This thesis is spread by Russian propaganda. According to the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council, propagandists present their own disinformation interpretation of Clark's words as a fait accompli. In particular, they claim that he seemed to have "cooled the ardor of Ukrainians" against the background of the successful de-occupation of the territory in the Kharkiv region. Like, the former NATO Secretary General recognizes the high competence of the Russian army, which detracts from the joy of the Ukrainians.

However, Clark did not belittle Ukraine's achievements or claim that the Russian army is stronger. As the Center writes, in fact, Wesley Clark's rhetoric has remained unchanged since February 24, 2022. According to him, the only way to end the war in Ukraine is to defeat Russia. Clark is simply convinced that "you shouldn’t underestimate the enemy" as Ukraine continues to fight. However, Russian propaganda uses information manipulation to form new messages about the invincibility of the Russian army against the background of Russia's retreat under pressure from the armed forces of Ukraine. Propagandists seek to downplay the successes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, demonstrating that, despite the de-occupation, Western experts, including the NATO military, consider the Russian army to be more powerful.