For six months now, the information space in Ukraine has been flooded with statements by world leaders regarding future peace. These statements often contradict one another. US President Donald Trump, in particular, has stood out with such pronouncements. Against the backdrop of constant brutal shelling of Ukrainian cities and enemy pressure on the front, this informational avalanche is disorienting. A lack of understanding of what is happening emerges. Especially now, when media outlets are discussing a potential peace agreement being prepared by the US, where Ukraine is allegedly expected to concede territories. Such an informational environment is favorable for the spread of Russian propaganda, as people who are physically and emotionally exhausted are easier to manipulate.
The Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers continues to monitor the informational component of Russian offensive actions in the Donetsk region to suppress the spread of disinformation and the emotions it provokes.
“The Initial Phase of Final Victory.” Strategy
Propagandist media write about a “large-scale offensive by the Russian army in the SMO zone” and its strategic objectives for this summer campaign. The Russian propagandist online publication “Gazeta.ru,” citing retired colonel and military expert Khodaryonok, reports that the Russian army has been tasked with “achieving results by September 3.” Allegedly, for the sake of this “great goal,” “units are being formed in the DPRK for deployment to the zone” to defeat the enemy grouping. This is how the Kremlin leadership plans to “create pressure on the Ukrainian side's position in potential peace negotiations.”
Chasiv Yar. Propaganda Ahead of the Curve
Against the backdrop of these statements, Russian propagandists and military bloggers disseminate victorious messages across Russian media and publics, and also engage Kremlin mouthpieces abroad. The Kremlin government has a separate set of propaganda channels for each audience.
On the morning of July 31, 2025, Russia declared the capture of the city of Chasiv Yar, battles for which have been ongoing since spring 2024. This is not the first time Russia has claimed to have taken Chasiv Yar; however, heavy fighting continues in the almost completely ruined city. June marked one year since the defense of Chasiv Yar has been held by the 24th Brigade named after King Danylo. The press officer of the brigade is Oleh Petrasiuk, a member of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers.
He told the UAPP about the situation in the city: “As of today, units have been holding the line beyond the canal for a year now. The front line there is quite dynamic: 300 meters forward, 300 back. Some positions are lost, some are regained. And so, we have been fighting in this regime for a year. If you look at the essence, the situation is not overly optimistic: on the one hand, there are no territorial gains, on the other—when we entered, everyone said Chasiv Yar wouldn't hold out for a month. But it has been holding for a year.”
Headlines like “the initial phase of final victory,” “the beginning of the complete rout of the AFU,” and “Ukraine will not be able to turn the tide of the SMO” are being spread across the information space. Different formulations assert the same thing to create the picture needed by the Kremlin — Ukraine’s inevitable defeat.
Propagandists rub their hands: after the capture of Chasiv Yar, Russian troops will bypass Kostiantynivka from the flanks. “Our units have already managed to bypass the city from two sides, take control of the road that supplies this settlement, isolate the area of combat operations, which means complicating the delivery of ammunition and the rotation of personnel,”— quotes a “military expert” the Russian online publication “RG.RU.”
The propagandist website “Ukraina.ru” continues the victorious rhetoric: “We must use the high ground of Chasiv Yar to target not only Sloviansk and Kramatorsk but also Siversk, which is also located in a lowland.”
Pokrovsk — Sloviansk. Preparing for Defeat
One of the popular narratives the Kremlin uses regarding events at the front is the narrative of “ceding” territories. “Military-political expert” from France, Kremlin mouthpiece Xavier Moreau, spreads this narrative in a conversation with “Ukraina.ru,” reflecting on the fate of the city of Pokrovsk.
However, it is precisely thanks to the heroic efforts of Ukrainian defenders that Pokrovsk remains under the Ukrainian flag, despite the significant Russian advantage in manpower, drones, aviation, and other weaponry.
Propagandist publics continue to intimidate and provoke panic in frontline cities: “a massive flight of all administrative resources is being observed. The authorities are evacuating or destroying all official documentation. Currently, the authority in Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk is in the hands of the Ukrainian military, as well as the national police,”— writes the Russian media outlet “Lenta.ru,” citing Russian military sources.
