WASHINGTON — In the waning days of President Joe Biden’s administration, efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s military defenses are juxtaposed with Russia’s attempts to undermine U.S. support for Ukraine, particularly as Donald Trump’s presidency looms ahead. As the Republican president-elect prepares to take office next month, the Kremlin has ramped up its disinformation efforts, utilizing state-sponsored media along with a network of fake news outlets and social media accounts to craft narratives that could sway public opinion against Ukraine.
Since the U.S. election on November 5, analysts have observed a steady stream of content tailored for American audiences, translated into English to influence public sentiment regarding the war. Such disinformation seeks to sow doubt about Ukraine’s role in the conflict and aims to hinder military support from the United States, potentially paving the way for a Russian triumph.
Recent fabricated videos making their rounds include one that purports to show Ukrainian soldiers burning effigies representing Trump and his supporters, with some claiming soldiers declare Trump must never assume office again. This particular clip has been widely dismissed as manipulated by multiple researchers who identified clear signs of alteration. Additionally, another video claims to depict soldiers firing at a mannequin donned in a “Make America Great Again” hat, which was also proven false by analysts at Ukraine’s government-run Center for Countering Disinformation.
Other misleading videos showcase Ukrainian troops purportedly burning books authored by Trump or labeling him a coward. In the wake of the election, these clips rapidly circulated, reaching audiences far beyond Ukraine and Russia, particularly among Trump supporters and adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which maintains that Trump is engaged in a battle against a sinister coalition of influential global figures.
Experts monitoring Russian propaganda since the war began note that these actions are part of a broader strategy to fracture American unity over the ongoing conflict and portray Ukrainians as untrustworthy allies. By diminishing support for Ukraine among the American populace, Russia aims to sever the critical military assistance that has bolstered Ukrainian resistance since the invasion commenced in February 2022.
In the early stages of the conflict, Russian propaganda depicted Ukraine’s leadership as largely corrupt and self-serving. Assertions of Nazi sympathies among Ukrainian policymakers were made despite President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Jewish background, while claims involving secret bioweapons programs were also put forward to establish a tenuous link with the COVID-19 pandemic. Such unfounded accusations served as justifications for Russia’s military incursion.
Rupert Smith, a former British general and current leader of a consulting firm in Brussels, pointed out that the narrative portraying Ukraine as an irreparable state has been strategically cultivated by Russian interests to excuse the lack of support for Ukraine.
The misleading video of soldiers attacking the Trump mannequin gained traction on popular platforms like X, Telegram, and YouTube, aided by pro-Kremlin media before infiltrating spaces frequented by American users, according to research by NewsGuard, a company specializing in disinformation tracking. Some of these videos had been crafted long before the election, only to be represented as recent footage. They quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of views and were translated into numerous languages, making them accessible to a wider audience beyond just English and Russian.
U.S. intelligence has indicated that Russia aimed to bolster Trump’s electoral prospects, believing he might lessen American support for Ukraine and the NATO alliance. Trump has made statements in praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin, criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine, and suggested that he could resolve the war in a paltry 24 hours, sparking concerns that he may encourage Ukraine to concede territory currently held by Russia.
When prompted regarding Russia’s involvement in disseminating disinformation about Ukraine, a representative from the Russian Embassy in Washington pointed to previous statements denying any such engagements.
As the Biden administration wraps up its responsibilities, it has called on Ukraine to bolster its military by ramping up troop drafts while simultaneously accelerating arms shipments and forgiving substantial loans extended to Kyiv. The White House has already committed over $56 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, with expectations of contributing further before Biden’s term concludes on January 20, 2025.
The rationale behind Russia’s quest to curtail U.S. aid is clear, yet evaluating the actual impact of its disinformation efforts remains complex, particularly in an age where social media is teeming with outrageous and discredited claims, noted Joshua Tucker, a New York University professor specializing in Russian disinformation phenomena.
Russia’s embrace of disinformation may be attributed to its relative cost-effectiveness and ease compared to more overt diplomatic or military pursuits. Tucker believes that Russia’s objective extends beyond merely influencing a single election cycle; it aims to weaken the fabric of American societal cohesion and erode trust in its institutions, whether pertaining to immigration, the economy, or the war in Ukraine.
“If they couldn’t spark a contentious electoral outcome with widespread protests contesting the results, Russian disinformation agencies remain committed to propagating narratives that might inflame divisions and enhance their position in Ukraine,” Tucker concluded.
