On Tuesday, Kremlin-staged referendums in occupied areas of Ukraine laid the groundwork for Russia to announce the annexation of roughly 15 percent of Ukraine’s territory.
A large-scale propaganda push accompanied these widely discredited elections. In the week before polls closed, Russian state media and diplomats mentioned terms related to the referendums in more than 2,000 tweets, making it one of the highest volume propaganda campaigns of the war.
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This messaging sought to legitimize the referendums by showcasing voters who were eager to join Russia and international observers who approved of the voting practices. The propaganda effort also demonized Ukraine, claiming that Kyiv launched a terrorist campaign that tried but failed to prevent people from casting their vote.
By the Numbers
Monitored Russian accounts mentioned terms related to the referendums in more than 2,000 tweets in the week before the final ballot was cast. The term “referendum” alone was used in around 1,400 tweets, which generated nearly 16,000 retweets and 53,000 likes. This propaganda campaign was one of the most aggressive of the war. It outpaced other notable messaging drives, including the effort to cover up Russian war crimes in Bucha. Across seven days, RIA Novosti posted “referendum” most frequently, but the popular RT en Español account received the most retweets on referendum content. After Russia and Ukraine, posts about the referendum most frequently mentioned Mexico, the United States, Germany, and the European Union. Most of the propaganda was delivered in Russian. English, Arabic, and Spanish-speakers were the next most targeted audiences.
What We’re Seeing on Hamilton 2.0
Russian accounts argued that the referendums were popular and lawful, and they claimed that Ukraine had carried out a terrorist campaign to disrupt the vote.
Before the outcomes were announced, Kremlin-affiliated media sought to legitimize the referendums by showing quotes and polls that indicated a nearly universal desire to join Russia within occupied regions. State media highlighted voters saying that “people really want to be part of Russia” and arguing that a vote for annexation was a “vote for human life” because “no one will protect us except Russia.” Monitored Russian accounts sent posts about students voting for the first time and elderly people turning out “despite the rain and harsh weather conditions.” Other tweets showed people confident that Russia would quickly restore access to electricity and gas. There was also coverage of pro-annexation rallies inside Russia, with RIA Novosti reporting that 50,000 people came to Moscow to demonstrate support. As voting was underway, the Russian intelligence-linked site NewsFront stated that the proportion of pro-Russian voters in Luhansk was “approaching 100 percent.” Sputnik put forward a more modest estimate, saying only 95 percent of people in Luhansk and Donetsk would vote to join Russia. Tass claimed that 93 percent of those in Zaporizhzhia cast a ballot in favor of Russian annexation. Ultimately, the Kremlin said that all four regions voted to join Russia, with vote shares ranging from 87 to 99 percent.
Moscow-funded outlets insisted the referendums were in line with international norms. RIA Novosti stated that more than 1,000 people would serves as election observers, and Tass noted that there would be 100 international observers from more than 40 countries. State media played up positive quotes from Western election observers, including those from the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands. Outlets claimed turnout was high and results were valid.
Russian accounts also pushed back on Western statements about votes being manipulated. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed the West had double standards and was throwing “a tantrum” about the referendums. RIA Novosti argued that “Western media are inflating fakes” about the referendum. Other accounts made fun of claims that residents in occupied regions were voting at gun point by showing Russian soldiers chatting with children who were in line with their parents to vote.
The real threat, according to Russian propagandists, came from the Ukrainian military. State media said that Kyiv “attempted to terrorize” people ahead of the vote. Ukrainian forces were shown “launching a massive bombardment against residential areas.” RT lifted up quotes from a local official who called one of Ukraine’s supposed assaults a “terrorist act.” Other outlets showed Kyiv allegedly killing children, bombing cars, targeting grocery stores, and spreading disinformation about mines to scare people from going to vote. The Russian-intelligence run site SouthFront claimed that Ukraine was “targeting civilians and sending death squads to assassinate anyone” connected to the referendums.
Meanwhile, officials from Russia and the self-proclaimed republics were depicted as doing all they could to protect voters. RT’s Russian-language outlet also claimed that the Donetsk People’s Republic exposed a terrorist plot by Ukrainian intelligence, and RIA Novosti noted that more than 2,500 police officers were deployed to protect those casting a ballot.
Kremlin-backed accounts also threatened the West. RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan warned that after occupied regions join Russia, any strikes on their territory would “become a full-fledged war of Ukraine and NATO with Russia, unleashing Russia’s hands in all respects.” Both President Vladimir Putin and former President Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia would use all available means to secure its territory, which many saw as thinly veiled references to Moscow’s nuclear capabilities. Tass also shared Medvedev’s claim that the referendums were correcting an injustice and making the “geopolitical transformation of the world irreversible.”
