War fatigue, panic: Russia planning 'information operations' to ‘destabilize’ Ukraine, Kyiv claims

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Russia is planning to conduct "information operations" against Kyiv to “destabilize” the country this spring, Ukraine’s military intelligence has claimed.

In a Tuesday statement on Telegram, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) said Moscow’s main directions and goals are to disrupt mobilization in Ukraine, spread disinformation about its “inability to win,” as well as create and distribute fakes about “war fatigue” among Kyiv’s partners and allies.

“The global international goal of the Russians is to reduce the support of our country from the pro-Ukrainian coalition in the world," the statement said.

The West has vowed to continue supporting Kyiv, but due to disagreements over aid in the US, and apparent shortage of Ukraine’s military resources, it is said Russia has gained the upper hand in its two-year-old war.

The intelligence service said Russia’s goal inside Ukraine itself is to demoralize and sow panic among the population, drive a wedge between the military and civilians, and to make "everyone quarrel with everyone."

“Russian special services have extensive experience in conducting hybrid wars. They spend no less on information attacks against Ukraine than on a conventional war,” it added.

The operation will reach its climax between March and May, it said, adding that Russia will bet on the organization of protests and discredit the process of exchanging prisoners of war.

Based on these plans, in the first half of June, Russia will try to destabilize the situation in the country and then inflict a military defeat to Kyiv in eastern Ukraine, the HUR claimed.

“We appeal to Ukrainian society, our international partners and allies with a call to strengthen joint resistance and comprehensive security measures, especially in the information space, in order to effectively counter global threats and challenges of a new world hybrid war,” it said.