Here are the key hybrid influences we have detected within our #HybridWeekly rubric:
- Pro-Kremlin actors have intensified the promotion of the narrative that Ukraine lacks political and economic resources to become an EU/NATO member. They promoted messages portraying the foreign policy of Ukraine as failed in attempts to undermine Ukraine’s aspirations of Euro-Atlantic integration. This is done to persuade the audience that the Western vector is unavailable for Ukraine, and, therefore, the only alternative is to mend ties with Russia.
- The main pro-Russian party in Ukraine “Opposition Platform – For Life” organized a rally on September 9 against the “persecution of opposition”. This narrative has constantly been promoted by the party in regards to the criminal proceedings against its leader Victor Medvedchuk, charged with high treason, and the sanctions against several pro-Kremlin media. Doing so, the Kremlin’s agents attempt to disguise the true goals of their activities in Ukraine – conducting influence operations for the enemy’s benefit.
- The pro-Kremlin forces have exploited the fact that Ukraine is going to accommodate refugees from Afghanistan. They pushed messages that the government cares more about Afghan refugees than about the displaced people from the war zone in the east of Ukraine.
This is aimed at inciting hatred towards the refugees and thus provoking radicalization and destabilization of Ukrainian society.