Why It Matters
These Moscow-directed referendums mark an escalation on the ground and in the information space. Putin will almost certainly use the elections’ outcome to claim Ukrainian territory, and he has hinted that nuclear weapons could be used to defend that land. Throughout the referendums, Russian propagandists increased their efforts to co-opt democratic ideas and discredit Ukraine’s right to its territory. While the elections were illegal under international law, Kremlin-directed outlets said they were in line with people’s right to self-determination, the UN charter, and the standards of foreign election monitors. And while Russia launched a war of choice, propagandists claimed that Ukraine was the aggressor and willing to stage terrorist campaigns to undermine democratic rights. Kremlin-linked accounts will likely double down on both narratives going forward.
Gets pop corn, cuppa, and awaits the entrance of J in MK, Farouk and Airborne.
I’ll have you know I resemble that remark.
👍
In fairness I can’t wait to hear John condemning Putin’s Genocide in Ukraine.
Yes, it is interesting why he cannot, or will not. Russia’s behaviour is indefensible.
I think I you use his full name JohninMK it will be tracked and he will “pop up” unless of course, he is currently in a flying turret, dispersing himself in an untidy mess over 400 square metres?
I thought this thread would have John in MK making his usual excuses and you two ripping him a new one.
Disappointing show. The popcorn is all eaten and my teas cold!
On Ukraine, wise heads needed I don’t want Putin pushed into a corner. He’s not going to voluntarily retreat nor will he just give up. I’d favour a ceasefire not much further from this point because if he does use nukes in defending “Russian soil” shits hit the fan, and Ukraines plight isn’t worth that regards NATO and all our lives.
This needs escalating now the Russians are retreating.
Escalating!!! Bloody phone de escalating !!!
Hmmm…given to understand the text autocorrect feature is an equal opportunity annoyance? 😁
Daniele,
Believe Russian state media does not characterize collapse as forces retreating, rather as forces advancing rapidly to the rear! 🤣😂😁
I suppose if you forcibly remove, imprison or murder everyone opposed to your occupation before the referendum takes place, you’re going to get the result you want.
What a surprise 🙄
From what I have seen, Moscow started seeding the internet in which to plant the image that they are the victims here and as we have seen they found many supporters in the third world who subscribe to the view that they are owed a living from the West for empire, slavery and of late racism. Kind of explains the vast amount of support they have received from the likes of Indians , Pakistanis and of course Africans who for some very strange reason whilst happy to keep the red flag flying high, have no intention of relocating to Russia (which from personal experience is one of the most racist places on the planet) but rather they decamp from the motherland and seek a much better life in the very countries they openly despise.
And then there’s the fifth column within our borders aka sick, lame and lazy, who after been brainwashed by the likes of the X files (more like the X fools) see western government conspiracies in every direction they look. These are the people who openly excuse the likes of :
ISIS (NUS refused to condemn ISIS at their AGM as it was. Islamophobic)
Iran(When CND stated Iran had a right to go down the Nuclear path)
And of late the Ukraine where we are told that Moscow responded to:
NATO expansion to its borders . Err no seeing as until Feb 22 ,Finland Belarus and the Ukraine formed a border between NATO and Russia.
That Russia intervened in the Ukraine to stop the Ukrainian Nazis after they had cold blooded murdered 14K Russian speaking people since 2014 . Err no, seeing as that 14k figure can be broken down as (UN figures) casualties for both sides broken down as (until 01/01/22):
3404 Civilians from both sides (which includes the 298 deaths from flight MH17)
4400 Ukrainian soldiers
6500 Pro Russian Rebels
That civy death toll can be further broken down chronologically as:
2014:2084
2015:955
2016:112
2017:117
2018:58
2019:27
2020:26
2021:25
As we can see the vast amount of civilians deaths transpired before Minsk 2 was signed in 2015, and since then, most of the deaths have been due to…mines. (that salient snippet I gleaned from the OSCE website, you know that OSCE which the UN/EU/RU and the Ukr agreed to record incidents in the east of the Ukraine)
And yet the followers to the X fools still try to tell me that the Ukraine has been carrying out a genocide in the east of the country agaisnt Russian speakers and when I point out actual facts and figures they go down the path of Western misinformation, when I point out that those stats are mirrored by the breakaway donbass government on their russian based website (its in English) they go silent
My point, we have to recognise the fact that Moscow has weaponised social media in which to justify to the plain stupid that their empire building ways is actually a cry for help from a very aggressive NATO which neglects to mention that each and every NATO country have drastically cut arms spending since 1991.
