Key Takeaways
- State-sponsored groups were behind over 70% of disinformation about the Ukraine conflict in 2025, making things a lot harder for independent media.
- In 2024, social media platforms took down 45% fewer state-backed disinformation accounts than in 2023, a sign that their enforcement priorities are changing.
- An Atlantic Council DFRLab study from 2026 found AI-generated content makes up 15% of all disinformation about the conflict, which means we need better detection tools.
- To fight disinformation effectively, you need a mix of media literacy programs, solid fact-checking, and real accountability for the platforms.
The fact that in 2025, a full 70% of all disinformation narratives about the Ukraine conflict came from state-sponsored actors completely changes the game for how people get and trust information. When there’s that much state-backed disinformation in conflict, you’ve got to dig into where it’s coming from, how it’s being made, and what it’s actually doing.
The Overwhelming Reach of State Narratives: 70% From State Actors
The massive amount of state-backed disinformation shows how important it’s become as a tool of modern warfare. A late 2025 analysis from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) confirmed most of the junk info about the Ukraine conflict wasn’t just random rumors but deliberate campaigns from state-aligned groups. The goal is much bigger than just swaying public opinion. It’s about actively destabilizing trust in democratic institutions and international bodies. When 7 out of 10 fake stories trace back to a government, you’re looking at a well-funded, professional operation to twist how the world sees things. And honestly, from my own work tracking these campaigns, that 70% figure probably undercounts the reality because these actors are so good at hiding their tracks. Attribution is always playing catch-up.
Platforms Are Backing Off: 45% Fewer Account Removals
Even as the problem gets worse, the big social media platforms seem to be doing less about it. An early 2026 report from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) found they removed 45% fewer accounts tied to state-backed campaigns in 2024 than in 2023. This is a huge red flag because it means more of these operations are just flying under the radar. Is it because they’ve cut back their moderation teams or because their tools simply can’t keep up with the new tactics? Platforms always talk about the tightrope they walk between free speech and content safety (for instance, deciding if a state-run news account is a legitimate voice or a propaganda tool), but that argument gets a lot weaker when state actors are weaponizing their systems. The end result, though, is the same: more hostile actors get to stay online and spread their garbage without interference.
AI Joins the Fight: 15% of Disinformation is Now Machine-Made
Generative AI completely changed the propaganda game. According to a February 2026 study from the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), AI-generated content is already responsible for 15% of all disinformation about the war in Ukraine. This goes way beyond just deepfakes. We’re talking about huge volumes of AI-written articles, social media posts, and even fake audio clips that sound like real people. The ability to churn out endless, believable fake content for next to nothing is a nightmare for fact-checkers and analysts, who are just completely outnumbered. The sheer volume swamps old-school verification, how can one person debunk a thousand AI-generated articles an hour? We’re seeing AI build entire fake online personas, complete with years of post history, making it nearly impossible for a normal person to tell a real account from a bot. The speed is something else. A new narrative can be tested and rolled out globally in just a few hours.
“Researchers say AI ads are being used more than ever in the US midterms campaign ahead of the elections in November. Some of the ads are being funded by outside political groups but they have also come directly from candidates in some key races.”
Don’t Forget About TV and Radio: The Enduring Power of Old Media
Most people assume the whole information war is happening on social media. But a 2025 analysis from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism showed something interesting: traditional news sources, particularly those broadcast internationally, still have a ton of influence in shaping how people see the Ukraine conflict. This is especially true for older people and in places where internet isn’t everywhere. I think we focus way too much on the digital fight and forget about TV and radio. State-backed propaganda operations still pour money into these older formats because they know they have reach and a built-in sense of trust with certain audiences. If we only look at Twitter and Facebook, we’re missing how these narratives get laundered and legitimized. A single, well-placed story on a state-aligned (but official-looking) TV channel can do more damage to policy debates than a thousand bots screaming into the void. That perceived authority is what makes it so dangerous.
Going Local: Disinformation Targeted at Specific Communities
It’s not all big, sweeping narratives. Some of the most effective disinformation in the Ukraine war is hyper-local. Research from the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) in late 2025 found tons of campaigns tailored to specific languages and regions inside Ukraine and its neighbors. The fake news pushed in Hungarian-speaking parts of Transcarpathia, for example, was completely different from what was aimed at Polish speakers near the border. This kind of targeting is designed to poke at old wounds, ethnic tensions, historical arguments, to create divisions that weaken the country from the inside. They do this by laundering the messages through local influencers or fake community groups to make it feel homegrown. This level of detail means that a generic, national fact-check is totally useless against a rumor spreading on a village WhatsApp group. To even see these campaigns, let alone fight them, you need people on the ground who speak the language and get the local context. The precision is what’s scary. It shows the operators know exactly which historical nerve to pinch in a specific town to cause maximum disruption.
The fight against this stuff is complex and it’s always changing. It takes real vigilance from everyone to build up any kind of resilience.
What is disinformation in the context of the Ukraine conflict?
In the Ukraine conflict, disinformation is the deliberate spread of false or misleading info intended to deceive, manipulate opinion, or create confusion about the war. That includes fake news, manipulated photos or videos, and other false stories.
How does AI contribute to disinformation in the Ukraine war?
AI helps by letting people create tons of convincing fake stuff, like AI-written articles, deepfake videos, and synthetic audio, really fast and cheap. This makes producing and spreading disinformation much easier, and a lot harder to spot.
Are social media platforms effectively combating disinformation in Ukraine?
Recent data suggests social media platforms are actually backing off. They removed far fewer state-backed disinformation accounts in 2024 than in 2023, which suggests they’re either losing the battle or changing their priorities.
Why are traditional media sources still relevant for disinformation campaigns?
Traditional media like TV and radio are still powerful, especially with older audiences and in places with spotty internet. State actors use these channels because they’re seen as more credible than a random social media account, which helps give their fake stories a dangerous sense of legitimacy.
What can individuals do to identify and counter disinformation related to the Ukraine conflict?
You can fight back by being critical of what you see. Always check information with multiple, solid sources like AP News or Reuters. Be suspicious of anything that tries to make you angry or scared, and always look for who the original source is. Knowing their tactics helps you spot the manipulation.
