Predicting an internal coup through the “elite conflict” frame

What it claims

Ukraine's political and military leadership is portrayed as an opposition to the President, allegedly preparing his removal to save the country. This tactic aims to create an illusion of an inevitable collapse of the state hierarchy and a rift between the President's Office, intelligence services, and business circles.

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.

• Zelensky is following Yanukovych's path, which will inevitably lead to his overthrow by elites who are already forming a broad front against him.

  Резидент, 16 Aug 2026 · Archived copy

• Tension is rising between Zelensky and Budanov because the head of intelligence proposed negotiating with the Kremlin back in May, but the President blocked his efforts.

  Резидент, 16 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

To sow distrust in the stability of the Ukrainian government and provoke internal destabilization by fostering expectations of a “new Maidan” or a coup.

Techniques used

• Appeal to Fear / PrejudiceUsing imagery of a “scorched field” and a “concentration camp” to describe Ukraine's future under current leadership.
• Obfuscation / Intentional VaguenessReferencing anonymous “sources in the President's Office” and “internal circles” to lend weight to fabricated conflicts.

The real grievance it exploits

Fatigue from the prolonged war, concerns over corruption, and fear of economic collapse due to infrastructure destruction.

How to counter

• Technique exposure: Note the use of anonymous “insider info” that cannot be verified. This is a classic disinformation method used to create the appearance of a rift where routine coordination between state bodies is actually taking place.

Sources (all time)

• РезидентTier 1903,549 subscribers
  3 posts · 15–16 Aug 2026

  • 16 Aug · Archived copy
  • 16 Aug · Archived copy
  • 15 Aug · t.me/rezident_ua/30244
• Женщина с косойTier 1106,483 subscribers
  2 posts · 19 Aug 2026

  • 19 Aug · t.me/skosoi/10088
  • 19 Aug · t.me/skosoi/10085