Russia changes tone in covering Ukrainian counteroffensive - ISW

Analysts with the Institute for the Study of War analyzed how the rhetoric regarding the coverage of events on the front lines in Ukraine has changed in the Russian information space, noting that Russia's pro-war platforms are now sharing Kremlin's narratives about the alleged "failure" of the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

This is according to the latest ISW report, seen by Ukrinform.

"Segments of the Russian pro-war ultranationalist information space appear to be coalescing around the Kremlin’s narrative effort to portray the Ukrainian counteroffensive as a failure, increasingly overstating Ukrainian losses and writing less about Russia's losses and challenges than they had been," the report said.

Prominent Russian milbloggers have been increasingly presenting Ukrainian counteroffensive operations inaccurately as a series of failed Ukrainian assaults along the entire line of contact.

As an example, analysts cite a video of July 29, which allegedly shows a Russian tank defeating an entire Ukrainian company of armored vehicles. In fact, it is a recording dated June 7, showing Russian artillery units striking a Ukrainian convoy.

Such manipulation, experts say, indicates that Russian sources are deliberately recirculating old footage to support the Kremlin's narrative.

"The Kremlin’s ability to establish a more cohesive narrative about the war within the Russian information space remains uncertain, and subsequent Russian failures or significant Ukrainian successes could disrupt the Kremlin’s progress in this effort," the ISW emphasized.

At the same time, analysts noted that Ukrainian troops ran counteroffensive operations in at least three areas of the front and advanced in some directions on July 29.

Ukrainian defense forces also struck Russian military and logistical facilities in occupied Crimea on July 28 and 29.

As reported, UK’s Minister of State for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, believes that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is developing in accordance with the plan drawn up by Ukraine together with the United States and Britain.

Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov