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Pro-Russian Propaganda About Ukraine: 3 Commonly Used Techniques
- Do you have doubts about the war in Ukraine?
- Do you think that the conflict is "complex"?
- Do you think that Ukrainians are not "innocent"?
- Do you think that the Western Media are also making war propaganda?
If you answered yes to any of these four questions, this message is for you.
Ukrainians and Russians make use of war propaganda to demoralize their opponent. But Russian propaganda goes further. The goal of Russian propaganda is not to render you "pro-Putin", but to make you doubt sufficiently not to take an openly pro-Ukrainian stance. [What is] the objective [of Russian propaganda]? To decrease the number of potential donors to the Ukrainian war effort and relieve the pressure you could put on your government to support Ukraine more (e.g. by going to demonstrations).
1. Blame the Victims
NATO provoked the Russian invasion.
This technique aims to justify aggression by blaming the victims for what happens to them. Studies show that victim blaming unconsciously decreases support for the victims.[1] Yet, it is Russian bombs and rockets that are killing Ukrainian civilians at this very moment. Ukrainians and NATO are not occupying Russian territory.
2. Guilt by Association
Some neo-Nazi militias are fighting alongside the Ukrainian army.
This technique aims to "smear" an entire group and the cause it defends based on the behavior of some of its members. Studies show that pointing at morally condemnable individuals within a group generates discredit and blame towards the group as a whole.[2] However, the Ukrainian army's fight against the Russian invader and his war crimes is legitimate; whether or not some neo-nazis also happen to support it.
3. Competitive Victimhood
The US also invaded Iraq illegally.
This technique is designed to divert attention to a problem that has nothing to do with the Ukrainian issue. Studies show that competitive victimhood excuses aggressors and justifies their behavior.[3] Yet, Russia remains entirely guilty of an illegal invasion in Ukraine; whether or not the US illegally invaded other countries. Two wrongs don't make a right.
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[1] Nir, R. & Sophie, D. W. (2018). Perceived threat, blaming attribution, victim ethnicity and punishment. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 66, 34-40.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2018.06.004
[2] Halevy, N., Maoz, I., Vani, P. & Reit, E. S. (2021). Where the Blame Lies: Unpacking Groups Into Their Constituent Subgroups Shifts Judgments of Blame in Intergroup Conflict. Psychological science.
https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976211026982
[3] Young, I. F. & Sullivan, D. (2016). Competitive victimhood: A review of the theoretical and empirical literature. Current Opinion in Psychology, 11, 30–34.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.04.004