Russia’s Disinformation Playbook: How the Kremlin Tries to Control the Narrative
Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has used a multi-layered disinformation strategy to achieve three primary objectives:
- Inside Ukraine: Weaken morale, erode trust in the government, and divide society.
- Internationally: Undermine global support for Ukraine and disrupt Western unity.
- Inside Russia: Justify the war to the domestic audience and suppress dissent.
RAND describes Russia’s approach as the “firehose of falsehood” strategy—a high-volume, multi-channel disinformation assault designed to overwhelm audiences with conflicting narratives.
“The goal is not necessarily to make people believe a single story but to make them doubt everything.”
By bombarding audiences with rapidly shifting, contradictory stories, Russia aims to erode trust in information itself, making it difficult for the public to distinguish fact from fiction.
RAND notes that Russia also employs 'reflexive control'—a Soviet-era strategy that manipulates an adversary into making decisions beneficial to Russia.
By strategically releasing misleading narratives, Russia influences media discourse, foreign policy decisions, and even military actions.
Inside Ukraine: Breaking Morale and Trust
Russian propaganda within Ukraine seeks to sap national morale and turn civilians against their leaders.
This is done through:
- Fake casualty reports: Exaggerated Ukrainian losses to demoralize soldiers and civilians.
- Deepfake videos: A widely circulated deepfake video falsely depicted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urging Ukrainian troops to surrender.
- Infiltrating Telegram channels: With 85% of Ukrainians using Telegram, Russian operatives have targeted the platform to spread disinformation disguised as local news.
RAND’s study points out that in the early days of the invasion, Russian disinformation attempted to portray Kyiv as a “fallen city” long before any real military gains had been made.
Fake reports claimed that President Zelenskyy had fled the country, and Russian media shared staged videos of so-called Ukrainian soldiers surrendering en masse.
These narratives were intended to create chaos, weaken resistance, and push Ukraine toward a quick collapse.
The intent was to create panic and force surrender through psychological manipulation rather than direct combat.
Internationally: Undermining Support for Ukraine
Beyond Ukraine’s borders, Russia has spread narratives designed to erode international backing for Ukraine.
Key tactics include:
- Blaming NATO for the war: Framing the invasion as a Western provocation.
- Fake refugee crises: Spreading false claims about Ukrainian refugees committing crimes in host countries.
- Demonizing Ukrainian leadership: Portraying Zelenskyy as corrupt, weak, or a puppet of Western powers.
RAND highlights a campaign in which Russia fabricated news articles on cloned Western media sites, using advanced AI-generated content to make the fake articles appear more authentic.
In one instance, a counterfeit CNN report claimed that Western military aid to Ukraine had been secretly reduced due to corruption concerns, sowing doubt among Ukraine’s allies, such as a fake BBC article falsely claiming that Ukrainian forces had committed war crimes.
These cloned sites were meticulously designed to mirror legitimate outlets like The Guardian and Der Spiegel, making it difficult for readers to distinguish between real and fake news.
According to RAND, the success of this tactic lies in its ability to exploit public trust in well-known news brands, spreading disinformation even among typically skeptical audiences.
Inside Russia: Justifying the War and Silencing Dissent
To maintain domestic control, the Kremlin has employed an aggressive censorship and propaganda strategy:
- State-controlled media dominates Russian airwaves.
- Independent journalism is criminalized—reporting on the war as an “invasion” can lead to imprisonment.
- Blocking Western platforms like Facebook and Twitter to limit access to alternative perspectives.
RAND’s report describes this as an “information iron curtain”, designed to keep Russian citizens trapped within a tightly controlled narrative.
Ukraine’s Counteroffensive: Fighting Disinformation with Innovation
Ukraine has turned information warfare into an art form, using strategic communication, humor, and proactive measures to outmaneuver Russian propaganda.
Its approach is distinct for its adaptability, widespread use of social media, and direct engagement by its leadership.
Pre-War Preparations
Ukraine began building its information defenses well before the 2022 invasion:
- Banned Kremlin-controlled media after 2014.
- Invested in media literacy to help citizens recognize propaganda.
- Launched government-led fact-checking units, like the Center for Strategic Communications (CCD).
RAND notes that these efforts helped Ukraine resist Russia’s initial propaganda onslaught, allowing Kyiv to maintain control over its internal communications.
Ukraine built partnerships with international organizations such as the EU's East StratCom Task Force, which bolstered its ability to identify and counter Russian narratives at a global scale, ensuring that false surrender narratives failed to take root.
Real-Time Information Warfare
- Prebunking—Exposing Lies Before They Spread
- The Ukrainian government preemptively warns citizens about upcoming Russian falsehoods.
- Example: Before Russian forces entered Kyiv, Ukrainian officials publicly debunked fabricated surrender messages before they gained traction.
- Memetic Warfare—The Power of Humor
- Ukraine has weaponized memes and satire to counter Russian narratives.
- RAND highlights how viral memes, like Ukrainian farmers towing abandoned Russian tanks, helped rally morale while undermining Russia’s image.
- Zelenskyy’s Leadership—Authentic, Direct, and Digital
- President Zelenskyy’s frequent self-shot videos have been a masterclass in strategic communication.
- By directly addressing citizens and global audiences, he has circumvented traditional media filters, keeping Ukraine’s narrative dominant on the world stage.
Lessons for Democracies: How to Fight Disinformation
RAND’s report provides critical takeaways for the U.S. and its allies:
- Invest in Media Literacy
- Societies that recognize disinformation are less vulnerable.
- Prebunking Works Better Than Debunking
- Getting ahead of falsehoods prevents them from spreading.
- Engage Civil Society and Tech Platforms
- Fighting disinformation requires collaboration between governments, social media companies, and independent fact-checkers.
- Narrative Framing is Key
- Using emotional and relatable storytelling is more effective than dry facts.
The Fight for Truth is Everyone’s Battle
Disinformation is not just a Ukraine problem—it is a global threat.
The lessons from Ukraine’s resistance are clear: societies must be proactive, adaptive, and united in the defense of truth. RAND’s report emphasizes that information warfare is now a fundamental aspect of modern conflict.
The study warns that future conflicts will not just be fought on the battlefield but in the digital and psychological domains.
Governments must develop institutional expertise in counter-disinformation, improve coordination with technology firms, and invest in long-term media resilience to avoid being caught off guard, and ignoring it can be as dangerous as neglecting military threats.
The question now is: will the world learn from Ukraine’s successes before it’s too late?
Sources and Further Reading
- RAND Corporation Report: Ukrainian Resistance to Russian Disinformation – Read here
- Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications (CCD) – Official Website
- Reuters Institute Report on Humor in Information Warfare – Read here
