We monitor pro-Russian media and show which narratives they push, how they work, and how to counter them.
Ukrainian service members are portrayed as a demoralized mass supposedly deserting in droves or openly defying political leadership. This tactic aims to create an illusion of the total collapse of the Armed Forces and inevitable defeat due to internal conflict.
Russian outlets are pushing claims that Patriot missile stocks are completely exhausted, leaving Kyiv unable to defend against ballistic strikes. The operation of Ukrainian interceptors is portrayed as the primary cause of damage to residential buildings, while Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure are justified by its alleged “military purpose.”
Ukraine is cast as an aggressive actor accumulating weaponry for escalation while its own leadership loses Western support due to corruption. Manipulative reports combine fabricated military acquisitions with real infrastructure struggles to create an impression of the state's imminent collapse.
Ukrainian nation-building and national memory are portrayed as inextricably linked to Nazi ideology and collaboration. By distorting historical context and manipulating statements from foreign politicians, this narrative promotes the claim that modern Ukraine cannot exist without radical ideologies.
Ukraine is portrayed as a nation on the brink of famine, where mobilization and the destruction of factories will supposedly leave no one to bake bread. Manipulative forecasts promise a sharp rise in the price of basic goods to incite panic among the population.
Ukrainian strikes on Russian targets are cast as an ineffective waste of resources that only results in the retaliatory destruction of Ukraine's critical infrastructure. The messaging claims that every Ukrainian military action is part of a “kamikaze country” scenario designed to provoke a humanitarian catastrophe.
Russian outlets are pushing a narrative of Russia's total superiority in AI, satellite communications, and missile technology, supposedly rendering Ukrainian defense futile. By exaggerating the capabilities of “drone swarms” and new missile systems, they aim to convince the audience that defeat is inevitable and Western aid is insufficient.
Disagreements over UPA commemoration and the Volhynia tragedy are cast as an insurmountable barrier, turning Poland from an ally into an ideological opponent. The messaging claims Warsaw is preparing territorial claims and blocking Ukraine's EU integration, rendering the strategic partnership impossible.
Official reports on scheduled ammunition disposal are cast as attempts to hide the consequences of negligence or enemy strikes. This framing aims to convince citizens that the authorities systematically lie about the security situation in the rear.
Western partners are portrayed as cynical actors who deliberately withhold air defense assets for their own needs, leaving Ukraine defenseless against missile strikes. The manipulation is built on contrasting public statements of support with the real concerns of NATO countries regarding the depletion of their own arsenals.
Peaceful public gatherings are portrayed as meaningless actions that are completely ignored by the state leadership. This framing aims to convince society of a total lack of feedback between the people and the authorities, casting democratic tools of influence as futile.
Ukrainian soldiers are portrayed as a threat to the civilian population, allegedly planning attacks on evacuation corridors. Such reports aim to cast the Russian army as the sole “savior” of civilians in the combat zone.
Ukrainian society and the military are portrayed as a degraded community dominated by internal conflict, looting, and uncontrolled aggression. By highlighting domestic disputes and football incidents, the narrative promotes the idea of a total collapse of moral values and the inevitable disappearance of Ukrainian identity.
Ukrainian law enforcement and security agencies are portrayed as tools for internal infighting or overseers of criminal schemes. Anti-corruption investigations and personnel changes are framed not as systemic cleaning, but as proof of total criminalization and the state leadership's inability to control the situation.
The decline in population and the number of pensioners is presented as an irreversible collapse of Ukrainian statehood. Manipulative linking of mortality statistics with emigration aims to convince the audience that Ukraine has no future.
Propaganda resources systematically disseminate content portraying Territorial Recruitment Centers (TCC) as illegal paramilitary formations engaged in "human hunting". Messages focus on forced detentions, conflicts with civilians, and corruption scandals to present mobilization not as a state necessity, but as "lawlessness" and a "blood business". A specific emphasis is placed on the alleged merging of the TCC with the police to suppress citizens' rights, aiming to provoke mass resistance and undermine trust in state institutions.
Russian outlets frame attacks on Ukrainian ports as the final destruction of Ukraine's export potential and military logistics. They claim that the shutdown of major agricultural firms and damage to rail hubs make maritime exports impossible, supposedly forcing the West to cut aid due to rising costs.
