During this reporting period, the Russian information machine focused on deepening internal divisions in Ukraine by combining systemic attacks on state institutions with new attempts to deflect responsibility for war crimes. While overall volumes remained steady, there was a notable surge in personalized attacks on leadership and efforts to discredit Ukraine internationally.
Building on the prior period's focus on institutional instability, Moscow has now accelerated the discrediting of Ukrainian leadership through accusations of corruption and «occultism». Simultaneously, the aggressor is attempting to justify its strikes on civilian targets by manipulating the narrative around the operation of defense systems.