribers
  1 post · 30 Jul 2026

  • 30 Jul · t.me/rezident_ua/30120
• Женщина с косойTier 1108,739 subscribers
  1 post · 28 Jul 2026

  • 28 Jul · t.me/skosoi/9933
• Алексей АрестовичTier 1246,042 subscribers
  3 posts · 23–25 Jul 2026

  • 25 Jul · t.me/O_Arestovich_official/8306
  • 23 Jul · t.me/O_Arestovich_official/8293
  • 23 Jul · Archived copy