Russia's Campaign to Undermine the New U.S. Administration: A Strategic Disinformation Effort

Russia has launched an operation aimed at discrediting the new U.S. administration. We reaffirm our previous conclusions that the Kremlin seeks to project its war in Ukraine as a conflict with the United States on the global stage. Moscow’s objective is to undermine the peacekeeping efforts of President-elect Donald Trump, disrupt his initiatives in this arena, and frame Washington as betraying its allies.

To achieve this, a joint Russian interagency team involving military intelligence and the FSB is orchestrating an information campaign. This disinformation effort intends to persuade the international community that President Trump tasked FBI Director-nominee Kash Patel with investigating alleged misuse of U.S. aid by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The operation reportedly involves repurposing old video footage to serve Russian military intelligence narratives, ultimately accusing the Biden administration of misallocating American taxpayer funds in Ukraine.

The Kremlin’s objectives are multifaceted:

Halting U.S. assistance to Ukraine.
Initiating legal actions against the Biden administration.
Shifting American public opinion against Ukraine.
Discrediting Ukraine’s top political leadership.
Undermining Trump’s peacekeeping efforts by engineering a conflict between him and Zelensky.

European partners are placing significant hope in the Trump administration’s ability to broker peace in Europe. Russia’s interference in this process aims to sow discord between Kyiv and Washington, rendering meaningful peace negotiations impossible and tarnishing the credibility of the new U.S. administration.

We assess that this Russian information campaign has the potential to inflict severe damage on President Trump’s policies, akin to the fallout from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Moscow’s broader strategy is to portray the United States as an unreliable partner, thereby steering Washington’s allies toward deeper engagement with Russia.

Examples include fabricated stories suggesting Zelenskyy or his associates misuse foreign aid, luxury purchases falsely attributed to him or his wife, and exaggerated accounts of discord between Ukraine’s government and military. By doing so, Russia tries to weaken Ukraine’s unity and international support while justifying its own actions in the conflict. Such campaigns often originate from Kremlin-linked channels and are amplified through social media and pro-Russian outlets, demonstrating a coordinated strategy to shape perceptions in both the West and Ukraine itself

To counter Russia’s psychological operations (psyops) against Zelenskyy and Ukraine, a multi-pronged approach is essential.

Impact of Russian Psyops

Eroding Domestic Unity: By promoting narratives of political or military discord, Russia aims to weaken public trust in Ukraine’s leadership, potentially causing internal divisions.
Undermining International Support: Allegations of corruption or inefficiency may discourage Ukraine’s Western allies, leading to reduced military, financial, or humanitarian aid.
Boosting Russian Morale: Disinformation campaigns can strengthen the resolve of Russian forces and their supporters by portraying Ukraine as divided and ineffective.
Influencing Public Perception: False narratives, if widely believed, could shift public opinion against Zelenskyy, complicating his governance during wartime.