Russian propaganda shifts to accommodate reality on the ground. Doubling down on de-nazification. Self-perception and self-awareness.

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Summary

By the CyberWire staff

At a glance.

Russian propaganda shifts to accommodate reality on the ground.
Doubling down on de-nazification.
Self-perception and self-awareness.

Russian propaganda shifts to accommodate reality on the ground.

Tactical failure may be moving Russia toward full mobilization against Ukraine (and the world's "Nazis" who are ganging up on Russia, in the Kremlin's view). British Defense Secretary Wallace thinks it likely that President Putin will make some such announcement next weekend on Victory Day. That would represent a come-down from earlier expectations that Victory Day would mark the successful termination of a war that many observers had expected to be over in seventy-two hours, and that now has dragged on for more than two months, with no Russian victory in sight. Observers have discerned a shift in Russian domestic propaganda, with the emphasis now being placed on the threat from NATO, represented as an aggressive, anti-Russian, fascist conspiracy. Framing Ukrainian battlefield success as the working of NATO's hidden hand serves to soften the bad news, Newsweek reports, and prepares Russia for a more extensive mobilization.

There's been another shift in domestic propaganda, the Telegraph reports: Russian television in particular has taken to explaining lack of progress as the result of the Russian army's humanitarian restraint. The Ukrainians, you see, are using their own civilians as human shields, and the "nobility" of the Russian operations naturally disposes them to great restraint, and punctilious observance of humanitarian law designed to protect civilian populations.

Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov downplayed over the weekend the notion that Russian forces are under pressure to win their war against Ukraine by this coming weekend's Victory Day. “Our military will not artificially adjust their actions to any date, including Victory Day,” Al Jazeera quotes Foreign Minister Lavrov as saying. “The pace of the operation in Ukraine depends, first of all, on the need to minimise any risks for the civilian population and Russian military personnel." Concern for the civilian population is not much in evidence, given the way in which tactical failure of Russian infantry and armor have led Russia's forces to rely on the static and indiscriminate destruction of cities as their only effective path to forcing a kind of victory.

The success of such tactics may itself be nearing the end of its run. Significant military aid continues to arrive in Ukraine from NATO, and that aid is increasingly taking the form of lethal systems. The air defense systems, the 155mm artillery, and the counterbattery radars are likely to make themselves felt over the next two weeks.

Ukraine has increasingly hit military targets within Russia itself, a development that Russia warns risks expansion of the war to those countries that have supported Ukraine.

Briefly noted: Mr. Lavrov doubles down on accusations of Nazism (anti-semitic version).

Did you know that Hitler was Jewish? Neither did anyone else. Actually, the rumor has been around for a while, and has long been a trope in anti-semitic circles.

Russian disinformation has, since before the invasion of Ukraine, claimed that Ukraine is under the control of actual, literal Nazis. It's therefore a threat to Russia, and so Russia is not only the victim of prospective aggression, but is also a liberator. "Denazification" is one of the principal stated aims of the special military operation.

Many, most, observers have pointed out how unlikely this is (that is, unlikely in the extreme). Among other things, President Zelenskyy is himself Jewish, and would seem an unlikely Nazi conspirator. But no, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov explained in an contentious interview on Italian television: Hitler himself was Jewish. “So what if Zelenskyy is Jewish? The fact does negate the Nazi elements in Ukraine,” Mr. Lavrov said. “Hitler also had Jewish blood,” he added; “the most ardent anti-Semites are usually Jews.” The Atlantic Council has a summary of Mr. Lavrov's outrageous claims. Outrage in Israel is understandably high, and Israel, which has sought to retain some shred of good relations with Russia even as most of the rest of the civilized world has moved toward increasingly stringent sanctions, has demanded an apology.

Self-perception.

Rossiya 1 has a representative piece of Kremlin self-perception, hosted by Vladimir Solovyev. Mr. Putin is actually a restraint on the righteous anger of the Russian people, and the world fears Russia because, as Mr. Solovyev puts it, "without Russia, there would be no world." One of Mr. Solovyev's guests explains, sourcing anecdotally a dedushka in the street, that all Russian men wish that Russia had killed all the world leaders who visited Zelenskyy, along with Zelenskyy, and then there would be no more Ukraine, and no more problem.

