Stoking fatalism through predictions of Ukraine’s “total destruction”

What it claims

Ukrainians are being convinced that the total loss of property and their way of life is inevitable due to a protracted war of attrition. The goal is to instill the idea that any efforts to preserve civilian infrastructure are futile, and the only option is psychological resignation to catastrophe.

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.

• Ukrainians should discard illusions about preserving their former lives, as the war will lead to the total destruction of all property and infrastructure.

  Алексей Арестович, 5 Aug 2026 · Archived copy

• Ordinary people will suffer from shelling for years without any chance of peace, while the elites live in luxury under the protection of special services.

  Алексей Арестович, 1 Aug 2026

  t.me/O_Arestovich_official/8327

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

Demoralize the civilian population, undermine the will to resist, and provoke mass emigration by fostering a sense of hopelessness.

Techniques used

• Appeal to Fear / PrejudiceUsing imagery of “ballistics on heads” and claims that “no one will save anything.”
• Black-and-White Fallacy / DictatorshipPresenting the situation as a choice between a “mental breakdown” and total acceptance of the country's destruction.

The real grievance it exploits

Fatigue from constant shelling, fear for children's futures, and the real threat of losing homes and livelihoods.

How to counter

• Technique exposure: Propaganda uses “scorched earth” tactics in the information space to force people to give up even before the enemy succeeds on the battlefield.
• Reframe: The resilience of the home front and the restoration of energy and business prove that Ukraine is capable of adapting and maintaining vitality despite the enemy's attempts to destroy everything.

Sources (all time)

• Алексей АрестовичTier 1247,802 subscribers
  2 posts · 1–5 Aug 2026

  • 5 Aug · Archived copy
  • 1 Aug · t.me/O_Arestovich_official/8327