Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU) said on Wednesday, May 20, that it obtained Russian documents outlining plans for a new large-scale disinformation campaign targeting Ukraine and its international partners.
According to the agency, the Kremlin decided to intensify information operations following the failure of Russia’s spring offensive and growing economic problems inside the country.
The SZRU said Russia’s Presidential Administration instructed intelligence agencies, the Foreign Ministry and state-controlled media to “maximize” the spread of coordinated narratives across Ukrainian and European information spaces.
Among the Kremlin’s key priorities, according to the documents, is the discrediting of Ukraine’s mobilization campaign and military leadership responsible for staffing the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).
The documents also allegedly outline efforts to discredit President Volodymyr Zelensky, his team and members of his family.
In addition, the Kremlin reportedly instructed propagandists to prevent the “secondary importance” of a media scandal involving former Presidential Office chief Andriy Yermak, who has been accused of participating in a criminal organization that laundered Hr.460 million (approximately $10.5 million), as well as of involvement in a scheme involving luxury real estate, and former presidential spokesperson Yuliia Mendel.
According to the SZRU, Russian officials believe the controversy lost traction in Europe because of international developments, including tensions surrounding Iran.
Russia plans fake documents, ‘symbol figures’
The intelligence service said the Russian media strategy includes creating fake documents allegedly issued by Ukrainian state institutions and distributing them publicly to provoke social reaction.
“Russian propaganda has even tasked itself with creating ‘symbol puppets’ for the discrediting campaign,” the SZRU said.
The agency added that Russia also plans to involve former Ukrainian officials, political figures and supposed experts in its information operations.
The SZRU said it has already recorded initial attempts by Russia to implement the new strategy both inside Ukraine and abroad.
According to the documents, Russia plans to use more than 15 proxy media outlets to spread narratives in Western countries.
Among the outlets named by the agency were L’Antidiplomatico, Magyar Nemzet, Prvni Zpravy and CZ24news.
The SZRU said the list remains incomplete and is expected to be finalized by Russia’s Presidential Administration in the near future.
Mendel interview sparked controversy
The latest allegations come after former presidential spokesperson Yuliia Mendel claimed in an interview with right-wing US commentator Tucker Carlson that Ukraine was prepared to concede the Donbas region during peace talks with Russia in 2022.
“I spoke with people who represented Ukraine at the Istanbul negotiations in 2022,” Mendel said during the interview.
Ukraine’s Presidential Office rejected the claims, saying Mendel had no involvement in the negotiations or state decision-making.
“This lady did not participate in the negotiations, did not take part in decision-making, has long lost touch with reality,” a Presidential Office source told journalists at the time.
The interview drew criticism in Kyiv because Carlson has repeatedly promoted Kremlin narratives since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.