A bit about Kremlin bots. In my observations, they all fall into two large groups with fundamentally different goals:
1) "Pro-Russian" — the largest, bluntest, and most obvious group. Its goal is to simulate mass support. I’ve explained in detail why massiveness is so important — people are very afraid of being different from everyone else and easily follow the majority — "yes, I’m with my people." These accounts always have a Russian flag or a St. George ribbon in their avatar. Victory Banner over the Reichstag or a photo of a Red Army soldier. The nation of victors. Obsession with victory in all forms — children in military uniforms, parades, military equipment, “For the Airborne Troops!” Representing the people is easy — many grammatical mistakes in text, garden beds at the dacha, striped sailor shirts, mushrooms, dahlias, pickles, fishing. “Here I stand before you, a simple Russian woman, beaten by my husband, scared by priests, shot at by enemies — resilient! I stand and think — why am I here?” Salt of the Russian earth. Victory will be ours.
2) "Pro-Ukrainian" — much more subtle. Its goal is not to convince but to divide and instill the idea that all is lost. It disguises itself to gain trust. 90% of the information in these messages is true to inject 10% lies that paralyze the will to resist. Ukrainian flag in the avatar, living in Dnipro or Kyiv. Appears to be “one of us.” The most effective bots are not those saying “Glory to Russia.” They are the ones posing as “disillusioned patriots.” They operate through several narratives:
“The authorities have betrayed you.”
Real or fabricated cases of corruption, incompetence, or betrayal in Ukrainian authorities or the army are widely spread and amplified. “While you donate 100 hryvnias, they steal billions!” “Zaluzhnyi/Syrs’ky/any general is being sold out!” “Zelensky sold out to the West/oligarchs!” “Ordinary guys are thrown into meat-grinder assaults without training!”
“The West has abandoned/uses you.”
Any delay in weapons deliveries or cautious statements by Western politicians are presented as ultimate betrayal. “See, they’re afraid to even give you missiles!” “To them, you’re just a tool to weaken Russia, they don’t care about you,” “US/Europe elections will happen, and they’ll forget about you!”
“The problem is with the refugees/those who left.”
Provoking conflict between those who stayed in Ukraine and those who left. “While you’re under missiles, they’re going to restaurants in Europe!” For those who left: “How can you live while ours die? Traitors!” Female bots especially like accusing opponents of cowardice — “and why aren’t you on the front?”
“Losses are huge, everything is pointless.”
Constant exaggeration of Ukrainian losses and minimization of Russian ones. Creating the sense of endless slaughter. “They’ll never run out of people, and all your men are already being rounded up!”
“You decide nothing, everything is already decided.”
Promoting the idea that the war is just a deal among elites and ordinary people are pawns. “Your oligarchs and ours have already agreed on everything,” “It’s just business, they’re dividing markets,” “They’ll never tell us the truth.”
p.s. I have no proof or original payment slips, but in my observations, in late summer/early autumn last year, several popular bloggers, journalists, and economists received large sums from Russia to promote these narratives:
- Russia can fight endlessly. Its economy is in great shape, and the war benefits it. Main message: surrender faster.
- The Ukrainian army is on the verge of collapse. The front will fall soon. Main message: surrender faster.
- A particularly insidious narrative: “Ukraine didn’t show up for the war.” Very convincing. Ukrainian forces have been grinding down a million-strong Russian army for four years, which in three months planned to reach the English Channel, but hasn’t even reached Kharkiv (30 km from the border). Since March 2022, Russia has captured only about 1% of Ukraine’s territory, yet the narrative claims Ukraine “didn’t come to war.”
Ukraine has destroyed the Black Sea Fleet and pushed it to distant ports. Ukraine takes out Russian strategic aviation. Ukraine cripples Russia’s military industry and paralyzes its logistics. Ukraine has built powerful drone forces from scratch. Ukraine created its own cruise missile. Don’t listen to bots — Ukraine will win.
