“Stealing” as a sign of Russian propaganda inefficiency

The occupying authorities continue to make failures in the socio-economic life of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, which Russian propagandists are trying to attribute to the informational and psychological operations of Ukrainian specialists.

The poor living standard of the population, backed by the total militarization of the peninsula, political persecution and coronovirus, lead to the spread of dissatisfaction with the Russian authorities actions.
The events that undermined the occupation authorities image simply last week were: the actions of Sevastopol citizens for the Ekograd garbage and sorting complex closure (significantly worsen the environmental situation around the city), the closure of the Simferopol Clinical Hospital due to the level increase of coronavirus infection cases of the medical personnel, involvement of the Russian Guard units in the protection of medical facilities on the peninsula (indirectly indicates the lack of controll under the epidemic by the Crimea authorities), the predicted water shortages in the Sevastopol in the autumn of 2020 (according to the director of Sevastopol “Vodokanal”), detention of Crimea management authorities, accused of treachery in favor of Ukraine, the further militarization of the peninsula, reduction of environmental safety etc. Accordingly, the international community continues to call to stop the repressions and intimidation of citizens in the occupied Crimea, as well as to allow international observers.

In such conditions, the propaganda bodies of the Russian Federation take measures to divert the attention of the population from the inability of the occupation authorities to ensure normal life and development of the peninsula. Among the list of such events is a flash mob devoted to the “Day of Armenian Genocide Victims Remembrance 1915”, distribution of statements by the Crimean occupation administration officials about the beginning of the tourist flow growth to the peninsula (in the midst of an epidemic, during which even hospital ships are removed from storage), publications about a significant population growth in the Sevastopol city over the past two years (due to the migration from the Russian Federation), Ukraine’s accusations of undermining the process of Crimea society development, etc.

Among the accusations, the attention of International Center for Counteracting Russian Propaganda specialists was attracted by the publication of materials allegedly produced by Ukrainian information-psychological operations specialists.

By falsifying the performance of Ukrainian information specialists, the FSB leadership is trying to hide its own failure to keep the growth of public distrust and increase the facts of ridiculing Russian authorities by the population of Crimea. Of course, the formation of the enemy image from the outside is always better than heating up negative moods in a controlled society. Such events were carried out by the Soviet Union propaganda specialists, however, as history shows, their effectiveness was almost zero. Today, the descendants of the Soviet Union propagandists do not find anything better than conducting black PR in favor of their colleagues from Ukraine.

It should be noted that propaganda measures are organized and coordinated by a clear vertical of the relevant bodies. In the Kremlin, with Putin’s personal approval, the first deputy head of the presidential administration, Alexei Gromov, is responsible for it. (surname at birth – Grobov)

He is responsible for the preparation and coordination of information impact measures at the state level, the management of the entire information warfare agencies vertical, including the military.
Directly in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Southern Military District (the city of Rostov-on-Don) center of informational confrontation is also responsible for propaganda measures and blocking public discontent with the authorities actions. However, this center has a lot of influence tasks on the eastern territories of Ukraine. Therefore, the main burden in the Crimea lies on the unit of psychological operations, which is deployed on the territory of the former 39 training center of the Ukrainian Navy. It should be noted that it also includes traitors – former soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine similar units.

International Center for Counteracting Russian Propaganda experts say that however, the highlighted materials are not bad, with signs of a creative approach to influencing relevant target audiences. If these materials were produced by Ukrainian information workers, they would testify to their certain effectiveness. Negative comments and reactions of these materials consumers are evidence of their success.

In such conditions, Russian propagandists should develop less such agitation. It can lead to the Ukrainian side popularity increase. And this is not beneficial to Russia and the authorities of this country.

Timothy Goltz  especially for International Center for Countering Russian Propaganda