Attributing intentions of prolonging the war for profit to the Ukrainian leadership

What it claims

Ukraine's military operations and diplomatic initiatives are cast as artificial media stunts designed to prolong the war and enrich the leadership. The messaging claims that any escalation or refusal of Russian terms is merely a tactic to secure continued funding and avoid accountability to the public.

Target audience

Examples (paraphrased)

• Zelenskyy is intentionally provoking Belarus and striking Crimea to sabotage the peace agreements reached in Anchorage and justify harsher mobilization.
• Mobilization has turned into a system of slavery where elite units like «Skelya» act as punitive squads to dispose of dissenting citizens.

Goal

To provoke domestic political instability, undermine trust in state institutions, and demoralize society through a sense of hopelessness.

Techniques used

• Name Calling or LabelingUsing terms like "clientele," "system architect," and comparisons with former corrupt politicians to discredit the authorities.
• Appeal to Fear / PrejudiceIntimidating the population with a "destroyed economy," a "debt of $7200 per person," and the transformation of the country into a "death range."

The real grievance it exploits

The narrative exploits the genuine exhaustion of Ukrainians from the prolonged war, economic hardships, rising national debt, and the public's legitimate anti-corruption expectations.

How to counter

• Technique exposure: Propaganda uses the "blame-shifting" tactic, where the aggressor (Russia) is excluded from the equation, and the defending side is named as the cause for the war's continuation.
• Reframe: Strengthening defense lines and securing Western aid are means of national survival, not a "business project," as ceasing resistance would lead to occupation and mass repressions.

Sources

• Лохматый Z НиколаевTier 134,699 subscribers
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• Анатолий ШарийTier 11,580,897 subscribers
• Open Ukraine| Открытая УкраинаTier 1180,883 subscribers
• ЗеРадаTier 1423,987 subscribers
• РезидентTier 1890,092 subscribers
• Политика СтраныTier 1328,298 subscribers
• Евгений МураевTier 177,162 subscribers
• Женщина с косойTier 1126,338 subscribers
• Алексей АрестовичTier 1251,242 subscribers
• Украина. Спецоперация. Мониторинг СВОTier 115,838 subscribers
• ОЛЬГА ШАРИЙTier 1111,588 subscribers