Selected Reading

Attacks, Threats, and Vulnerabilities

Sergey Lavrov claims Hitler had 'Jewish blood' (The Telegraph) Russian foreign minister sparks outrage with 'unforgivable' statement that 'some of the worst anti-Semites are Jews'

Russia lectures Israel about Holocaust, defends saying Hitler was Jewish (Newsweek) Russia's Foreign Ministry responded to Israeli statements condemning Lavrov for comparing Ukrainian President Zelensky, who is Jewish, to Adolf Hitler.

Lavrov’s anti-Semitic outburst exposes absurdity of Russia’s “Nazi Ukraine” claims (Atlantic Council) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has sparked a diplomatic scandal with an anti-Semitic outburst that underlines the absurdity of Russia’s relentless “Nazi Ukraine” propaganda claims.

Et tu, Lavrov? The bountiful conspiracies about Hitler's Jewish blood (Haaretz) Most of the claims about ‘Hitler’s Jewish blood,’ repeated Sunday by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, arise from the fact that the identity of his paternal grandfather is unknown. The answer to that question seems to have been buried with his grandmother

The roots of the zombie claim that Hitler had ‘Jewish blood’ (Washington Post) “So what if [Ukrainian president Volodymyr] Zelensky is Jewish? The fact does not negate the Nazi elements in Ukraine. I believe that Hitler also had Jewish blood. It means absolutely nothing. The wise Jewish people said that the most ardent antisemites are usually Jews. Every family has its black sheep, as we say.” — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in an interview with the Italian television news program “Zona Bianca,” May 1

Putin preparing Russians for war with NATO (Newsweek) Recent threats made by Russian officials to NATO could be a way of preparing the Russian public for future conflicts.

I monitor Russian state TV for a living - here's how Putin's propaganda is changing (The Telegraph) As the war drags on, new narratives are emerging

‘Troll factory’ spreading Russian pro-war lies online, says UK (the Guardian) St Petersburg outfit hijacks discussions on Twitter, TikTok, world leaders’ social accounts and media websites, as well as manipulating opinion polls

I monitor Russian state TV for a living - here's how Putin's propaganda is changing (The Telegraph) As the war drags on, new narratives are emerging

Information war is at its peak in the Ukraine conflict (The Sunday Guardian Live) One problem of US’ overwhelming global information dominance is the trap of believing your own propaganda and treating it as the ground reality. SOCIAL MEDIA AND TELEMATIC ASSAULT The present Russia-Ukraine war has seen the massive impact of social media and television in waging information war at a global

Putin preparing Russians for war with NATO (Newsweek) Recent threats made by Russian officials to NATO could be a way of preparing the Russian public for future conflicts.

Ukrainian military confirms ‘The Ghost of Kyiv’ is made up (Task & Purpose) "The Ghost of Kyiv" is officially a made up, according to the Ukrainian military, who dismissed a report on the pilot's identity.

Why Vladimir Putin’s propaganda ‘nonsense’ failed to catch on in Ukraine (The Telegraph) Russian president’s rampant disinformation campaign after 2014 backfired because he went about it the wrong way, says expert

Watch: Nuclear torpedo strike could engulf Britain with giant radioactive tsunami, Russian TV warns (The Telegraph) Propagandist blames Liz Truss for escalating tensions and says Vladimir Putin could turn UK into a ‘radioactive desert’

Russian TV shows simulation of Britain and Ireland wiped out by a nuke (Washington Post) One of Russia’s top propagandists threatened Britain with annihilation by nuclear strike twice on his Sunday prime-time show — once by air and once by sea — ramping up the war of words against Britain over its vow to oust Russian forces from Ukraine.

Russian TV Claims U.S. 'At War in Ukraine' After Pelosi-Led Trip (Newsweek) Russian state media pointed to tweets from Rep. Jason Crow as "confirmation that the United States is at war in Ukraine."

