Contradictory rhetoric in Russian propaganda leads to high losses among invaders - ISW

Contradictory rhetoric in propaganda narratives in Russia leads to high losses among the invaders.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said this in its latest report, according to Ukrinform.

Experts note that recent discourse among select Russian milbloggers highlights contradictory Russian rhetoric in the Russian information space between narratives that seek to portray Russian forces as more capable than Ukrainian forces and other narratives that criticize the Russian military for shortcomings that result in high Russian infantry casualties. 

“A milblogger affirmatively responded and noted the reality of Russian soldiers on the ground in Ukraine differs dramatically from conversations propagated in the Russian information space, emphasizing that Russian commentators can ‘laugh at [Ukraine’s] counteroffensive in the Zaporizhia direction, and then lose many times more [Russian soldiers] on the Avdiivka front,’ and concluding that Russia is lying to itself about the losses it is suffering in the war,” the report says.

Another milblogger questioned why Russian media fixated on footage of failed Ukrainian armored attacks during the summer 2023 counteroffensive even though Russian forces themselves struggle with many of the same tactical issues when conducting similar attacks, especially due to the saturation of drones in the battlespace.

Experts note that the discourse between Russian milbloggers about the use of Russian armored vehicles and their survivability on the battlefield, as well as about the conduct of Russian assaults, highlights arguments that many Russian milbloggers continue to have over how the war is being fought and suggests that many milbloggers are very attuned to the impacts these conversations are having on the wider understanding of the war.

As reported, according to British intelligence, since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the daily number of Russian casualties has increased by more than 500 people.

Photo is illustrative