Russian propaganda: News of the 2025 season

The main thing that happened to propaganda in Russia in 2025 is the change of the enemy. Now, instead of the United States, the “dwelling of evil” is appointed Europe, where “the insidious globalist elites” are guilty of “insidious globalist.” The Russians began to submit America, if not as an ally, as a force that no longer stopped. Propaganda depicts the picture so that American policy looks absolutely non -objective, weak, and goes step by step in the way that Russia indicates.

The Russians are told that Ukraine does not want peace because it is now the EU puppet and, above all, the United Kingdom. Like, now Ukrainians are already fighting in the interests of Europeans.

The second noticeable change is a significant increase in working with veterans. In 2025, programs to support veterans began to actively launch. Previously, these were programs for those who are at the front and their families and children, now a large part is the work on the adaptation of veterans who returned. These are employment, rehabilitation, medical support programs. That those who have already come from the front should have a vision that they can have a good life. The stories about the “fallen heroes of their” and their personal path also increased.

Advertising:

Third, the Russians strengthen the idea that the war will last for a long time, despite all peace processes. The threat remains, and the danger to the Russians is not local, but global. And the centers of this threat flash here and there – depending on the desire of the propaganda machine.

It was quite indicative that during the so -called “truce” on Easter the Russians bravurantly reported the offensive and that the day before, several villages were taken in the Donetsk region. Even on the bright holiday of the Russian Federation, it fueled the desire of the offensive, spoke of the war, not peace – even on its own conditions.

It can be assumed that from the new year there has been preparation of the Russian audience in parallel to the fact that the maximalist goals will not be achieved. But there is another narrative that Putin voiced, “We will get them.” After that, the Russian soldiers began to terrorist on civilians – attacks on Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Kyiv.

Sometimes you can hear the hints that the Kremlin hopes after freezing, which can be planned for the fall, through the election to change the President of Zelensky, and then, over time, to conduct something like a new Blitzkrig format for occupation of other regions under the cover of legends about “referendums and federalization.”

Europe takes a place in the US as the main enemy of the Kremlin Russian propaganda does not recognize Trump as a great leader – he is presented as a leader who is enough to negotiate with Putin. But which cannot surpass the Russian dictator with its charisma.

Escalatory rhetoric is now periodically concerned with the Baltic, Romania, Moldova countries.

As enemies depict Germany, France, Britain. Every week there is news that Poland is pulling troops to the border and a blockade of the Baltic Sea. These news goes as a multi -series show. Apparently, the Russians work out scenarios of deepening escalation and wars to make it easier to justify statements about the need for mobilization and involvement of volunteers/mercenaries.

So, at the beginning of 2025, a historic event took place – the Russian lie and narratives began to sound from the mouth of representatives of official authorities of the United States, such as that “Zelensky is a dictator without an election” with a rating of 4%. This is a significant change, because for years of Russian informants have only been authoritarian regimes, individual politicians, or some right movements in Europe, but never – US authorities.

As you know, the favorite occupation of the Russians is entertainment with the word “Nazis”. The new narrative is attacked by this term leadership of EU countries. Like, now Russia, together with Americans, should destroy “European Nazism”. For example, according to the Center for Strategic Communications, on April 16, the external intelligence service of the Russian Federation (CZR) suggested that the United States combat with “EuroFashism”, because “the current disorder in relations between the US and EU countries” becomes a “factor that contributes to the situational rapprochement of Washington and Moscow. The Russian expansion of Medvedev has already managed to turn to the selected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz with intimidation: “Think, twice, Nazi!”.

In general, propaganda does not recognize Trump as a great leader – he is presented as a leader who is enough to negotiate with Putin. But which cannot surpass the Russian dictator with his charisma.

A new approach to recruitment in the army? Cat-UA analysts see that the scale of recruiting advertising campaigns of volunteers (mercenaries) in the Russian army remained in the Russian army, despite the conversation about peaceful negotiations.