The website for OSCE is here, where you can check daily reports on incidents in Eastern Ukraine from the 14th April 2014 to march this year
Kinda underlines why we must hold our own politicians to account for lying to us so freely.
The more we appease Putin the worse it will get. He must not be allowed to succeed in illegally annexing even more of Ukraine. The millions of refugees who fled the invasion didn’t get a vote.
If we say clearly any nuclear strike wi;ll; be met like for like rather than cowering in fear he’ll have to back down despite raging at us.
Sadly we in the West did little to prevent or overturn Putin’s annexation of Crimea. Today there were predictable speeches from western leaders condemning the annexation but they were rather dry, short and without passion or menace. Yet more sanctions applied – but no military response that I could see.
Putin will not be deterred by this weak western & International response. He might be further emboldened.
Putin was emboldened by the hasty unorganised abandonment of Afghanistan and other displays of weakness. Betting on either horse in this race is a mistake, as both are headed for disaster. Playing nuclear chicken or Russian roulette is not advisable.
Had there been a proper referendum back in 2014 or thereabouts, policed by the UN. Ukraine could have been a peaceful place by now. Possibly divided along ethnic lines or some other agreed option presented to the people. Western Kiev Ukraine under the nationalists could have been a NATO or EU member and ethnic Russians either as independent republics or as part of the Rodina.
There are faults and war crimes reported by both sides. With Amnesty International reporting persecution and abuse of ethnic minorities by Ukrainian militias from before 2014. All being conveniently ignored and obscured behind endless propaganda.
Absolutely concur that a direct line can be drawn from US/NATO retreat from Afghanistan to Mad Vlad’s calculations re Ukraine. Unfortunately Biden will never be held to account for ignoring the advice if his military advisors.
Uncertain whether Ukraine would have ever accepted the dismemberment of multiple oblasts, and the subsequent annexation of said territories by a malicious, predatory neighbor.
There may have indeed been war crimes committed by both sides, but by all accounts available, 99+% have been a result of Mad Vlad’s Slobbering Orcs’ despicable atrocities committed against the elderly, women and children.
We are at least on the same page if not singing the same song.
Don’t get me wrong by thinking I’m in any way, shape or form a fan of Putin. I know what he is, having served through the Cold War and the breakup of the USSR. A KGB Colonel working with the STASI is easily the worst of the worst. He was one of their youngest Colonels and keen as mustard. Much of what those people did in old East Germany will unfortunately never be disclosed. For obvious reasons, give how invested the Germans are in peaceful reunification. In Putin’s own proud words. “There is no such thing as a former KGB man.”
That kind of training and indoctrination can’t be undone. Which brings me nicely to the activities of the “no such a thing as former” substantial Ukrainian KGB contingent. Many of whom are still in commanding positions, closely associated with the Ukrainian oligarchs, militias and Mafia. Long before this current shindig kicked off. Ukraine was either the first or second most corrupt country in Europe. It has to be much worse now.
Do you see how I’m honestly finding it difficult, to identify anything good about this situation. That even slightly bodes well for the future.
As for the uncertainty whether Ukraine would ever accept dismemberment of multiple oblasts and subsequent annexation of said territories by a malicious, predatory neighbour. I’m sure they would not! Unless told that if they didn’t, there would be zero help from NATO or any Western nation. Mad Vlad and his slobbering orchs being permitted to run amok.
BTW – I have it on reliable authority, that “slobbering orchs” fits the Chechen mujahideen exceptionally well and some of Wagner too.
So what words best describe the actions of NATO, EU and alphabet agencies. Orchestrating a coup in Ukraine to overthrow an elected government?
Perhaps that is best not discussed on this forum. We are after all indelibly for King and Country.
Own history was molded during the Ronnie ‘Raygun’ era, where we were assured that all the good cowboys wore white hats. It is apparent that you were exposed to multiple shades of grey during your career. Stipulate to your contention that there may be no truly clean hands during this conflict prior to 2014. However, believe righteousness, ‘truth, justice and the American way,’ and the better angels all belong to the Ukrainians since 24 Feb 22.
Unfortunately, believe the time when speech(es) would affect outcome has largely passed. Putin will continue escalating until he crosses the red line.
Hi mate. I agree that speeches from western leaders were not enough, whether they be good or bad – and they were all bad.
What is the red line? For Putin to unleash WMD? Saddam Hussein did that in Halabja in 1998 and President Bashar al-Assad did that in Khan Shaykhunin in 2017 and both were unpunished.
Again, the west is weak.
