On August 6, 2024, Ukrainian troops crossed the border and entered Russian territory in the Kursk region. More than a month has passed, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have advanced 35 km into the Kursk region, taking control of about 1,300 sq. km and 100 settlements. Ukrainian forces have also replenished the exchange fund with more than 600 Russian prisoners of war.

At the same time, Russia is positioning the Kursk operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as an “attempted invasion”. They say that Ukraine has decided to enter Russian territory, but this is nothing more than an attempt. The Russian military-political leadership seems to have everything under control, so ordinary Russians should not worry about the situation in the Kursk region. At the same time, this is indeed the first invasion of a foreign army into Russia since World War II.

Both Russian propagandists on their Telegram channels and official sources resort to rhetoric about an attempted invasion. For example, as of September 10, the Russian Ministry of Defense continues to publish daily information “on the progress of repelling the attempted invasion of the Ukrainian Armed Forces into the territory of the Russian Federation in the Kursk region”.

It would be an “attempted invasion” if Russian border guards and other military formations did not allow the theater of military operations to move to Russian territory. However, the reality is different: the Russians are still trying to put the fighting in order on their lands.

With this term, Russian propaganda is trying to devalue the successes of the Ukrainian military in the Kursk operation and calm its citizens. Although the impossibility of driving the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of Russian territory is a real alarm bell for the residents of this state. The Kremlin is unable to protect its own population, which is why it uses such phrases, just so that the Russians do not suspect that the “special military operation” is not going “according to plan”.

Propagandists spread information in their media that the Ukrainian authorities, if they do not like something in the work of journalists, can allegedly simply liquidate them, and Western human rights activists, they say, will remain silent. This is confirmed by the cases of “victims” of the Ukrainian authorities. However, specialists from the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security analyzed in more detail the situation with several “martyrs” that are actively mentioned by propaganda:

• Andrii Stenin was a Russian “journalist” who worked as a photographer for RIA Novosti in July 2014, filming the torture of captured Ukrainian soldiers in the Donetsk region. These materials were used by Russian propaganda to demoralize the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

• Ihor Korneliuk and Anton Voloshyn were VGTRK correspondents who covered the occupation of eastern Ukraine in 2014, trying to support Russia’s hybrid aggression.

• Daria Duhina was a propagandist who, among other things, called the massacre in Bucha in 2022 “staged” and was distinguished by her anti-Ukrainian rhetoric.

• Vladlen Tatarskyi (Maksym Fomin) was a collaborator and propagandist who fought as part of the LPR and DPR gangs, and was a citizen of Russia.

• Gonzalo Lira was a propagandist who supported Kremlin colleagues such as Alina Lipp, Graham Phillips and Patrick Lancaster, actively spreading their fakes.

Thus, the Kremlin is trying to present the death of its own propagandists in various circumstances as a victim of repression by Kyiv, which is part of its disinformation campaign. The goal of such manipulations is to create the impression that Ukraine is fighting not only against Russian aggressors, but also against the international press, which calls into question its status as a democratic state.

Propagandists are spreading information on anonymous Telegram channels that Ukrainian soldiers have stopped being fed, which is why store administrators in Pokrovsk are calling on the military not to rob their establishments, since “people also want to eat”. However, this is fake.

This is what experts from the Center for Counteracting Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council write. They remind us that such fakes are aimed at discrediting the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the eyes of Ukrainian society. Their dissemination is aimed at creating an image of irresponsible military personnel who allegedly violate civil rights. This is an information attack aimed at reducing morale and trust in the defenders of Ukraine, especially in conditions of heavy fighting and temporary occupation of certain territories.

The aim of such fakes is also to cause tension between the military and the civilian population, to portray Ukrainian soldiers as a threat to their own people, undermining the unity of the country in its fight against Russian aggression. In addition, such fakes can influence international perceptions by presenting the Ukrainian Armed Forces in a negative light, which is in line with the Kremlin’s strategy to undermine Western support for Ukraine.

Russian propagandists are trying to distort the words of former US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, claiming that her comments about Ukraine’s rejection of the terms of the “Istanbul Agreements” after consultations with Western partners are allegedly proof that the US and Britain have wrecked the peace talks. At the same time, another message is being spread for the Ukrainian audience based on this comment: supposedly, the negotiators in Istanbul were ready to “surrender Ukraine”, but the West intervened and prevented this.

In fact, Victoria Nuland noted that Ukraine correctly assessed the threat of the Istanbul “peace agreements”, because they included restrictions on certain types of weapons, which would weaken the country's defense capabilities in the face of Russian aggression. At the same time, no demands were made to Russia under them, not even to withdraw troops. This is recalled by the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council.

Russian propagandists actively spread such manipulations for several reasons. Firstly, their main goal is to shift responsibility for the long war from Russia to the West. They are trying to create the impression that the war continues due to the actions of the US and UK, and not due to Russia’s aggressive policies. This helps to strengthen anti-Western sentiments. Secondly, these messages are aimed at undermining trust in the Ukrainian authorities. By creating the impression that the Ukrainian leadership, allegedly under pressure from the West, rejected the peace agreements, propagandists are trying to sow mistrust among Ukrainians and undermine their faith in Western support. In addition, such messages are used for the internal mobilization of Russian society, showing the war as a fight not only with Ukraine, but also with the West “interfering” in the war. This allows Russia to justify the need to continue the war and repressive measures inside the country.

Propagandists on anonymous Telegram channels are spreading information that the West is actively discussing a possible replacement for Zelenskyi. They say he has lost the trust of his partners. This was stated, in particular, by Russian propaganda favorite Scott Ritter.

However, these claims have no basis and are absolutely groundless. This is what experts from the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security point out. They note that Scott Ritter is a well-known propagandist who is actively used by Russian propaganda. He is a former UN weapons inspector in Iraq, convicted in 2011 for pedophilia and other crimes. He was released on parole after 2.5 years in prison.

The message that the West is allegedly “looking for a replacement for Zelenskyi” is part of Russian propaganda aimed at convincing Ukrainians of Ukraine’s lack of sovereignty and excessive dependence on the West. These messages also aim to discredit the Ukrainian leadership by creating an image of the president as a loser who is about to be eliminated at the behest of his “overseas masters”.