But, according to our assumption, the Russians could change the strategy of recruiting people into the army. In order to make a rate and conscripts in addition to contracting and further transition to the contract. Materials about wires for conscript service appear. Since April, new rules for the stitches have begun to apply in the Russian Federation: if previously the summons was valid only during the months of conscription, now it does not burn and valid during the year.

The raids on migrants have increased – they check whether newcomers who received citizenship became for military accounting. There are cases where they press the contract.

“Wow Russian warrior …” Some fatigue in Russian society is noticeable. Some people still believed in negotiations and expected that some end of the war should come. The radical wing launched the narrative: “Don’t expect a lot from peace talks.” Like, one should not hope for peace and build pink illusions that the war can end very quickly.

In general, the narrative about a long war remains. Periodically there are complaints about raising tariffs, prices in stores. But they do not gain momentum. Fear of the Great War is constantly fueled. Russian society is constantly and loudly offered new enemies-and it sounds louder than any fatigue from the war.

For the average Russian, the war is not as acute as for Ukrainians. No one promised “sweet life” – they should always be tolerated for something in the future and sacrifice their lives.

So, despite negotiations about frost, propaganda continues to prepare the Russians for war or a series of wars. There is a militarization of children at the verge of sectarianism, the promotion of MIC. The array of information on the theme of militarization of children remained at a constant level. They continue to conduct large-scale military-sports competitions, involve participants in their education in schools.

Putin recently stated that the elite should be relevant to Russia’s military-political class. Last year, a program to attract veterans to regional authorities began with the possibility of being elected from “One Russia”. This program was quite popular, with many participants. Now every federal body implements its programs on this principle. There are also business employment programs.

Russians try to work with PTSD – eg , in the form of short videos for women and children of participants about how to interact with those who are fighting. This is a subjective assessment, but this is better in the Ukrainian side-because we have a lot of private initiatives and involvement when professional people work with other people at the call of the heart, not because they came to them a “piece of paper from above.”

“Atrocities in Kurshchyna” and April rocket terror Another major infiocampmange was the stories of “the abuse of Ukrainian fighters / Nazis / inhumans” over civilian chickees. It is obvious that Rashism had to explain local victims and destruction, putting guilty on Ukraine. It is also an attempt to “reflect” the accusations of civilians in Ukraine for Russians, they say “you also killed ours in the Russian Federation.”

The track of the Armed Forces in Kur Region was actively used by unofficial speakers to justify the blows of civilians in Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Kiev. Like, large “concomitant losses” – revenge for Kurchyna.

In April, these civilians, in its typical Russian style, the regime exerted psychological pressure on Ukrainians during negotiations. In parallel, the Kremlin used the “cover” rhetoric regarding its desire for peace, negotiations, energy, Easter and May. The murder of civilians for intimidation required a campaign to justify “concomitant losses”, as they are called in Russia. These blows were officially recognized by the Russian Federation, although with inadequate excuses, for example, that “20 units of military equipment” were destroyed in Kryvyi Rih. If so, this technique could not be hidden in video from the scene, while there are no such frames. Perhaps, according to the rashists, Ukrainians have a terrifying that the Russian Federation almost unconscious declares conscious strikes on civilians and intentions to beat them in the future.

Sometimes propaganda produces some wild stories in the style of “crucified boy” that Ukrainians allegedly write to children killed in the war and call them on behalf of their father “come to him in paradise.”

“Grandpa Fighting” and “The Holy Victory in the Great Patriotic War”-Grand-Nariatrat, which grows by the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism and in the eyes of the Russians gives them an indulgence for new crimes today.

Russia’s hope for hopelessness in Ukraine As for the efforts of Russian propaganda in Ukraine, it is, first and foremost, undermining the morale, the message that “Ukraine is losing”, creating an atmosphere of hopelessness and inevitable defeat.

To do this, a narrative on total corruption in the country, including the President and his environment, is used.

And also – the presentation of Ukraine as a “pawn” in the game of big countries, to provoke a sense of doom. Like, everything has already been decided, “we are handed over”, and we cannot influence anything.

Another message that is used for the Ukrainian audience is Zelensky does not want peace, because after his occurrence he will lose power.

