Our team is starting a series of publications of weekly analysis of russian propaganda in the Kherson region.
The analysis was carried out of publications of pro-russian channels in Telegram and news sites focusing on the Kherson region's audience from August 30 to September 4, 2022.
Each piece of news is evaluated in terms of a category:
- Influence of foreign partners on Ukraine (as a negative factor, "Ukraine dances to someone else's tune"),
- Justification of (own military) failures of the russian federation,
- Discrediting of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
- Discrediting of Ukrainian authorities,
- Aid (as a bribe of people in the occupied territories),
- Propaganda (greatness and invincibility of the russian federation),
- Successes of the russian army,
- Blackmail (threats to do something terrible to Ukraine),
- Improvement (in the occupied territories thanks to the arrival of the russian rederation) in the opinion of the russian federation.
This week was full of events. The main events covered in the russian mass media were the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the arrival of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) delegation at the Zaporizhzhya NPP, and September 1.
During the week, the general mood of the publications changed.
Most of all, news from the category "Discrediting the Armed Forces of Ukraine" (29% of publications) was in mass media. The russian mass media wrote about the phantom landings of the Ukrainian landing force near Energodar, which have no official confirmation, and about the hitting of residential areas of Kherson and the homes of civilians in the Kherson region. There is verified information that the Armed Forces successfully worked out the enemy's positions, hit the warehouses, and destroyed the crossing over the Dnipro, which left the enemy with the opportunity to replenish their supplies.
In contrast to the discrediting of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the russian mass media showed "Successes of the russian army", mentioned an unconfirmed number of destroyed equipment and the number of killed Ukrainian soldiers.
A large volume of news is in the categories "Help" (8%) and "Improvements in the opinion of the russian federation" (13%). From the amount of news in these categories, it can be said that they are trying to win the love of society using humanitarian aid, gifts for schoolchildren, new books, one-time and multiple cash assistance, and free meals. 20% of all publications in propaganda channels are also dedicated to the promotion of the greatness and invincibility of the russian federation.
Some quotes from propaganda channels:
"Kherson is our home, which has become better and stronger. Today is six months since the day of liberation. Large-scale changes took place, and we did not manage it alone; Russia was always with us."
"Kherson students will study history according to the Russian curriculum. One of the main directions of studying will be the "denazification" of history."
"Russian doctors continue to help Kherson residents."
Categories of publications:
| Category | % |
| Discrediting the Armed Forces of Ukraine | 29% |
| Propaganda | 20% |
| Improvement in the opinion of the russian federation | 13% |
| Successes of the russian army | 13% |
| Aid | 8% |
| Justification of failures of the russian federation | 5% |
| Influence of foreign partners on Ukraine | 5% |
| Discrediting of Ukrainian authorities | 4% |
| Blackmail and threats | 4% |