宣傳和操縱如何削弱全球對烏克蘭的支持
作者：Shaughan Rick
（圖： Unsplash上的Max Muselmann）
As someone committed to uncovering the truth in an age where disinformation spreads like wildfire, I’ve seen firsthand how Russia weaponizes lies to distort reality. The Kremlin’s calculated use of propaganda, manipulation, and deceit is not just a tactic — it’s a weapon aimed at undermining Ukraine’s fight for survival. Russia accuses Ukraine of atrocities it commits itself, twisting the narrative to confuse, deflect, and manipulate public opinion. These are not just attacks on truth, but on justice, humanity, and the very foundations of democracy.
A Chilling Mirror of Deception
In a grotesque twist of reality, Russia accuses Ukraine of committing the very horrors it unleashes. This deceitful mirroring has become a cornerstone of Russian propaganda. Whether it’s war crimes, civilian bombings, or violations of international law, the Kremlin shifts the blame to Ukraine, hoping to confuse and fracture international resolve. The haunting tragedy of Bucha is a stark example — after Russian forces massacred hundreds of innocent civilians, they shamelessly claimed the killings were staged by Ukraine to frame them??. This kind of cold-blooded deception turns the victims into villains, muddying the waters of accountability and justice.
In 2014, Russia manipulated the Odessa fire narrative, blaming Ukrainian nationalists for a tragedy largely instigated by pro-Russian activists?. These tactics are not just about lies; they’re about erasing the truth, making it harder for the world to distinguish right from wrong. The more the lines blur, the harder it becomes to rally behind Ukraine’s struggle for justice and sovereignty.
Social Media: A Battlefield for Russia’s Lies
On social media, where millions seek information and connection, Russia has turned platforms into war zones of disinformation. Troll farms and bots are the foot soldiers of this digital assault, spreading toxic lies designed to poison public discourse. By distorting facts and creating fake narratives, Russia aims to tear apart the very fabric of global support for Ukraine. One notorious campaign featured a doctored video of President Zelenskyy’s September 2023 UN address, falsely claiming he spoke to an empty hall?. The video went viral, fooling many before it was debunked.
These are not isolated incidents. Russian trolls regularly spew false stories, creating doubt about Ukrainian leaders and their military efforts. In one case, a 2018 photo was repurposed to fabricate a story about Ukraine’s top general vacationing during the war?. These lies are designed to plant seeds of doubt in the minds of those who might otherwise support Ukraine. If people question the integrity of Ukraine’s leadership, they may question why their countries stand with it.
How Russia Exploits Fragile Democracies
Russia’s disinformation isn’t just aimed at Ukraine — it’s a calculated assault on Western unity and democratic values. The Kremlin knows that by exploiting divisions within Western societies, it can weaken their resolve to support Ukraine. In Germany, Russia has strategically aligned itself with far-right groups like the AfD, fueling fears about immigration and the costs of supporting Ukraine?. This is not just propaganda; it’s psychological warfare aimed at tearing apart the moral and political foundations of Western democracies.
In the United States, Russian trolls amplify narratives questioning why U.S. tax dollars should fund Ukraine’s defense, playing on existing political divisions to foster resentment?. By amplifying these doubts, Russia erodes the global coalition that stands against its invasion, turning political disagreements into existential crises for Ukraine.
A Sinister Campaign to Break Morale
At the heart of Russia’s disinformation war is a brutal campaign to discredit Ukraine’s leaders and military — those standing on the frontlines of freedom. Fake stories are spun to make Ukrainian leaders appear corrupt, incompetent, or indifferent to the suffering of their own people. A particularly insidious example involves Russia’s false claims that General Valerii Zaluzhnyi was relaxing in Cyprus during a critical moment in the war?. These lies aren’t just fabrications; they are deliberate, malicious attempts to demoralize Ukraine’s defenders and weaken international support for their cause.