Traditionally, emotions are used for manipulation – fear, anger, despair.

An attempt to play the language question and to push each other who uses Ukrainian and those who are Russian in everyday life. The Russians rejoice in individual conflicts and are such cases, to attempt to split and justify their crime – the solution of war.

Odesa continues to be of particular interest. Thus, through comments on the boots on the platform, and the “Odessa” Telegram-channels that are guided by Russia, there is an attempt to suggest the message about “Odessa-Russian City”, where they do not speak Ukrainian, and which should sooner or later “release” Russia. It comes to the presence in the comments of bots that give themselves out for Odessa and attack the Ukrainian language.

The Bot-Ataka was also accompanied by the murder of the activist of NGO “Street Front” Demyana Ganul for simulation, as if the mass joy of Odessa. The Russians successfully played the ambiguity of his “direct action” shares. Narrative “Kharkiv – Russian City”, also sounds, but not so often. The support of the narrative is also achieved through the statements of top racists, such as Putin and Patrushev, the latter has recently spoken of Odessa again. Due to the citation, the narrative is thrown into our space.

What to do to Ukraine Experts of the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security in their research “Kremlin Anti -European Narratives: Map of Information Threats for Ukraine” advise first and foremost to form and promote your own narratives. As well as – Strengthen affiliate networks In order to increase the efficiency of promotion of constructive narratives to counteract FIMI (Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference – Foreign Information Manipulations and Interventions – a term used in the EU and NATO). Increase the level of media literacy Both audience and media content. Block and complicate work In Ukraine and the EU, resources are involved in FIMI. To do this, adjust social networks. And promote reducing resourcesWhich Russian Federation can direct to an information war.

We will add from ourselves. So, it is, first and foremost, about creating your own strong agenda, with a constant space for information interaction of citizens.

The key is to build effective partnerships and collaborations. Therefore, the interaction between different “information agents” on the verge of journalism, communications, “propaganda of a healthy person”, culture, education, business is required. This expands the audience, increases trust, increases resources and most importantly due to novelty – inspires citizens. After all, without a new emotional involvement, the attention of the audience is lost.

It is also about developing the skills to work carefully with information from the population (“Check if they are not lying”).

At the recent Kyiv Stratcom forum 2025, experts shared their advice. Yes, Love Tsybulskayastrategic communications expert believes that the main problem in the field of state strategic communications is that the institutions that are defined in this area do not have real subjectivity. “We need to formulate a request for subject, creative, independent leaders. Also necessary institutions that will have real weight and influence,” she said.

The forum was thought that it is impossible to be in information defense, without influencing the Russian population and its fighters – this is the way to defeat. “These are the tools that Russia itself uses,” the journalist, blogger, publicist said Denis Kazansky. – Troll factories work, we see a bunch of video in Tiktok, created in the interests of Russia – against the shopping center, mobilization, European integration. They also create allegedly Ukrainian Telegram channels that are fully conducted from Russia and spreading Russian media propaganda. What prevents us from doing the same? I do not see system work at the moment, there is amateur enthusiasts. The Russians play without rules, and the Western world tries to play with them according to the rules, and actually loses through it. ”

Historian Yaroslav Gritsak says “that we make a big mistake, believing that there are no” good Russians “. If” good Russians “are not, we must create them! This is a question of a strategy And give a lot of examples. ”

***

It can be assumed that Russia’s advantage in the information sphere still gives the rashists hope for strategic conquest of Ukraine. It is a lie that is aimed at disorientation of people, and is the Kremlin’s “Koshchi’s Needle”, breaking the course of history.

Denis Samincommunicator nd cat-ua

Marina Fursenkoanalytics of the hi cat-ua

A column is a material that reflects the author’s point of view. The text of the column does not claim the objectivity and comprehensive coverage of the topic that rises in it. The editorial board of “Ukrainian Truth” is not responsible for the accuracy and interpretation of the information provided and plays only the role of the carrier. The point of view of the UP editorial board may not coincide with the point of view of the author of the column.