Ukrainian politicians and senior officials have again reported growing instability in the country. President Zelensky and representatives of law enforcement and intelligence agencies have expressed outrage over the possibility of a coup d'état.
According to Andriy Yusov, the spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russia is actively preparing to destabilize the situation: it has purchased Ukrainian Telegram channels and created thousands of fake accounts for bots.
All these actions may indicate a new stage in Russia's information war against Ukraine.
According to an article in the Washington Post, the Russians have launched a large-scale information campaign to discredit President Zelensky.
The media has repeatedly emphasized the connection between the Russian Information and Psychological Center "Ninth Wave" (which is linked to Russian special services) and the organization of provocations against Ukraine.
According to prominent journalists, the Russian center may be involved in increasing the internal political split in Ukrainian society and creating artificial crises in relations with Western partners.
According to Bloomberg, Moscow is actively working to undermine Zelensky's power. Russia is trying to undermine Zelensky's democratic legitimacy and his authority in society. In addition to Ukraine, Kremlin-controlled structures are carrying out subversive activities in the EU and the US.
The Ninth Wave is known for its wide arsenal of tools for working with local opposition movements and media in NATO countries. Its goal is to strengthen Russia's position in relations with the EU and the US, to try to influence public opinion regarding negotiations with Russia, and to spread a sense of hopelessness for Ukraine.
Analyzing the work of the Russian Information and Psychological Center, we cannot rule out its participation in planning to “discredit the authorities” in Ukraine.
Previously, Russian structures actively promoted a split between the Office of the President and the military and spread Western claims against Ukraine. It is possible that they could have participated in planning a coup d'état with the aim of deepening chaos, which would lead to the collapse of the front and the loss of Ukraine's independence and sovereignty.
