3.2. National security and defense

In 17 of listed accounts total share of the Russian propaganda is more than 50% (3 accounts publish political content exclusively).

The reaction of the audience is extremely low. Thus, out of 81 posts, only 21 (26%) received a reaction (7 posts – from 10 to 108 likes and comments, 14 posts - from 1 to 10).

Probably some of these accounts are intended for dissemination of propaganda materials in the infosphere.

3.2. National security and defense

After the Russian armed aggression in 2014, which led to the occupation of part of the territory of Ukraine, this area is key to ensuring Ukrainian sovereignty and the existence of our statehood in general.

Before the military aggression, this area of Ukraine was characterized by:

• the presence on the territory of Ukraine of Russian troops, which created grounds for justifying future aggression (Agreement on the basis of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation);

• low level of funding for the military sphere, including combat training measures, which led to low combat readiness;

• obsolescence of weapons and military equipment;

• cooperation of the domestic military-industrial complex with Russian enterprises;

• low level of patriotic education;

• the presence of Russian agents in key positions of military administration (citizens of the Russian Federation even held the positions of Minister of Defense and Chairman of the SBU).

Along with increasing the level of attention of the Russian leadership to its own Armed Forces and special services (increased funding, rearmament with new equipment, strategic exercises, etc.), those factors contributed to the effectiveness of special and military operations to occupy part of Ukraine.

The enemy’s aggression was stopped by the heroic efforts of the Ukrainian people. Having a significant advantage in military potential, the enemy was in danger of incurring unacceptably large losses in the event of a transition to open large-scale use of military force . In addition, as a result of the categorical rejection of the aggressor by the population of Ukraine, the Russians had neither the strength nor even a theoretical chance to hold large occupied territories.

Recognizing the crucial role of Ukrainian people in resisting the aggression, it is important to to note the role of the international community, especially Western countries, that have expressed solidarity with prisoners of aggression and provided international support to Ukraine (at the diplomatic level at that time).

To date, geopolitical international support Ukraine is based on the vital interests of both Ukraine and the West :

for Ukraine:

existence of own statehood, ensuring sovereignty and territorial integrity ;

protection of heritage of Revolution of Dignity in terms of building a democratic state (for Russia developed democratic Ukraine is a threat to its authoritarian regime and an alternate example of success for the Russian society);

signal to Russia that Ukraine is an important ally of the more technologically advanced West;

for the West:

protection of democratic values (war is the enemy for countries’ democratic development);

counteracting the military aggression of the authoritarian regime at the initial stage in order to prevent the recurrence of aggression in the West (it is better to counteract the enemy away from its borders, closer to the aggressor);

elimination precedent of “moving” state borders in the postwar world stability in Europe (stability exists only when the offender admits punishment for aggression, silence encourages the aggressor).

In addition to the above-mentioned international diplomatic support from leading Western countries, Ukraine receives:

● for the successful containment of the Russian Federation behind the line of demarcation, creation of conditions for the liberation of the occupied Donbass, the possibility of military resistance to Russian aggression in other theaters of war (land, sea):

• samples of weapons and military equipment that are not produced in Ukraine (lethal weapon, the military ships, UAVs, radio and optoelectronic weapons);

• intelligence of a high reliability;

• training of the Ukrainian military;

• providision of military and dual-use technologies to create modern weapons ;

• assistance in the creation of a separate type of the Armed Forces - the Special Operations

Forces .

• In addition, the provision of Western aid improves the fighting spirit of the Ukrainian military (“we are not alone”).

● in the framework of the implementation of the legally declared Euro-Atlantic course:

• assistance in the transition of the organizational structure of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and armaments to NATO standards;

• cooperation between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and NATO, joint exercises and military operations;

● in the framework of national security:

• assistance in reforming of special services;

• exchange of operational information on possible hybrid actions against Ukraine and Western countries;

• joint operations.

Those factors prevent Russia from conducting effective special operations and using troops to destroy Ukrainian sovereignty.

That is why Russia is conducting large-scale information operations to discredit Western aid in the field of national security and defense. This is confirmed by the information operations identified during the research and listed in Section 2. The following narratives are disseminated and boosted in the infospace:

as part of an operation to discredit the West in the eyes of Ukrainians:

• The West is helping Ukraine to destroy people in the Donbass;

• The West is killing the uncompetitive Ukrainian military-industrial complex, creating unemployment in this area;

• Western weapons supplied to Ukraine are defective, dangerous and written off, the West saves on its disposal;

in the framework of the operation to discredit Ukraine and in the eyes of the West:

• Western aid is stolen by corrupt Ukrainian military;

• the Ukrainian military is unable to master Western weapons due to «low mental and moral qualities»;

• Ukrainians do not want to fight with Russia, because they are fraternal peoples, by providing military support the West only divides the Slavs;

• Ukraine will not reform the SBU in order to maintain control over business, regardless of the level of Western assistance.

The loss of Western aid to Ukraine in a key area of national security and defense will allow the aggressor to make full use of the current advantage in military capabilities, which is in fact tantamount to the destruction of its statehood .

On the other hand, the coverage of Ukraine is only the first step in Russia’s hybrid war against the West. H astupnymy may be aggression for he ayinah EU operations where with the integration of