This week's main news is the referendum in all "liberated territories". 25% of the news is about the referendum. During the entire week, the russian mass media wrote about the successful course of the referendum, the large turnout, the presence of European observers at the referendum, about the fact that the entire process is transparent and meets international standards. russian leaders, ministers, and political figures recorded a large number of video messages urging the residents of the Kherson region to participate in the referendum, repeating that this is a "historic moment." There were also videos from ordinary residents who want to join russia.
The main arguments of these people are free medicine and education, low utility tariffs.
Compared to last week, the number of news in the category "Discrediting the Armed Forces" increased (16%). The russians claim that the Ukrainian army is advisedly launching missile strikes on the civilian population, trying to frighten them, but official Ukrainian sources talk about point strikes on enemy concentrations and enemy equipment. russian news also claims that the Ukrainian army is firing on itself. An example is the morning missile attack on a convoy of civilians in Zaporizhzhia on September 30, 2022.
It is also worth mentioning news from the category "Successes of the russian army" (10%). russians continue to brag about their successes in the news in this category. They describe the shelling of the civilian population as a well-aimed hit on the military infrastructure of Ukraine. But we know from Ukrainian news that more often they shell the civilian population or civilian infrastructure, for example, bedroom communities in Mykolaiv.
The main idea of the news in the category "Discrediting of Ukrainian Authorities" is "the Ukrainian Authorities take vengeance on the occupied territories for their desire to join russia." According to the russian mass media, Ukraine expresses this dissatisfaction through constant intimidation and shelling of the civilian population.
In the news about mobilization (6%), they talk about "real men who should go to protect the integrity of the country, not whine and run away from the country." In this way, the mass media want to assure readers that mobilization is normal and natural so a man can show himself and his courage.
There were more promises about a better life in the occupied territories after joining the russian federation, so this week we allocated such news to a separate category "Promises" (2%).
Percentage ratio of news:
| Referendum | 25% |
| Propaganda | 22% |
| Discrediting of the Armed Forces of Ukraine | 16% |
| Successes of the russian army 10% | 10% |
| Mobilization | 6% |
| Improvement in the opinion of the russian federation | 5% |
| Discrediting of Ukrainian Authorities | 4% |
| Aid | 2% |
| Promises (what will be after join russia) | 2% |
| Persecution for inhabitants of Kherson region | 2% |
| Blackmail and threats | 1% |
| Patronage (russian regions which patronage teritories in the Kherson region) | 1% |
| Recognition of war | <1% |
| Recognition of its failures | <1% |
| Influence of foreign partners on Ukraine | <1% |
| Influence of foreign partners on the russian federation | <1% |
| Censure of the leadership of the russian federation | <1% |