In our #HybridWeekly rubric:
- Pro-Kremlin forces have intensified their efforts to discredit NATO in the eyes of Ukrainians. Amidst the escalation at the frontline, they create and disseminate fakes that portray the Alliance as weak, unable to confront Russia, and that Ukraine is not needed by NATO as a member. The goal is to demoralize Ukrainians: make them feel as though Ukraine is incapable of repelling the aggressor. This is a common demoralizing technique used by the Kremlin in attempts to make Ukraine believe there’s no use fighting back.
- Attacks on the newly-founded governmental centers both countering disinformation continue, as the pro-Russian forces see them as a threat to their detrimental activities. They attempt to create division between the two institutions, the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security and the Center for Countering Disinformation, through spreading disinformation about disagreements between their leaders. In reality, the centers have agreed to actively cooperate and clearly differentiated their responsibilities.
- The campaign of discrediting the Pfizer vaccine is in full swing after the arrival of its first batch to Ukraine. Pro-Kremlin actors attack the Western vaccine by spreading myths and conspiracy theories. The disinformation campaign started even before the batch arrival — when Ukraine announced securing 10 mln doses of the vaccine. Pro-Russian forces also continue targeting immunization as such to undermine the population’s trust in the vaccination campaign.
