The shield of information: Ukraine’s strategy in times of war

The shield of information: Ukraine‘s strategy in times of war

Kateryna Ivanus

Ukraine stands today as one of the most resilient countries against the tide of propaganda and misinformation. This is the outcome of extensive efforts by the state, society, and media in the face of armed conflict and an ongoing information war that has challenged the country since 2014. How can other nations learn from this experience to strengthen their resistance to information warfare?

Throughout history, information wars have been crucial tools, significantly impacting conflicts, including both World Wars. Countries have utilized propaganda, disinformation, and psychological tactics to achieve military and political objectives. 

Modern hybrid warfare expands this fight beyond physical resources, lands, and lives, targeting public perception, particularly within cyberspace, media, and social networks.

The aim of information warfare is to mislead the opponent, manipulate decisions, and ultimately demoralize—to win on the battlefield or compel surrender.This is achieved, in part, by undermining the internal political situation within the target country, causing citizens to lose trust in state institutions and leadership as a whole. Moreover, information warfare is aimed at damaging the opponent’s international reputation, stripping them of support from 

The primary method in this type of warfare is PSYOP (Psychological Operations) — a psychological campaign that disseminates specific information to destabilize and influence people’s emotions, critical thinking, and behavior. This includes disinformation, propaganda, fake news, unethical manipulation of real or historical events, and efforts to undermine trust in government, international partners, and allies.

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Information warfare is an effective weapon and a supplementary tool in actual combat. In fact, russia’s war against Ukraine in the information realm began long before the physical conflict, essentially from the time Ukraine became an independent state. Propaganda resources were created, accumulated, funded, tested, and deployed over decades leading up to the full-scale invasion.

russia’s propaganda machine was unleashed at full force externally. Ukrainians were among the first to realize that russian media and social networks served a role far beyond simple communication—aiming instead to manipulate perceptions and influence minds. Recognizing this, Ukraine began taking countermeasures as early as the summer and fall of 2014.

The ban on russian media in Ukraine

Initially, Ukraine banned russian media broadcasts, labeling them as false and propagandistic. This ban extended to other russian channels, including some purportedly independent or opposition-based outlets. By 2017, russian websites and social media platforms were also prohibited.

However, russia continued to exert influence through social media and certain Ukrainian television channels funded by adversarial interests. These information attacks were skillfully crafted to exploit sensitive societal issues—current debates on language, national history, and cultural heritage. In the year leading up to the full-scale invasion, all these pro-russian channels were also banned, further shielding Ukraine’s information space from external manipulation.

In this way, Ukrainians distanced themselves from the impact of mass russian propaganda even before the full-scale invasion. This proactive approach significantly strengthened the resilience of Ukraine’s national media and informational landscape. Today, the influence of russian propaganda on the Ukrainian audience is severely restricted, limited primarily to messaging apps and social networks.

Identity-shaping narratives

The russian narratives used in information warfare predominantly look to the past. Rooted in anti-Western rhetoric, enemy-finding, and idealizing russia, these narratives aim to justify the aggressor’s actions on the international stage as a defense against external threats. 

Crucially, they deny Ukrainian identity, language, culture, and Ukrainians’ right to an independent state, rejecting modern values such as human rights, gender equality, rule of law, and international standards.

In contrast, Ukrainian narratives, which became clearer after the start of the russian-Ukrainian war in 2014, emphasize not only Ukraine’s thousand-year historical, cultural, spiritual, and state heritage but also its future-oriented vision. This vision includes Ukraine’s aspirations to join the EU and NATO—two political alliances committed to human rights, rule of law, and respect for international norms.

Ukrainian strategic communications

While russia’s propaganda machine has been built over decades, with state-run television channels, online media, and news agencies at its disposal, Ukraine’s strategic communications developed rapidly from the start of the war. 

In the early days of russia’s full-scale invasion, the “Unified News” marathon broadcasted live coverage, allowing the public to follow the Battle for Kyiv, the defense of Mariupol, the mass protests in Kherson against occupation, and the heroic defense of Mykolaiv.

Powerful communication services have emerged within the Ukrainian government sector. The daily addresses by the President of Ukraine serve critical informational, motivational, and mobilizing functions. Press services from the Ukrainian Security and Defense Forces provide diverse, in-depth content for media and social networks, with active communication even extending to individual military brigades.

Volunteer communications form another vital component, going beyond fundraising and procuring essential equipment for specific units. They also enable civil society to monitor the material and technical support provided to Ukrainian defenders.

At the same time, the number of independent media outlets conducting investigative journalism is growing, enhancing transparency and accountability.

Ukrainian businesses, too, have adapted their messaging to support the war effort, aligning their communications to offer relevant services and products that reinforce messages of solidarity with the security and defense forces.

In the last two and a half years, Ukraine’s entertainment industry—artists, poets, writers, and musicians—has produced numerous works dedicated to the war and the defense of the country. These cultural contributions play a significant role in countering enemy propaganda, bolstering morale, and reinforcing national identity on a cultural level.

Ukraine’s information system has become increasingly effective and responsive, with falsehoods being identified and neutralized in near real-time. Entities such as the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, the Center for Countering Disinformation, communication departments of various state institutions, media outlets, independent experts, and bloggers actively detect and debunk misinformation.

Recent examples include debunking claims of elevated radiation levels in Odesa due to alleged shipments of nuclear waste from the EU. In late October, Google analysts uncovered a hybrid anti-mobilization operation aimed at intimidating staff of Ukrainian territorial recruitment centers with threats of missile strikes on their offices and tracking their personal movements. Ukrainian agencies promptly identified and refuted such disinformation campaigns.

Challenges of information warfare

Before 2014, enemy disinformation was often easy to detect, but today, these tactics have become more refined. Alongside external propaganda, internal political maneuvers within the Ukrainian establishment and the constant lead-up to election cycles complicate the information landscape. Manipulated narratives are often aimed at foreign partners, seeking to erode trust and shift attention away from policies supporting Ukraine.

The information field is rife with diverse manipulative tactics, making it essential for Ukrainians to adopt “information hygiene” practices and actively counter disinformation. This has become a fundamental necessity, and Ukraine has gained valuable, practical experience in defending against information warfare.

As the world grows increasingly polarized and tensions rise, russia’s information war against Ukraine sets the tone for the future. Today, Ukraine’s experience plays a crucial role in shaping global policies to counter information wars.

Kateryna Ivanus is the founder of the agency “Kateryna Ivanus PR & Media Consulting” A graduate of the Faculty of Journalism and PR and a Master of Public Administration, she served as an adviser on information policy to the Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional State Administration from 2021 to 2023. With over 15 years of professional experience, Kateryna has a proven track record of successful collaboration with government bodies, public institutions, and politicians in Ukraine and across Europe.

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