Perun, Russian psyop against Ukraine, enters active phase – Ukraine's Defence Intelligence

Operation Perun, a special operation by Russian propagandists, is now in its active phase. It will reach its peak on the day of the so-called presidential election in Russia and continue until 30 June.

Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) press service

Quote: "The propagandists of the aggressor country are continuing the active phase of the information operation Perun. It is aimed at destabilising the political situation in Ukraine and Western countries and 'creating conditions for accomplishing the tasks' of the so-called 'special military operation' [the war against Ukraine – ed.]. Operation Perun is also being conducted in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and in most regions of the Russian Federation."

Details: DIU said that units of the Russian Guard (Rosgvardia) and spies are involved in this operation.

Kremlin propagandists give them assignments designed to discredit Ukrainian and Western pro-Ukrainian politicians, accusing them of corruption and betraying Ukraine's interests; justify Russia's aggression against Ukraine and portray the situation around Ukraine in a way that is favourable to the Kremlin; spread disinformation in the media about life supposedly "getting back to normal" in the occupied territories thanks to the Russian leadership; and create the image of "Ukrainian Nazis" in the Russian and European media.

In addition, according to the Kremlin's playbook, their government agents should use fake narratives to talk about events in Ukraine in the first half of 2024, such as a "coup being planned in Kyiv", accusing Ukraine of starting hostilities in Donbas, the "massacre of pro-Russian activists in Odesa" and so on.

DIU says the day of the so-called presidential election is set to be the peak of Russian propaganda activities. The Russians plan to complete Operation Perun by 30 June this year.

Reminder: The Ukrainian President's Intelligence Committee stated at the end of February 2024 that Russia’s Maidan-3 psyop against Ukraine would conclude in the coming weeks, and that Russia is expecting to destabilise the situation and inflict a military defeat on Ukraine in the east by the first half of June.

Background: 

• On 16 November 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was seeking to split Ukrainian society, wreak havoc inside the country and ultimately overthrow the president. According to Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence, this plan is called Maidan-3 in Russia.
• On 21 November, Zelenskyy said that Russia wanted to remove him as president of Ukraine by the end of 2023, to which end it had come up with a destabilisation plan codenamed Maidan-3.
• Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's Defence Intelligence, said the main goal of Maidan-3 was to sow doubts about the legitimacy of Ukrainian authorities within the country, but that the operation was failing.

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