Propagandists constantly repeat that Ukraine does not have its own statehood and that it is led either by the United States of America or other forces. And if someone uses this only as a political metaphor, then there are people who really believe that the Ukrainian government and state are only an appearance.

Other conspiracy theories are mixed in this theory: about the “world government”, the “Jewish conspiracy” and the “evil West”. Conspiracy theorists can talk about “Ukraine-puppet”, relying on one of these theories, and on all at the same time. For example, the assertion that Ukraine is controlled by the UN is not very common. While there are many more who support the thesis, it seems that Israel or the “government of the Jewish conspiracy” leads Ukraine, since its president and a number of representatives of the political and financial elite are somehow connected with Israel. Proponents of this conspiracy theory of “puppet Ukraine” are spreading anti-Semitism by foisting unsubstantiated accusations against Jews on their audiences. In general, conspiracy theorists believe that Ukraine is run by anyone, even reptilians, but not Ukrainians. Thus, they undermine the subjectivity of the Ukrainian state in order to build propaganda messages on this conspiracy theory.

The “puppet Ukraine” theory has its roots in Soviet times and is linked to a lack of information about the work of state bodies. Soviet citizens were not explained how the political system works. Accordingly, “in the kitchens” they began to come up with various theories and explanations of what is happening in the state. Subsequently, with the collapse of the USSR, the same Russians began to look for an excuse for poverty and the failure of a number of reforms in their state, and therefore began to believe that in fact Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other post-Soviet and post-socialist states are, as it were, projects of the West, which seems to be taking from the newest countries all resources. With technological development, and especially the emergence of such messengers as Telegram, kitchen conversations moved into the information space, and Russian anonymous telegram channels replaced knowledge about how the state works with their insiders. Moreover, there is a conspiracy theory that Russia under President Borys Yeltsyn was a project of the West. In particular, Russian media disseminate articles that the reforms of the first decade after 1991 were aimed at destroying the Russian economy and statehood. It seems that the collapse of the USSR was also planned by the West, and Yeltsyn's policy was the next step in the plan for the collapse of Russia.

By spreading such conspiracy theories, Russia wants to make Ukrainians believe they are inferior. Thus, it also justifies its aggression: transfers responsibility for it to other forces or claims that the aggression is justified, because the Ukrainian state does not seem to exist. In fact, despite the assertions of conspiracy theorists, Russia remains an independent subject of international relations, which puts its own interests above the interests of others. Russia baselessly attacked Ukraine to satisfy its imperial ambitions. Detector Media has repeatedly written about the use of this theory as the basis for new fakes.