Russia and Ukraine Battle Misinformation Alongside Two-Year Conflict

Post by : Elena Malik

Photo : Reuters

Disinformation and propaganda have been deeply embedded in warfare for centuries, but in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, these tactics have been supercharged by digital technology. As one of the most significant conflicts in the smartphone and social media era, the battle for Ukraine has seen a dramatic increase in the use of misinformation.

In early April, residents of Kharkiv received alarming text messages purportedly from Ukrainian government officials, advising them to evacuate the city before Russian forces encircled it. The messages, featuring the State Emergencies Service of Ukraine's logo and detailed escape routes, were designed to incite panic. Volodymyr Tymoshko, the police chief of Kharkiv region, quickly recognized the alerts as fraudulent. He noted that such psychological operations are meant to induce fear and chaos, rather than provide legitimate information.

Tymoshko reported receiving about ten similar messages via SMS and Telegram between April and early May, just before Russia's offensive in northeastern Ukraine began on May 10. The messages, which were part of a broader disinformation campaign, utilized Leer-3 systems attached to Orlan-10 drones. These systems create fake cellular base stations to flood phones with misleading information.

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Alongside these SMS attacks, there was a surge in social media disinformation. According to Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation (CCD), the number of daily disinformation posts spiked from 200 in March to over 2,500 in May as the Kharkiv offensive commenced. Russian disinformation is largely attributed to Russia's FSB security service and the GRU, though Moscow has accused Ukraine and Western media of engaging in their own information warfare.

The CCD's efforts to combat these campaigns include shutting down Russian bot farms. Since the invasion began in 2022, Ukrainian intelligence has dismantled 86 of these farms, which managed around 3 million social media accounts. Despite these efforts, new disinformation accounts continually emerge. TikTok and Telegram are noted as significant platforms for Russian disinformation, with TikTok having recently removed numerous accounts flagged by Ukraine. Telegram is also working on tools to improve information verification.

In addition to online tactics, Russian disinformation efforts have included more traditional methods. For instance, a Russian airstrike in late April destroyed Kharkiv’s main television tower, disrupting the city's access to reliable news.

The disinformation campaign has not only targeted civilians but has also sought to exploit the vulnerabilities of Ukrainian soldiers. This "microtargeting" of specific individuals and groups complicates the CCD's task of identifying and countering false narratives.

Despite the pervasive nature of these disinformation efforts, there is evidence that Ukrainians are becoming increasingly adept at recognizing and dismissing false information. The panic that initially led to mass evacuations during the early stages of the conflict has lessened over time. By May 2024, the city of Kharkiv, despite ongoing attacks and disinformation, still maintained a population of around 1.3 million.

As residents of Kharkiv continue to endure the daily challenges of living in a conflict zone, their resilience is evident. Many have adapted to the constant threat of violence, with some even choosing to disengage from news to maintain their mental well-being. "We abstract ourselves, otherwise we won't survive," said Yulia Oleshko, a local resident, reflecting the psychological coping mechanisms developed amidst the ongoing crisis.

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