After the offensive operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the summer of 2023, despite the complete dedication of the Ukrainian army, did not yield the desired result. There is a lack of quality public discussion about Ukraine's future optimal strategy in the war with Russia.Читати українськоюAuthor: Mykola Bieleskov, Chief Consultant at the Military Policy Department of the National Institute for Strategic Studies, Senior Analyst at the Charitable Foundation "Come Back Alive". All opinions expressed in the text are personal and in no way should be interpreted as the official position of the NISS and the Charitable Foundation "Come Back Alive".Translated by Daniel Asher

"A historical visit in modern Russian history" — this was the refrain used by Russian media to describe Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea. Such epithets are often given to almost any foreign trip by the Russian president in the absence of contacts with the West.Briefly About the Main PointsIt is important for Russian media to show that Moscow has friends. Particularly valuable are those who openly support Putin's war against Ukraine. In this hierarchy, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un surpasses other allies such as China, Iran, and Belarus, who publicly declare neutrality: "North Korea openly supports the special military operation (SMO). The only country. We should value it." However, the issue is not just about verbal support. Propaganda expects Pyongyang to increase the supply of ammunition, as well as tanks, artillery, and Korean workers in Russian factories. They also want North Korea to pressure Ukraine's supporters in Asia, and they claim that in the event of nuclear war, North Korea would strike the United States.Читати українськоюRead about this and more in the new issue of our monitoring of Russian state media and manipulative websites that spread Russian disinformation.

How Ukrainian prisoners are tortured and killed—stories from one Russian detention center.Читати українською

According to soldiers' testimonies, Russia surpasses us in the number of reconnaissance and strike types of UAVs. This problem needs to be resolved.

Last week, the main topic in Russian media was the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland, organized by Ukraine. In our opinion, this attention indicates that the idea of the summit is very sound. The main theses of the propagandists were predictable: Ukraine experienced a diplomatic failure.Читати українськоюKey PointsDisinformers claim that the summit "failed" because Russia and China were not there. They say the countries of the so-called Global South did not want to support Kyiv, and the anti-Russian stance was taken by the well-established Russophobes from the USA and Europe. They argue that insignificant statements were signed that do not affect Russia in any way. It was interesting to see how Russian propaganda explained why supposedly friendly countries like Turkey, Hungary, and Slovakia signed the final communiqué of the meeting. The answers were also unoriginal: some surrendered their sovereignty to NATO or wanted to please Washington, while others were intimidated by threats of murder. Additionally, Russian propagandists manipulated the number of participants. For example, participation was measured by the level of the delegation. If a president or prime minister represented a country, it was considered unfriendly; if by someone of lower rank, the participation was discounted, as these were mere spectators who did not want to sever relations with either the West or Russia.Read about this and more in the new issue of our monitoring of Russian state media and manipulative sites that specifically spread Russian disinformation.

Last week, Russian media covered the work of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). The forum was supposed to be the main business event of the year in Russia and prove that Russia is not lagging in international affairs and is still attractive to guests, investments, and developments. Despite propaganda efforts, SPIEF turned out not to be so international. The organizers even created fake national delegations. Moreover, the term "economic" was not always justified. Speakers talked more about nuclear weapons, traditional values, the role of the family, and Russia's unique path. They also criticized the West for gay propaganda and the desire to impose its will on others.Читати українськоюRead about this and more in the latest issue of our monitoring of Russian state media and manipulative sites that deliberately spread Russian disinformation.

Satellite images reveal the scale of the destruction but do not convey the experiences of the people.Читати українською

Last week, Russian media extensively covered the permissions granted by Ukraine's partners to strike Russia with Western weapons. We observed a wide range of emotions. From assurances that it won't change the situation on the frontlines since not many countries supply Kyiv with dangerous weapons to reflections on a Third World War provoked by the United States. However, the most prominent emotion was anger. Some experts call on the Russian leadership to act harshly and prevent the West from crossing "red lines" in the future. Some figures have once again called for bombing European countries with nuclear weapons. Propagandists also claim that if the war is not won soon, Kyiv may acquire nuclear weapons, which they will undoubtedly use against Russia.Читати українськоюRead about this and more in the latest issue of our monitoring of Russian state media and manipulative sites that specifically spread Russian disinformation.

Russian propaganda excels in the short film genre. Advertisement videos targeting the Ukrainian audience are disseminated through their social media platforms, primarily on Telegram and TikTok.Читати українськоюTexty.org.ua used facial recognition software to find out who starred in one of these videos. Among the actors, they identified a popular fitness blogger, a girl resembling a webcam model, an unknown actor, and a woman whose photos are available in photo banks.

From Trumpists to Communists. The forces in the U.S. impeding aid to Ukraine and how they do it