Two recent studies provide a compelling look at this digital battleground:

These studies reveal two sides of the information war—Russia’s misinformation campaigns and Ukraine’s strategic use of memes.

While Russia’s efforts aimed to distort reality, Ukraine leveraged humor and storytelling to rally support and counter disinformation.

Russia’s Disinformation Campaign: Spreading Misinformation on Facebook & Twitter

According to Pierri et al., Russia launched a large-scale misinformation campaign on Facebook and Twitter in the early months of the war.

This campaign aimed to:

  • Justify the invasion by framing Ukraine as a threat.
  • Undermine Western support for Ukraine.
  • Spread misleading narratives about the war’s progress.

Key Findings:

  • Superspreaders Amplified Propaganda: A small number of high-profile accounts were responsible for 60-80% of the shares and retweets of Russian propaganda. Some of these accounts had large followings and repeatedly shared content from Russian state-controlled sources such as RT and Sputnik.
  • Low-credibility content remained persistent: Unlike Russian state propaganda, which declined due to platform moderation, misinformation from unreliable sources continued to spread. For example, false claims about Ukraine’s biological weapons programs continued to circulate widely.
  • Moderation was weak: Facebook and Twitter removed only 8-15% of content flagged as misinformation or linked to Russian state-affiliated media. Despite efforts to curb falsehoods, many misleading narratives still reached millions of users.

💬 “Our findings show that Facebook and Twitter are still vulnerable to abuse, especially during crises.” — Pierri et al.

Ukraine’s Response: Memetic Warfare on Twitter

Rather than just countering misinformation, Ukraine turned social media into a battlefield of narratives.

The study by Mejova et al. explores how official Ukrainian government accounts and independent meme pages strategically used memes to influence global public opinion.

Key Findings:

  • Victim narratives doubled engagement: Tweets framing Ukraine as the victim received 109% more retweets than neutral content.* (This means engagement more than doubled compared to tweets without such narratives. For example, if a tweet without a narrative got 1,000 retweets, a victim narrative tweet would receive approximately 2,090 retweets.)* One viral example was a meme portraying Ukraine as David fighting the Russian Goliath.
  • Villain narratives resonated in pro-Ukraine countries: Countries that provided the most military and financial aid to Ukraine (e.g., the U.S. and EU nations) engaged more with content portraying Russia as the aggressor. The phrase "Russia is a terrorist state" frequently appeared in these posts.
  • Meme accounts had a global reach: Viral memes from Ukraine’s @Ukraine and @DefenceU Twitter accounts reached millions, shaping perceptions worldwide. Some of the most successful memes included satirical takes on Russia’s military failures and humorous depictions of Ukrainian resilience.

💬 “The digital native’s version of psychological warfare.” — NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence

The Power of Narrative: Russia’s Lies vs. Ukraine’s Storytelling

Comparing both studies, a clear contrast emerges:

  • Russia’s Misinformation:
    • Manipulative & misleading
    • Relied on superspreaders
    • Aimed to confuse & divide
  • Ukraine’s Memetic Warfare:
    • Transparent & engaging
    • Relied on viral memes
    • Aimed to unite & inspire
  • Misinformation influences public perception and policy.
  • Memes can mobilize international support and resources.
  • The way wars are fought has fundamentally changed—social media is now a central battleground.

Lessons for the Public: How to Spot & Resist Information Warfare

🔍 1. Be skeptical of viral content. If a post seems too shocking or emotionally charged, fact-check it before sharing.

During the war, many misleading posts circulated, such as false reports of Ukrainian surrenders, which were later debunked.

📢 2. Look for the source. Is the information coming from a reputable news outlet or an obscure website? Russian propaganda often relied on fringe platforms rather than mainstream journalism.

One example was the claim that the U.S. was funding secret Ukrainian biolabs, which was widely spread by dubious websites.

🚨 3. Be aware of platform policies. Social media companies claim to fight misinformation, but enforcement is inconsistent. As the studies show, only 8-15% of Russian propaganda was removed, meaning users must remain vigilant.

This means even clearly false claims, such as staged "crisis actor" conspiracy theories, can persist online.

🎭 4. Understand the intent behind memes. Not all memes are harmless fun—Ukraine used memes to unite its supporters, while Russia used them to discredit opponents.

Always ask: What message is this meme pushing? For example, Russian memes often depicted Ukraine’s President Zelensky in a negative light to erode his credibility.

🛠 5. Use fact-checking resources. Websites like Snopes, BBC Reality Check, and Bellingcat provide reliable fact-checking.

Learning to verify information is a crucial skill in the digital age. Cross-checking information before sharing can prevent misinformation from spreading further.

The Future of Information Warfare

Both studies highlight the growing influence of social media in modern warfare.

Whether through propaganda, misinformation, or memes, the battle for hearts and minds is now fought online.

As conflicts evolve, so will digital influence strategies.

Understanding how narratives are crafted and weaponized is essential—not just for policymakers, but for every social media user.

📌 Sources & Further Reading:

  • Pierri, F., Luceri, L., Jindal, N., & Ferrara, E. (2023). Propaganda and Misinformation on Facebook and Twitter during the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Read here
  • Mejova, Y., Capozzi, A., Monti, C., & Morales, G. D. F. (2025). Narratives of War: Ukrainian Memetic Warfare on Twitter. Read here
  • NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence. It’s Time to Embrace Memetic Warfare. Read here