What Russia tells American voters
Narratives pushed at US audiences by Russian state media and attributed proxy outlets in the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections.
Attributing harm to the US economy to Ukraine’s leadership
Ukraine’s leadership is portrayed as a source of harm to the US and global economies, while replacing it is cast as protecting American interests. Statements by Trump and Musk are reduced to confirmation of the economic harm attributed to Kyiv’s actions. A post citing Axios stretches reporting on lifting a ban on Russian fuel exports and strikes on oil refineries into that framework.
Amplifying the “militarism” myth by pitting foreign aid against domestic security
U.S. foreign policy and defense planning are cast as evidence that Washington is deliberately choosing a path toward global war instead of protecting its own citizens. Manipulators use political statements and military strategies to portray the American government as serving foreign interests at the expense of American safety.
Collapsing disparate disputes into a “rigged” scheme of American institutions
Disputes over primaries, sports awards, and mail-in voting are cast as elements of broader suspicion toward American institutions. Unrelated stories are reduced to a shared scheme of “rigging” and deception. A list of international and domestic political events is added to that scheme as a set of interconnected lies.
Framing US-Russia talks as economic “normalization”
Restoring economic ties with Russia is portrayed as the “only” path to a US-Russia agreement. Banking access, trade, assets, and sanctions are reduced to a package the United States could offer in exchange for a deal. Claims about Ukraine’s position and talks by US envoys are inflated into an image of Kyiv as a party without influence of its own.