Beyond targeting individuals, Russian disinformation campaigns seek to fracture the morale of Ukrainian troops and citizens. By fabricating stories of leadership conflicts and military failures, Russia hopes to create internal chaos within Ukraine, making it harder for the country to fight back?. This campaign is not just about spreading lies — it’s about breaking the spirit of a nation fighting for its very survival.
The Cost of Russia’s War of Lies
Russia’s war on Ukraine is not fought solely with bullets and bombs — it is fought with lies, deceit, and manipulation. By distorting reality and twisting facts, Russia’s propaganda machine seeks to sap the world’s will to stand with Ukraine. These aren’t just strategic lies; they are acts of psychological warfare designed to confuse, divide, and weaken the moral resolve of those watching from the sidelines.
The tragedy of this disinformation campaign is that it not only targets Ukraine’s people and soldiers but also undermines the global fight for truth, justice, and democracy. As long as these false narratives persist, the world risks growing weary of the real victims — those whose homes, families, and lives are being torn apart by Russia’s relentless aggression.
This is why it is essential that we remain vigilant, questioning the stories that attempt to distort the truth, and standing firm in support of Ukraine’s fight for freedom. The cost of believing in Russia’s lies is too great. It is a cost paid in blood, in broken nations, and in the erosion of the very values that bind us together. In this war of lies, the truth is Ukraine’s greatest weapon — and it’s up to all of us to protect it.
俄羅斯的謊言之戰
宣傳和操縱如何削弱全球對烏克蘭的支持
作者：Shaughan Rick
（圖： Unsplash上的Max Muselmann）
作為一個致力於揭露真相的人，在這個虛假信息像野火一樣蔓延的時代，我親眼目睹了俄羅斯如何將謊言武器化以扭曲現實。克裏姆林宮精心策劃的宣傳、操縱和欺騙不僅僅是一種策略，更是一種旨在破壞烏克蘭為生存而戰的武器。俄羅斯指責烏克蘭犯下其自身所犯下的暴行，扭曲敘事以混淆、轉移和操縱公眾輿論。這些不僅僅是對真相的攻擊，更是對正義、人性和民主根本基礎的攻擊。
