Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has led to the largest migration crisis in Europe since World War II. According to theUnited Nations, there were 5.8 million Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of October 2023.
Within the hybrid war against the West, the Kremlin uses the factor of Ukrainian displaced persons to destabilize the political and social situation in EU countries. With this aim, Russia is parasitizing anti-immigrant sentiments among right-wing and conservative circles of European societies.Russian propaganda discredits the image of Ukrainians in Europe.
Russian propaganda operations are aimed at constructing myths about refugees from Ukraine in the minds of Europeans. With the European Parliament elections in 2024 approaching, Russia is likely to step up its efforts to discredit national governments in EU countries by exploiting the issue of Ukrainian refugees.
Moreover, manipulation of Ukrainian refugees is common in the information environment of populist and right-wing radical movements, as well as EU political parties. Thus, this topic is part of the Kremlin’s indirect influence on Europe’s political and social stability, which is carried out through radicalization of public sentiment.
In this regard, the HWAG team identified 6 key myths about Ukrainian refugees. We also debunked each of these manipulations.
Watch the video to find more…
