Delegitimizing the government by amplifying the “usurpation” narrative

What it claims

The absence of elections during martial law is cast as a deliberate usurpation of power and a sign of Ukraine’s “internal occupation.” Any calls for refreshing the political landscape are attributed to pressure from “Western handlers” preparing a replacement for the current leadership. The situation surrounding the electoral process is portrayed as the inevitable collapse of a system where the government must choose between democracy and its own survival. The manipulation was triggered by the former defense minister’s public calls for a vote.

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.

• Western elites are preparing a power reset in Ukraine through Fedorov, as Zelensky has completely lost his legitimacy.

  Резидент, 18 Aug 2026 · Archived copy

• The government is spending millions to discredit the idea of elections just to stay in power while the people perish under “internal occupation.”

  Легитимный, 20 Aug 2026 · Archived copy

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

Undermine trust in state institutions and provoke internal political instability in Ukraine.

Techniques used

• Loaded LanguageUse of terms like “internal occupation,” “usurpation,” and “legitimacy vacuum.”
• Obfuscation / Intentional VaguenessClaims about secret “manuals” from the President’s Office to discredit opponents.

The real grievance it exploits

Citizen concerns regarding the duration of martial law and the restriction of certain democratic procedures for the sake of security.

How to counter

• Reframe: Holding elections during active hostilities and constant shelling is impossible due to the threat to voters' lives and the inability to ensure equal rights for soldiers and refugees.

Sources (all time)

• РезидентTier 1927,998 subscribers
  8 posts · 18–24 Aug 2026

  • 24 Aug · t.me/rezident_ua/30333
  • 24 Aug · t.me/rezident_ua/30332
  • 24 Aug · t.me/rezident_ua/30330
  • 24 Aug · t.me/rezident_ua/30327
  • 23 Aug · t.me/rezident_ua/30324
  • 23 Aug · t.me/rezident_ua/30321
  • 18 Aug · Archived copy
  • 18 Aug · t.me/rezident_ua/30281
• Украина. Спецоперация. Мониторинг СВОTier 115,791 subscribers
  6 posts · 20 Aug – 20 Sept 2026

  • 20 Sept · t.me/MonitoringUA/95323
  • 20 Sept · t.me/MonitoringUA/95320
  • 20 Sept · t.me/MonitoringUA/95314
  • 20 Aug · t.me/MonitoringUA/94530
  • 20 Aug · t.me/MonitoringUA/94528
  • 20 Aug · t.me/MonitoringUA/94524
• Margarita SimonyanTier 1560,000 followers
  3 posts · 21 Aug – 16 Sept 2026

  • 16 Sept · x.com/M_Simonyan/status/2100230282230092217
  • 24 Aug · x.com/M_Simonyan/status/2091895673880723663
  • 21 Aug · x.com/M_Simonyan/status/2090753075493384194
• ЛегитимныйTier 11,034,946 subscribers
  3 posts · 18–20 Aug 2026

  • 20 Aug · t.me/legitimniy/23144
  • 20 Aug · Archived copy
  • 18 Aug · t.me/legitimniy/23104
• Женщина с косойTier 1100,891 subscribers
  2 posts · 22–23 Aug 2026

  • 23 Aug · t.me/skosoi/10117
  • 22 Aug · t.me/skosoi/10107
• Анатолий ШарийTier 11,714,008 subscribers
  1 post · 20 Sept 2026

  • 20 Sept · t.me/ASupersharij/60370
• Лохматый Z НиколаевTier 135,164 subscribers
  1 post · 26 Aug 2026

  • 26 Aug · t.me/L0HMATIY/37851
• ШЕЛЕСТTier 1138,625 subscribers
  1 post · 1 Oct 2026

  • 1 Oct · t.me/shelestlive/32300