Russia’s propaganda efforts in Ukraine a ‘lazy, half-baked failure’: study

The truth behind Moscow’s covert eight-year campaign to topple Ukraine from the inside has been exposed in a new study.

As the war in Ukraine approaches the end of its second month, Vladimir Putin’s propaganda efforts have only intensified as conflict in the region continues to decimate cities and displace the population.

Russia has continued to push its anti-NATO narrative as Western nations attempt to stranglehold the economy via widespread sanctions.

Just this week, the Museum of Russian Contemporary History in Moscow played host to an exhibition titled ‘NATO: A Chronicle of Cruelty’.

But efforts to build pro-Russia sentiment within Ukraine have fallen woefully flat, according to a new study by Dr Jon Roozenbeek of the University of Cambridge.

Putin has relied on pro-Russia separatists in Ukraine’s east to provide support in what appears to be an attempt at a complete takeover. Since 2014, Russia has injected thousands of pieces of pro-Moscow propaganda into Ukraine in an attempt to sway the largely Russian-speaking population into believing in a future under their control.

In his study, Dr Roozenbeek analysed over 85,000 news articles published by 30 local and regional outlets across Donetsk and Luhansk between 2014 and 2017.

Using advanced artificial intelligence called “natural language processing”, Dr Roozenbeek recorded a number of patterns in the content, including key words and phrases relating to the demonisation of the Ukrainian state.

Dr Roozenbeek said 36 per cent of coverage in print media in Donbas was devoted to identity-shaping propaganda to perpetuate an “us and them” mindset against the existing establishment.

The research also found repeated use of the idea of “Novorossiya” (meaning “New Russia”), a historical concept long supported by Putin.

The Kremlin also repeatedly insinuated Kyiv was run by far-right extremists, using the talking point as a justification for Russian interference to “de-nazify” the region.

A poster with the flag of Novorossiya reading ‘Help Donbas’ in 2015.

“Eight years of Russian propaganda have failed to provide a convincing alternative to Ukrainian nationhood in eastern Ukraine,” Dr Roozenbeek said. “The invasion has been a strategic and logistic disaster.

“Despite the importance given to constructing identity and ideology after the Russian-backed takeover in Luhansk and Donetsk — including as directed by the Kremlin — very little in-group identity was promoted.

“What identity-building propaganda I could find in Donbas after 2014 was vague, poorly conceived, and quickly forgotten.”

Attempts to push the idea of a ‘New Russia’ also felt flat, according to the analysis.

“Political attempts to invoke Novorossiya were cast aside by the summer of 2015, but such weak propaganda suggests they didn’t stand much chance anyway,” Dr Roozenbeek continued.

“Putin has severely underestimated the strength of Ukrainian national identity, even in Donbas, and over-estimated the power of his propaganda machine on the occupied areas of Ukraine.”

Russia has continued to push its anti-NATO narrative as Western nations attempt to stranglehold the economy via widespread sanctions. However, efforts to sway the Ukrainian republic have fallen flat, according to a new study.

‘Political attempts to invoke Novorossiya were cast aside by the summer of 2015, but such weak propaganda suggests they didn’t stand much chance anyway.’

Putin will reportedly transfer power for a few days to an “outright villain” while he undergoes cancer surgery, according to a new report.

A video from the Telegram channel “General SVR” published on Saturday alleged Putin’s top spy chief Nikolai Patrushev will gain control of the Russian Government while the 69-year-old is recovering from surgery.

“Putin is unlikely to agree to hand over power for a longer period of time,” the narrator of the video said.

“Patrushev is an outright villain. He is no better than Vladimir Putin. Moreover, he is a more cunning, and I would say, more insidious person than Vladimir Putin. If he comes to power, Russians’ problems will only multiply.”

Rumours of Putin’s health condition began circulating after various videos showed the president appearing unwell.

His officials have always maintained their leader is in perfect health.