Investigative Reports

The perception war between Russia and NATO

The perception war between Russia and NATO

The West or the NATO nations employed several tactics of the perception warfare to tackle Russia when it started the special military ops in Ukraine in February, 2022. The perception war between Russia and NATO is at its peak and following are some of the tactics employed by the two sides.


Zelenskyy: a hero

The USA led block portrayed Ukrainian President as a hero and a perfect leader using current and past images and videos of him. It resonated with a lot of people.



Brave Zelenskyy
Zelenskyy’s address
Who is the real leader
Why Zelenskyy
Difference between Putin and Zelenskyy

Ukraine’s resistance is amplified

Common Ukrainians defending Ukraine
Ukraine Vs Russia

Russians are against Putin


Putin is suffering from a terminal disease


Attacks misinformed/amplified


Misinformation campaigns on the Russians soldiers

It was portrayed that only Putin wants the war and Russian soldiers are against it. Clips of Russian soldiers looting/crying/praying were circulated on social media sites.



Gestures at the UN

Standing ovation for Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and walkout for the Russian diplomats


The age old “Posters War”


Russia’s response

Meanwhile, the Russian responses in the perception war were also interesting. Here are some of the noteworthy tactics.

Genocide Theory

On 23 Feb, 2022 during a televised speech Putin said, “The purpose of this operation is to protect people who, for eight years now, have been facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kyiv regime,”


Cyber Attacks

Firstly, Russia conducted cyber attacks on Ukraine’s banks, its defense, foreign, and cultural ministries. After that, Russia conducted the special military operation.


Ukraine is joining the NATO


Reminding the world of USA’s history of invasions

Russians and Chinese social media handles built an anti-US narrative. These handles include bots, normal handles and some verified handles.


Countering the age old “Posters War”


Denazification

Across state-controlled TV, presenters and correspondents use emotive language and images to draw “historical parallels” between Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine and the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazi Germany. “They behave like fascists, in the very sense of this word: neo-Nazis put their hardware not just next to residential houses but where children take shelter in basements,” adds the correspondent in a video report captioned “Ukrainian fascism”.



Putin’s lifestyle glorified

Video of such comparisons trending on YouTube and Twitter

Ukrainians are racist

Russian handles and diplomats pushed that Ukrainian forces are using Indian and African students as the human shield.


Ban non-Russian influencing platforms


To sum up, the war of perceptions is still going on and certainly nobody knows who is winning it.


The source of all the content is Social Media Handles (for review and analysis and not for monetary gains).


John Mark compiled and curated this report

Editor

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