Amplification of conspiracy theories about “shadowy figures” and “perpetual war”

What it claims

Western governments are portrayed as puppets of unaccountable forces that deliberately choose conflict escalation over diplomacy. This tactic aims to erode trust in democratic institutions by labeling any support for Ukraine or allies as “militarism.”

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 states are engulfed in political chaos as their proxy war in Ukraine fails and the Empire is constantly embarrassed by Iran.

  Kit Klarenberg, 9 Aug 2026

  x.com/KitKlarenberg/status/2086502389352145248

• Diplomacy in the West is dead, and European states are falling into insanity, attempting to retool their economies solely for war with Russia under the guidance of shadowy figures.

  Kit Klarenberg, 7 Aug 2026

  x.com/KitKlarenberg/status/2085740213691687080

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 American voters that their leaders are not independent actors but serve “shadowy figures,” aiming to provoke a rejection of support for Ukraine and international commitments.

Techniques used

• Obfuscation / Intentional VaguenessUse of vague terms like “shadowy figures” to create a sense of hidden threat without providing evidence.
• Loaded LanguageUse of emotionally charged words like “insanity,” “perpetual war,” and “death of diplomacy” to discredit government policy.

The real grievance it exploits

Exploits real American fatigue with long-standing foreign conflicts and growing distrust of political elites and the “establishment.”

How to counter

• Technique exposure: Note the use of the term “shadowy figures”: this is a classic conspiracy theory trope that allows for blaming governments without naming specific individuals or providing verifiable facts.
• Reframe: Aid to Ukraine is not a “perpetual war” but a prevention of a larger conflict in Europe. Diplomacy is impossible when the aggressor refuses negotiations based on international law.

Sources (all time)

• Kit KlarenbergTier 279,560 followers
  3 posts · 5–9 Aug 2026

  • 9 Aug · x.com/KitKlarenberg/status/2086502389352145248
  • 7 Aug · x.com/KitKlarenberg/status/2085740213691687080
  • 5 Aug · x.com/KitKlarenberg/status/2085028056620548225
• John KiriakouTier 2211,007 followers
  2 posts · 28 Jul 2026

  • 28 Jul · x.com/JohnKiriakou/status/2082136732410015910
  • 28 Jul · x.com/JohnKiriakou/status/2082136407225540909
• Rick SanchezTier 2199,744 followers
  5 posts · 13–14 Aug 2026

  • 14 Aug · x.com/RickSanchezTV/status/2088175042395812064
  • 14 Aug · x.com/RickSanchezTV/status/2088168936911085758
  • 13 Aug · x.com/RickSanchezTV/status/2087977405528912042
  • 13 Aug · x.com/RickSanchezTV/status/2087969398380183715
  • 13 Aug · x.com/RickSanchezTV/status/2087960718423253003
• Russian Embassy in the UKTier 2290,112 followers
  5 posts · 30 Jul – 11 Aug 2026

  • 11 Aug · x.com/RussianEmbassy/status/2087133384187281716
  • 11 Aug · x.com/RussianEmbassy/status/2087118927704867066
  • 6 Aug · x.com/RussianEmbassy/status/2085425676409319781
  • 31 Jul · x.com/RussianEmbassy/status/2083210613321261520
  • 30 Jul · x.com/RussianEmbassy/status/2082746770195382408