Russia is preparing a media campaign alleging that Ukraine mistreats its prisoners of war, according to the Center for Public Diplomacy
Russia is preparing a media campaign aimed at spreading claims about Ukraine’s alleged mistreatment of Russian prisoners of war. According to the Kremlin’s plan, such materials are intended to create an alternative narrative for Western audiences and cast doubt on reports of systematic torture of Ukrainian prisoners in Russia.
According to Kovalenko, Russia traditionally employs the tactic of informational “mirroring,” attempting to counter Ukrainian reports with its own propaganda narrative.
“Russia is now banking on blurring the truth and reality. This is their standard propaganda tactic. Wherever the truth prevails, the Russians’ goal is to spread as many lies as possible to obscure it,” he noted.
Kovalenko claims that Russia is attempting to mimic Ukraine’s transparency regarding the conditions of detention for Russian prisoners of war. According to available information, Ukrainian prisoners may be transferred to other detention facilities within the Russian Federation to create a more “pleasant” visual image.
The head of the Center for Public Diplomacy stated that Russia may soon launch a separate media campaign featuring video footage of the conditions under which Russian prisoners of war are being held in Ukraine.
“Certain tasks will now be set, and a specific media campaign will be carried out; videos will be filmed about their conditions of detention. The Russians want to create an alternative media narrative for the West to cast doubt on, among other things, this UN information (regarding the systematic torture of Ukrainian prisoners—ed.),” the head of the Center for Public Diplomacy reported.
According to him, the Russian side also plans to interview prisoners of war who returned to Russia after the exchange. In these reports, they are to speak about the alleged mistreatment they suffered in Ukraine.
Kovalenko emphasized that the primary audience for such a campaign will be the West.
“The key goal is to discredit Ukraine, to show Western societies that Ukraine is allegedly a criminal state in various spheres—they are constantly engaged in this,” the head of the CPD noted.
According to him, Russia uses propaganda to influence public sentiment in Western countries first, and subsequently the political elites.
Kovalenko also stated that the Kremlin provides media and financial support to certain European politicians in an effort to help them come to power, deepen divisions within the EU, and cast doubt on continued support for Ukraine.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, made these remarks during a television appearance.
As a reminder, following Ukraine’s successful long-range strikes on Russian oil refineries and other strategic targets, the Kremlin stepped up its information campaign against Western countries. This was stated by Colonel Ants Kiviselg, head of the Estonian Armed Forces Intelligence Center.
The Russian Federation is conducting a large-scale information campaign, attempting to shift the blame onto Ukraine for the destruction of Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region and the deaths of civilians.