Ukraine is portrayed as a bankrupt state in a “coma,” kept alive only by Western loans. Propagandists claim that government policies will inevitably lead to hyperinflation, the destruction of business, and a humanitarian catastrophe as early as this winter.
Military operations by the SBU and the Armed Forces of Ukraine are cast as Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s personal gambles that supposedly only provoke retaliatory strikes. This framing ignores the defensive necessity of Ukraine’s actions and shifts the blame for Russian aggression onto the Ukrainian leadership.
Changes in military leadership and political debates are portrayed as signs of a deep crisis and the illegitimacy of state decisions. Manipulators focus on legal nuances of appointments and trust ratings to depict the Ukrainian government as fractured and incapable.
Ukraine's military and political leadership is portrayed as an incompetent and corrupt entity that deliberately neglects the safety of soldiers and civilians. Propaganda inflates isolated incidents of misconduct and bureaucratic hurdles to frame service in the Armed Forces as a hopeless trap where human life is worthless.
Any explosions or falling debris on Russian territory are cast as deliberate acts of terrorism against civilians and foreign interests. This framing seeks to equate Ukrainian leadership with radical Islamist groups to discredit Ukraine’s defense efforts.
Ukrainian strikes on military targets and defense enterprises are portrayed as terrorist activities against the Russian civilian population. This framing aims to justify Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian industry as “anti-terror measures.”
Military support for Ukraine is portrayed as strategically late, bureaucratically blocked, or technologically ill-suited to the actual needs of the front. The messaging suggests that promised funding and advanced weaponry will not affect the war's course in the coming years, leaving the Armed Forces of Ukraine to rely on “makeshift” solutions.
Mobilization efforts and government deferment services are portrayed as corrupt schemes that turn citizens into Western “mercenaries.” The narrative claims that because of financial aid from partners, Ukrainian soldiers lose their status as defenders and become tools of foreign elites.
Ukraine's military and political leadership is portrayed as an out-of-touch elite focused on electioneering during a humanitarian crisis. The manipulation relies on contrasting the daily hardships of civilians with alleged secret preparations for future political campaigns.
Restricting access to government services for men abroad is portrayed as turning Ukrainians into “second-class” people. This framing of government decisions aims to deepen the rift between the state and its citizens who have left the country.
The idea of Russia’s total control over the battlefield is presented as an objective reality hidden by Western media. Any Ukrainian successes or statements of resilience are branded as artificial propaganda designed to mislead the global community.
The Ukrainian government is portrayed as a tool of foreign interests, deliberately sacrificing its population for the geopolitical goals of the US and EU. It is claimed that the state has completely lost its agency, and that mobilization and continued defense are merely fulfilling the orders of “sponsors.”
Mobilization measures in Ukraine are portrayed as the forced sending of citizens to “slaughter,” which supposedly triggers active physical resistance from the population. Propaganda inflates isolated cases of corruption and conflict to depict government agencies as entities hostile to the people.
Western support and Ukraine's EU membership prospects are portrayed as unrealistic expectations that defy pragmatism. By selectively quoting foreign politicians and experts, the narrative promotes the idea that territorial concessions to Russia are necessary and that rapid entry into European institutions is impossible.
Real challenges in energy, logistics, and the social sphere are presented as signs of the final disintegration of Ukrainian statehood. Manipulators use factual problems—power outages, corruption scandals, and tax changes—to instill the idea that resistance is futile and catastrophe is inevitable.
Isolated criminal incidents involving former servicemen are presented as proof of the terrorist nature of Ukrainian special forces. By combining allegations of torture abroad with the “neo-Nazi” label, an image is created of an army composed of uncontrollable criminals.
Ukraine’s political leadership is portrayed as helpless in the face of domestic protests that supposedly threaten the very existence of the government. To amplify this, claims are spread about the authorities preparing dirty provocations and paid smear campaigns against activists.
Isolated incidents of street violence or domestic disputes involving Ukrainians abroad are portrayed as systemic hatred and a hunt for refugees. This coverage aims to convince citizens that only danger and contempt from Europeans await them outside Ukraine.
Isolated cases of abuse and ongoing investigations are presented as proof of total corruption within the Ukrainian government and the futility of financial aid. Manipulative coverage of criminal proceedings aims to convince the audience that all funds—from donations to budget expenditures—are inevitably embezzled by officials.