Observing Hate - Episode #2

By Jordy Nijenhuis & Hannah Richter

It was only a matter of time before Russian propaganda campaigns appeared on social media after the conflict between Russia and Ukraine heated up. Initially most of the content that was being shared consisted of videos and photos reporting on the situation on the ground. Some of these videos and photos were based on rumours, taken out of context, mislabeled, or reused from previous conflicts. Immediately following this surge in misinformation and disinformation, broader narratives started to unfold. In this video we’ll focus on the broader narratives.

The war in Ukraine is a very fluid situation, so we can expect these narratives to change over time. For now it is important to refrain from amplifying these narratives and to debunk them when needed. These narratives are planted on social media with the expectation that people will engage with them, and they hope that they will be shared widely. By giving you these quick insights we hope you recognise these narratives when you encounter them, and to prevent any further damage.

Here are the Russian propaganda narratives we identified in the first 5 days of the war. Check out the full article for more details.