Ukrainian Military and Kremlin Propaganda: Typology of Fake Narratives

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the typology of Russian fake narratives about the Ukrainian military, presented in the information space in the period from January 1 to April 30, 2024, and to identify typological signs of fake information of the aggressor country that they create within the scope of their propaganda activities.

Research methodology. During the research, the following methods were used: analysis – to identify common features of fake messages of the specified problem, synthesis – during the unification of their common fake features, typology – during the unification of fake narratives about the Ukrainian army into one of the thematic groups. In the course of the study, 874 informational fake messages published on 28 Russian propaganda Telegram channels and information portals in the period from January 1 to April 30, 2024 were analyzed.

Results. The analysis of the materials made it possible to identify common features in fake messages about the Ukrainian army and the peculiarities of their integration into the information space, and it also made it possible to typologize Russian propaganda narratives according to the specified thematic direction. Within the thematic group of fakes about the Ukrainian army, seven main propaganda narratives were identified, which are promoted with the help of propaganda Telegram channels and information portals. The main characteristic feature of these fake messages is the absence, unreliability, or low credibility of the source of their origin, although at the same time, in order to influence the public's consciousness, propagandists actively use dirty technological techniques, involving very real facts, events, locations, etc., in the creation of fake messages. The promotion of fake narratives becomes possible due to the large volume of information available to the consumer, which makes it difficult to comply with the rules and principles of information hygiene and to carry out basic fact-checking and analysis of messages.

The scientific novelty of the study consists in determining the typology of fake and narratives about the Ukrainian army, which were promoted by Kremlin propaganda in the period from January 1 to April 30, 2024, and which were promoted with the help of propaganda Telegram channels and information portals.

Practical significance. The results of the research can be used during courses on increasing the level of media literacy among the public, namely, the formation of the information hygiene concept, the basics of fact-checking in the context of countering the influence of disinformation during the period of intensification of propaganda technologies during the war.

Key words: fake, propaganda, information-psychological operation (IPSO), manipulation, narratives, information war, media literacy, fact-checking.