（圖：塔拉斯·舍甫琴科紀念碑被槍擊損毀，烏克蘭基輔州博羅迪安卡，攝影：Alex Fedorenko）
令人不寒而栗的欺騙之鏡
在一個怪誕的現實扭曲中，俄羅斯指責烏克蘭犯下的罪行實際上正是它自己所製造的恐怖行徑。這種欺騙性的鏡像已經成為俄羅斯宣傳的基石。無論是戰爭罪行、平民轟炸，還是違反國際法，克裏姆林宮都會將責任轉移到烏克蘭身上，希望以此來混淆視聽和打破國際決心。布查令人心悸的悲劇就是一個鮮明的例子——在俄羅斯軍隊屠殺了數百名無辜平民之後，他們無恥地聲稱這些殺戮是烏克蘭為了陷害他們而製造的。這種冷血的欺騙將受害者變成了惡棍，攪渾了問責和正義之水。
2014年，俄羅斯操縱了關於敖德薩火災的敘事，將這場主要由親俄活動家煽動的悲劇歸咎於烏克蘭民族主義者。這些陰謀不僅僅隻是謊言；它們是要抹殺真相，使世界更難辨別是非。界限越模糊，就越難團結起來支持烏克蘭為正義和主權而奮鬥。
（圖： Unsplash上的Alex Shuper）
社交媒體：俄羅斯謊言的戰場
在社交媒體上，數百萬人尋求信息和聯係，俄羅斯已將這些平台變成了虛假信息的戰區。水軍工廠和機器人是這場數字攻擊的步兵，散布旨在毒害公共信息的有毒謊言。通過歪曲事實和捏造虛假敘事，俄羅斯旨在撕裂全球支持烏克蘭的根本結構。一個臭名昭著的運動是經過篡改的澤連斯基總統2023年9月聯合國演講視頻，謊稱他對著空蕩蕩的大廳發表了講話。該視頻迅速傳播，在被揭穿之前愚弄了許多人。
這些並非孤立事件。俄羅斯水軍經常散布虛假故事，對烏克蘭領導人及其軍事努力製造懷疑。在一個案例中，一張2018年的舊照片被重新用於捏造一個關於烏克蘭最高將領在戰爭期間度假的故事。這些謊言旨在在那些可能支持烏克蘭的人們心中埋下懷疑的種子。如果人們質疑烏克蘭領導層的誠信，他們可能會質疑為什麽他們的國家要支持烏克蘭。
（圖： Unsplash上的Z）
俄羅斯如何利用脆弱的民主國家
俄羅斯的虛假信息不僅僅針對烏克蘭，更是對西方團結和民主價值觀的蓄意攻擊。克裏姆林宮知道，通過利用西方社會內部的分裂，可以削弱他們支持烏克蘭的決心。在德國，俄羅斯已經戰略性地與德國另類選擇黨（AfD）這樣的極右翼團體結盟，煽動對移民和支持烏克蘭的成本的擔憂。這不僅僅是宣傳，更是一種旨在撕裂西方民主國家道德和政治基礎的心理戰。
在美國，俄羅斯水軍放大了對美國稅款是否應該資助烏克蘭國防的質疑，利用現有的政治分歧來煽動怨恨。通過放大這些疑慮，俄羅斯削弱了反對其入侵的全球聯盟，將政治分歧變成了烏克蘭的生存危機。
（圖： Unsplash上的Vony Razom）
旨在瓦解士氣的險惡運動
俄羅斯虛假信息戰爭的核心是一場殘酷的運動，旨在詆毀烏克蘭的領導層和軍隊—那些站在自由前線的人。編造假故事是為了讓烏克蘭領導人看起來腐敗、無能或對本國人民的苦難漠不關心。一個特別陰險的例子是俄羅斯謊稱瓦列裏·紮盧日內將軍在戰爭的關鍵時刻在塞浦路斯休閑度假。這些謊言不僅僅是捏造的；它們是蓄意的、惡意的打擊烏克蘭戰士的士氣，並削弱國際社會對他們的支持。
除了針對個人，俄羅斯的虛假信息運動還試圖打擊烏克蘭軍隊和民眾的士氣。通過捏造關於領導層衝突和軍事失敗的故事，俄羅斯希望在烏克蘭內部製造混亂，使其更難反擊（俄羅斯侵略）。這場運動不僅僅是傳播謊言，更是關於摧毀一個為生存而戰的國家的精神。
（圖：2024年1月2日，烏克蘭基輔。救援人員和消防員在俄羅斯導彈襲擊後，為平民提供救助並撲滅火焰，攝影：Dmytro Tolokonov）
俄羅斯謊言之戰的代價
俄羅斯對烏克蘭的戰爭不僅僅是用子彈和炸彈進行的，還用了謊言、欺騙和操縱輿情。通過歪曲現實和扭曲事實，俄羅斯的宣傳機器試圖削弱世界支持烏克蘭的意願。這些不僅僅是戰略謊言，更是旨在迷惑、分裂和削弱那些旁觀者的道德決心的心理戰行為。
這場虛假信息運動的悲劇在於，它不僅針對烏克蘭人民和士兵，還破壞了全球爭取真相、正義和民主的鬥爭。隻要這些虛假敘事持續存在，世界就有可能對真正的受害者感到厭倦—那些家園、家庭和生命正在被俄羅斯無情的侵略撕裂的人。
這就是為什麽我們必須保持警惕，質疑那些試圖扭曲真相的故事，並堅定地支持烏克蘭爭取自由的戰鬥。相信俄羅斯謊言的代價太大了。這是一個用鮮血、破碎的國家以及對那些將我們團結在一起的價值觀的侵蝕所付出的代價。在這場謊言的戰爭中，真相是烏克蘭最強大的武器，保護它是我們所有人的責任。
