Russian propaganda plagues Ukrainians – The New York Times

The New York Times writes about how Russia plagues some Ukrainians with propaganda.

A year into the war, despite enduring months of attacks by the Russian military, some residents in eastern Ukraine continue to support Russia and repeat its propaganda, accusing the West of starting the war and the Ukrainian Army of shelling homes. In Kostyantynivka, a Ukrainian resident showed the NYT a rocket crater in her driveway and blamed the Ukrainian Army for the attack.

“They are killing us,” she said. “Our own guys are shelling us.”

Ukrainian soldiers refer to these people as "waiters" – they refuse to evacuate and await a Russian takeover, despite the danger posed by the bombardment. Though their numbers are decreasing, they still amount to thousands of civilians who defy evacuation orders.

The eastern Donbas is the most pro-Russian area due to its proximity to Russia and families with connections to both countries. Russian is the primary language spoken in cities. The publication spoke with the local police chief, Dmytro Kirdiapkin, who attributes this sentiment to the relentless and insidious Russian propaganda campaign. The propaganda has turned locals against their government and pushed them towards Russian proxy forces that gained control in 2014. According to Chief Kirdiapkin, Russian propaganda is the most brutal weapon used on their people by the Russian Federation.

Chief Kirdiapkin is a Donetsk native and has witnessed the effects of the Russian information war in Mariupol, Druzhkivka, and Kostyantynivka. He has rescued missile attack victims and worked to identify informants who are Russia's "eyes and ears" on the ground. His team monitors the Telegram channel to catch informants, who he refers to as "scoundrels."  

According to the article, in the neighboring town of Druzhkivka, his force arrested five locals for providing targeting information to Russian intelligence, including a former taxi driver who had been recruited in 2014. The woman, who denied receiving payment, had been swayed by Russian propaganda and promised the strikes would only damage equipment. The police traced payments and messages to and from Russia, and the female taxi driver claimed she “just didn’t want her children to live in war.” The police chief dismissed her comment as insincere. “She wanted world peace, but she decided to direct enemy fire,” he said.

However, Russian strikes became less frequent after the arrests. Chief Kirdiapkin's force helped people evacuate to safer cities, and “word had spread that the Ukrainian government was not all bad.”

According to the article, Ukrainian officials said that fighting the propaganda war is costly and not a priority, as they focus on the battlefield. However, there are signs of a battle for minds on frontline city streets. The Ukrainian Army has put up billboards celebrating military heroes to encourage enlistment, and pro-Ukrainian graffiti is prevalent, repeating familiar phrases such as “Glory to Ukraine” and “Russian warship, go screw yourself.” 

“But one piece of graffiti stands out for its message to the pro-Russian community. “The Russians are traitors!” it reads, a reference to the betrayal felt by the pro-Russian population at Moscow’s failure to meet its promise of a better life,” the article says.

The journalists conclude that Russia's actions have slowly turned former supporters in eastern Ukraine against it. Police have also noted a change in the townspeople's attitudes: “They understand many people died around them; everything is destroyed in their city,” the Kirdiapkin said. “They are convinced by their own eyes...”