I can’t argue with the logic. Even the obvious solution seems a little risky. Someone just as bad would take “dead” Vlads hotseat and be even more determined to succeed and seek vengeance.
What and where is the red line? That is THE question. Believe it to be somewhere between a single low yield airburst above Snake Island, clearly intended as signaling to NATO, and a salvo of city busting nukes causing hundreds of thousands of casualties. I’m not certain the line has been drawn precisely; it may indeed be an after-the-fact decision. Have a significant concern that the pace of events appears to be accelerating. Have a private nightmarish ‘vision’ that no one viewing this site may be available to usher in Anno Domini 2024, or in the worst case scenario, 2023. Fortunately and perhaps somewhat irrationally, believe Oz and NZ will remain relatively intact as the last redoubts of the Anglo-Saxons.
A very gloomy prognosis but wiser counsel may prevail in Moscow – a military coup, a power grab by a less belligerent politician or a popular uprising – and Putin may be on his way.
🤞
Such a blatant load of crap that surely no-one or no country would ever think this is genuine!
Looking back in history, it’s difficult to understand why dictators begin expansionist wars. From Napoleon, to Hitler and Mussolini, Saddam Hussain, Milosovic, and now Putin, their adventurist wars never achieve their stated outcomes and ultimately end in defeat and the destruction of their political presence. Even if Putin goes full on in his nuclear threats, all he is doing is hastening his demise, if he threatens and doesn’t use them, he’s shown up as a bluffer, if he does use them, he’s assured of his own and Russia’s destruction, NATO has nuclear weapons too. He’s a bit like Schrodinger’s Cat right now.
Grouping together and seizing neighbouring territory and resources is what our species do best. It’s in our nature. Human history is the history of WAR. Every empire, country and nation has been formed that way. That is why we all have armies.
Victors have the naming rights over their defeated foes and call them tyrants or dictators. All winners are by definition heroes.
In human politics might has always been right and even the Gods are on the side of the victorious.
George, when was the last time in the modern era that our country (or any ‘western country) seized a neighbouring country. We are not all ‘birds of one feather’. It’s not in our nature, only in the nature of ahandful of tyrannical leaders.
Graham, I’m astounded that you question this.
Modern era, that would include the age of enlightenment and the industrial revolution. Go to the Wiki page titled List of Wars involving the United Kingdom. Pay attention to the column headed “Outcome” and the territories ceded. The period 1801 to 1922 is of real interest.
How do you think the British Empire of 1913 came to hold dominion over 23% of the world’s population and 24% of the earth’s land mass. By holding tea parties with the natives and spreading the anglican faith, while singing hymns of peace and love.
Do the same search for any of the world’s nations and you will find territory, trade and resources at the heart of 99.9% of all conflicts. The expansion west of the American colonies after independence is typical of human behaviour.
BTW. Looking after such a huge British empire, spreading industrialisation and civilising the savages, became known as the White Man’s Burden.
Now George, you know that the victors write the history texts, and here in these United States of America, we prefer to refer to this period as ‘manifest destiny’ and the ‘taming of the Wild West.’ We even created a movie genre devoted to paying homage to the topic. 😁 The original inhabitants, swindled out of their land, slaughtered, starved, and sickened by disease laden European immigrants, were eventually herded onto reservations of what was deemed to be the least productive land available. However, in the manner of true Shakespearean irony, the inhabitants discovered ‘black gold’ beneath some properties, and have built gambling casinos on multiple reservations to enable them to separate the white man from his money. Able to personally attest to this fact. ☹️ Perhaps the moral of this tale is that karma can be a bitch, or what goes around comes around, or even beware who you choose to bully, because they might just turn the table and come after your chitlings. Thoughts for Mad Vlad, the slobbering Orcs, and the scum sucking, slimeball ChiComs to ponder. Not that I am at all biased in my opinions….
😉
Yes cousin. The anglosphere are never biased, just superior.
George, I was thinking of the modern era, ie the era that we on this site all talk about – as being post WW2.
How relevant to our discussions is the period 1801 – 1945?
I was simply pointing to the lessons of human history and the nature of the beast.
I dunno, are we allowed to talk about irregularities in an election?
What I read was 80 % of the people in two of these areas had fled either east or west to avoid the fighting. Of the 20 percent remaining only 12 percent voted. Yet russia claims everyone wanted to become Russian.
Precisely, it really doesn’t matter what we think. Putin will say whatever he wants to, he will justify anything with the logic of a 5 year old.
It’s almost not worth wearing out your typing finger.
You cannot argue with anyone who makes two plus two equal five.
AA