Russia's tactics to sow despair among Ukrainians

The goal in this case is to discourage and demotivate Ukrainian people. 

These individuals should not be confused with those who criticize to improve the situation or those who exploit negativity for electoral gain. This is a different category — those who intentionally harm Ukraine for its defeat.

From my personal observations (and I've been interested in this issue for a long time), Russia has been developing several circles of so-called alternative intellectuals for a prolonged period. These are public experts who have found a niche between the two obvious and clear camps: pro-state and openly pro-Russian.

Pro-Russian "experts" either fled the country or went underground with the start of the full-scale invasion. In their place came the rise of "alternative intellectuals." They gradually split into two subgroups. One group holds a more overtly anti-Ukrainian stance, while the other is cleverly disguised as patriotic. Some even have ties to the military sphere, which gives them additional leverage in public discourse.

Regardless of which subgroup these individuals belong to, they are directed toward several goals:

1. Convincing Ukrainians that all is lost and they must accept defeat.
2. Convincing Ukrainians that they themselves are to blame for the start of the war.
3. Further undermining trust in state institutions (not just in individual leaders, but in institutions as a whole).
4. Discrediting leaders of public opinion who hold a genuinely pro-state stance and who constructively influence and mobilize Ukrainian society.
5. Subtly mocking everything Ukrainian (not always done directly; sometimes it’s cleverly disguised, especially when someone from this group tries to appear patriotic).

The set of arguments in the two subgroups differs, but they lead to the same conclusion.

I won't name names because that's not my job. In the Defense Forces, I have a different function. But I am certain that several names on this list would surprise many of you. This is not surprising, as many of them are well-known figures with impeccable public reputations.

Ultimately, it's not the names that matter, but what these individuals are spreading among the masses. I may be mistakenly including some of them in this hostile network. In that case, they are simply useful idiots. But I am almost certain that if I am mistaken, it is only in very rare cases.

I write all of this with a full understanding of the subject, as this topic has always been of particular professional and civic interest to me.

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About the author. Mykhailo Basarab, political scientist.

The editors don't always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.