Russia steps up psychological warfare to push narrative of Ukraine’s “inevitable defeat”

Over the next month, the Kremlin will spend significant resources on cognitive operations against Ukraine in an effort to convince Ukrainian society of the inevitability of defeat, as well as to sow discord between the military, the government, and civilians.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported on Telegram by the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine.

“Next month, Russia will spend considerable resources on cognitive operations against Ukraine,” the statement reads.

According to the head of the CCD, officer of the Ukrainian Defense Forces Andrii Kovalenko, Russia’s main messaging line will be that “they will try to convince Ukrainian society of the inevitability of defeat, the need to capitulate, and will also attempt to create divisions between the military, the authorities, and civilians.”

He noted that peak activity is expected during the winter. This will also be done in order to influence the diplomatic process.

“The campaign is taking place against the backdrop of Russia’s inability to break through the front and the lack of any strategic results in the war. It will be difficult, but we will manage,” Kovalenko concluded.

As Ukrinform reported, at the beginning of December, the Kremlin is likely to intensify its disinformation campaign around negotiations on a diplomatic settlement of Russia’s war against Ukraine, focusing its main efforts on discrediting the negotiation process between Ukraine and the United States.