The Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service has issued a warning regarding potential destabilization efforts by Russia aimed at undermining the country’s external support. This alert follows the intelligence agency’s access to Russian documents indicating a strategic shift in Moscow’s approach due to setbacks in its spring offensive and significant economic challenges.
According to the intelligence report, the Russian administration has instructed its security services, foreign ministry, and media outlets to intensify a disinformation campaign targeting both Ukrainian and European audiences. A primary focus of this campaign is to discredit Ukraine’s mobilization efforts and its military leadership, which is seen as critical given the substantial losses incurred by Russian forces on the battlefield.
The intelligence service outlined three key objectives of this campaign. First, there is an emphasis on undermining the credibility of Ukraine’s mobilization and military command. Second, the campaign aims to tarnish the reputation of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his administration, and their families. Third, it seeks to prevent the marginalization of a media scandal involving Andriy Yermak, the former head of the President’s Office, and an interview with former spokesperson Yulia Mendel.
“The Kremlin considers this case significant, yet it has been overshadowed by other international events, particularly the situation surrounding Iran,” the report stated.
To generate public resonance, the Russian media strategy reportedly includes the creation of fake documents attributed to government authorities and their dissemination within society. The intelligence agency noted that Russian propaganda has also tasked itself with developing symbolic figures for the discrediting campaign. Additionally, there are plans to involve former Ukrainian officials, political figures, and experts in these efforts.
As of today, the Ukrainian intelligence service has begun to observe initial attempts by Russia to implement this new strategy, not only within Ukraine but also internationally. The documents reveal that over 15 proxy media outlets are expected to participate in disseminating this narrative in Western information spaces. Among these outlets are L’Antidiplomatico, Magyar Nemzet, and Prvni Zpravy.
In a related development, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine announced on May 11 that it had uncovered an organized group involved in the laundering of 460 million UAH linked to elite construction projects near Kyiv. One of the group members, a former head of the President’s Office, has been placed under suspicion.
On May 14, the High Anti-Corruption Court ordered pre-trial detention for Andriy Yermak, with the option of a bail set at 140 million UAH. Yermak, who has denied the allegations against him, was released from custody on May 18 after posting bail.
That same week, an interview featuring Yulia Mendel was published, in which she spoke to American commentator Tucker Carlson. Mendel, who served in the President’s Office from 2019 until July 2021, discussed what she described as a “dangerous nationalism” in Ukraine and claimed that the country is on the brink of disappearance.
Ukrainian intelligence has alerted the public to a Russian disinformation campaign aimed at destabilizing Ukraine and undermining its military and political leadership. The campaign is reportedly driven by recent military setbacks and aims to manipulate public perception through various media outlets.