Lula Says Zelenskiy, Biden Share Blame for Russia War on Ukraine (BloombergQuint) Lula Says Zelensky, Biden Share Blame for Putin’s War on Ukraine

Pope Says NATO Might Have Provoked Russian Invasion of Ukraine (Wall Street Journal) Pope Francis said that the “barking of NATO at the door of Russia” might have led to the invasion of Ukraine and that he didn't know whether other countries should supply Ukraine with more arms. The pope at the same time deplored the brutality of the war and criticized the leader of the Russi

NATO's barking at Russia's door might have caused Ukraine war: Pope Francis (Firstpost) The remarks came as the pope reiterated that he requested a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin over Ukraine

Pope Francis Says NATO Started War in Ukraine by ‘Barking at Putin’s Door’ (The Daily Beast) The pontiff defended Putin and claimed—without foundation—that it was “others who created the conflict” in Ukraine.

The U.S. Is Leading the World to Nuclear War (Executive Intelligence Review) This is Mike Billington with Executive Intelligence Review and the Schiller Institute. I am here today with Col. Richard Black, Sen. Richard Black, who, after serving 31 years in the Marines and in the Army, then served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1998 to 2006, and in the Virginia Senate from 2012 to 2020. I’ll also allow Colonel Black to describe his military service himself.

Trends

The War Over Ukrainian Identity (Foreign Affairs) Nationalism, Russian imperialism, and the quest to define Ukraine’s history.

Xi Jinping Is Fighting a War for China’s History (Foreign Policy) Fear of “historical nihilism” has haunted China’s leadership for years.

Marketplace

Can Elon Musk rid Twitter of spam and bots? How phone numbers can add trust to social media (TeleSign) With Elon's latest acquisition of Twitter, one telling question has arisen: Will he rid the platform of spam and bots?

Twitter Insiders Fear Elon Musk Heralds a Troll Takeover (Wired) Employees and moderation advisers say loosening the platform’s rules would bring on an era of increased toxicity, causing users from marginalized backgrounds to flee.

The Shadow Crew Who Encouraged Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover (Wall Street Journal) Behind the scenes, fellow billionaires and internet provocateurs bent the Tesla CEO’s ear. One of them had a very personal stake: Twitter’s co-founder Jack Dorsey.

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell returns to Twitter after he was permanently banned in 2021 for spreading election misinformation (Business Insider) The new account comes just days after Elon Musk bought the company, a takeover rife with speculation that the billionaire intends to relax moderation.

Culture wars, misinformation, and Ukraine further complicate firms' social media policies and presence (JD Supra) Culture war topics, the spread of misinformation, and the war in Ukraine have further complicated firms' social media presence and their efforts to...

Technologies, Techniques, and Standards

Deepfakes Are a Growing Threat to Cybersecurity and Society: Europol (SecurityWeek) Deepfake production technology is currently improving faster than deepfake detection technology. The threat is to both society and corporations.

Journalists need communities’ help in fighting disinformation (RAPPLER) Philippine journalists have been facing intensified attacks on multiple fronts during this particular election season, says a press freedom study

Legislation, Policy, and Regulation

Vladimir Putin 'poised to declare all-out war on Ukraine' (The Telegraph) Army chiefs want the president to drop the term ‘special operation’ and declare war which would enable mass mobilisation of Russians

Russia not seeking to end Ukraine war by May 9: Lavrov (Al Jazeera) Russia’s foreign minister says its Victory Day anniversary is not relevant to the pace of its war in Ukraine.

China’s Covid Lockdown Outrage Tests Limits of Triumphant Propaganda (New York Times) Public anger and grief over the bungled lockdown in Shanghai is creating a credibility crisis for the country’s leader, Xi Jinping, and his zero Covid policies.

Homeland Security Sets Up Board to Tackle Disinformation (CNET) It will monitor Russia for misinformation regarding the Ukraine war and upcoming midterm elections.

Partisan Fight Breaks Out Over New Disinformation Board (New York Times) The board, an advisory group with the Department of Homeland Security, has become embroiled in the debate over the government’s role in policing online content.