United States Intelligence Sees Russia Step Up Disinformation Campaign Against Ukraine’s Zelensky

Washington, DC [US], May 16: Russia has intensified its disinformation efforts to discredit Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and raised questions about his legitimacy in recent months, the US intelligence agencies stated, reported CNN. A senior Biden administration official said in an interview, Russia has seized on various recent events to fuel criticism about Zelensky's abilities and place as Ukraine's leader, according to a recently shared downgraded intelligence assessment.

Moscow has spread disinformation about Zelenskyy even before the war started but intelligence shows "it's definitely increasing," the official said. This comes after Ukrainian forces struggle to hold the line against a spike in Russian attacks in northeastern Ukraine, but the spreading of disinformation has been growing for months and is a reflection of Zelensky's general "formidability" as a wartime president for over two years, the official argued.

"I would actually connect this disinformation effort to President Zelensky's effectiveness across this conflict in remaining a stable, dedicated and critically important leader of his country," the official said, requesting anonymity to discuss the intelligence, according to CNN. Reportedly, Russia has highlighted two main areas in this recent disinformation push, as US intelligence indicated Ukraine's painful withdrawal from the eastern city of Avdiivka and the fact that Ukraine postponed its presidential election scheduled for this spring due to the war. Notably, Russia suffered huge losses of troops to take Ukraine's Avdiivka but their eventual victory underscored Ukraine's shortage of Western ammunition and its difficulties in defending the 1000-kilometre-long front line. 

Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian withdrawal was ordered to avoid being surrounded and save his soldiers' lives, as reported by CNN. As Russia launched its invasion in February 2022, the Ukrainian leader imposed martial law, which was approved by Ukraine's parliament. Since then, it has regularly been extended and the presidential election that was due to be held this year has been postponed. But, Russians have been using the delayed election to argue that Ukrainians will question Zelensky's legitimacy, which has been voiced by Puin's spokesman, reported CNN. However, Zelensky had previously rejected the narrative as a "Russian program."

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