Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and American actor Brad Pitt.
Getty Images
A Putin official aiming to tarnish President Zelenskyy’s image likened him to Brad Pitt.Documents reviewed by the Washington Post reveal Kremlin efforts to sow discord among Ukrainians.The Kremlin use disinformation campaigns and social media manipulation.
A Moscow official complained that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was like Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, a global star with an image that couldn’t be sullied, the Washington Post reports.
The frustrated exchange was archived in a cache of more than 100 Kremlin propaganda documents reviewed by the Washington Post.
The documents, obtained by a European intelligence service, reveal that Kremlin officials are struggling to undermine Zelenskyy’s popularity.
Although high public confidence in Zelenskyy remains resilient after two years of war, the numbers have wavered recently. In December 2023, trust in Zelensky declined to 62%, marking a 22% decrease since December 2022, per the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
The documents reveal the Kremlin’s elaborate and persistent efforts to undermine Zelenskyy, per the Post’s analysis.
From orchestrating disinformation campaigns to manipulating social media, Putin’s administration has been pulling strings behind the scenes to sow discord and division within Ukrainian society.
Internal Kremlin documents reveal a planned disinformation campaign to tarnish Zelenskyy’s image and destabilize his leadership.
Thousands of social media posts and fabricated articles flooded the online space
Through social media platforms and fake news articles, the Kremlin orchestrated a barrage of anti- Zelenskyy content.
Kevin Coombs / Reuters
One year ago, Kremlin strategists sought to exploit rumored tensions between Zelenskyy and his top military commander, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, envisioning a narrative where Zelenskyy’s decision to dismiss Zaluzhny would be framed as a sign of weakness and instability.
Zelenskyy did ultimately fire Zaluzhny and public confidence in his successor, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, is much lower.
Through social media platforms and fake news articles, the Kremlin orchestrated a barrage of content portraying Zelenskyy as “hysterical and weak,” fostering the perception that he was removing perceived threats to his power.
Thousands of social media posts and fabricated articles flooded the online space, strategically crafted to amplify divisions within Ukrainian society and erode trust in Zelenskyy’s leadership.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during joint press conference with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on November 4, 2023 in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Viktor Kovalchuk/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
The Kremlin outlined four key objectives for its multifaceted propaganda campaign in Ukraine: discrediting Kyiv’s leadership, splintering the Ukrainian elite, demoralizing Ukrainian troops, and disorienting the population.
The focus shifted to infiltrating Ukrainian social media landscapes, emphasizing platforms like Telegram, which had emerged as a critical news source.
To gain traction, they advocated for subtlety, avoiding overt pro-Russian propaganda and focusing on narratives resonating with Ukrainian audiences.
Strategies have included cloning reputable media and government websites to disseminate fabricated content, amplifying narratives that portrayed Zelensky as a puppet of the West, and spreading misinformation about Ukrainian military operations.
The Kremlin is now exploring new avenues, such as deepfake technology, to further its agenda.
Despite the Kremlin’s attempts at sabotaging Zelenskyy’s reputation, Ukrainian society has remained united in the face of Russia’s aggression.
The second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine is marked on February 24, 2022.