In reality, back at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, several departments of the Donetsk Regional Administration concerning document circulation, accounting, and other office and organizational affairs were relocated to the city of Dnipro. This was reported by the Ukrainian online media outlet “Suspilne Donbas,” citing a comment by the Head of the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin, during a telethon of “Yedyni Novyny” on August 6, 2025.
The publication reported: “Personally, I, my deputies, and the heads of structural units are on the ground, as are the heads of the local and district military administrations. We are working in the region, helping the defense forces, building defense lines, and preparing the region for the heating season,” — said the Head of the Oblast Military Administration.
On August 11, 2025, the Ukrainian analytical OSINT project Deepstate reported a significant advance by a group of Russian military personnel near Dobropillia, in the Pokrovsk direction.
Russian analytical bloggers picked up the Ukrainian media statements about the breakthrough and began creating their own agenda, reporting that Russian military personnel are now “developing success”(“Lenta.ru”) in the breakthrough areas.
The General Staff of the AFU denied reports of an alleged breakthrough by Russian troops near Dobropillia. According to the spokesperson for the “Dnipro” Operational and Strategic Group of Troops, Lieutenant Colonel Viktor Tregubov, Russians are currently employing the tactic of small groups infiltrating past the first line of AFU defense. This is what happened near Dobropillia. A small enemy group bypassed Ukrainian positions and attempted to hide in the Ukrainian rear, but the Defense Forces are repelling such attempts. A similar situation occurred a week ago with the passage of a small sabotage and reconnaissance group in Pokrovsk, which was unsuccessful for the enemy.
The BBC Ukraine website reports: “The Azov Corps will now be responsible for a part of the front in the Pokrovsk direction, including the defense of Dobropillia, and Pokrovsk itself is held by Air Assault Forces units. The General Staff reported on August 12 about reinforcement and the deployment of reserves to these defense lines. Currently, the best Ukrainian UAV units are participating in the defense of these territories.”
Russians are pressing on the Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka directions, probing for weak spots to break through the Ukrainian defense. On other directions in the Donetsk region, they expect the defense to collapse: “we will finally break this resistance. Our units will break through in the Kupiansk, Pokrovsk, and Kostiantynivka areas, then the trap will close. After the fall of the agglomeration, the enemy will no longer have the opportunity to consolidate,”— writes the propagandist publication “Argumenty i Fakty” (“AiF”).
An article by the propagandist online newspaper “Ukraina.ru,” titled “Why Russia Should Not Conclude the ‘Shameful Peace’ Demanded by the American President,” claims that “Ukraine stands on the threshold of complete defeat, so concluding peace or a truce with it is pointless and criminal.”
Thus, while Russia asks the US for five Ukrainian regions, including Crimea, promising a cessation of the war, propagandists speculate about further conquests of Ukrainian territories.
The situation in the Donetsk region is very difficult, but the Defense Forces of Ukraine are doing everything to weaken and halt the offensive potential of the Russian army.
“Mind Break for Ukrainian Generals.” Tactics
Russia has changed its tactics of conducting combat operations, particularly in the Pokrovsk direction, where the army does not assault head-on but advances in small groups. It has also changed its aerial attack tactics, multiplying drone attacks while precisely striking with a small number of missiles, attempting to destroy the rear and communications with massive strikes.
Discussing the possible tactics of the Russian army in the Donetsk region, blogger-propagandists promise “a mind break for Ukrainian generals”(“AiF”).
Strike on Lozova
Lozova is a city in the south of the Kharkiv region, a key railway station located on the border of the Southern, Dnipro, and Donetsk railways.
On the night of August 5, 2025, the Russian army massively attacked Lozova, using 34 drones. The Head of the Kharkiv Regional State Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, stated that the city experienced the most massive attack since the start of the war. The railway, the train station, and an energy facility suffered major damage, and multi-story buildings and the private sector were also damaged. Two people died. Among the wounded were two children.
The propagandist publication “AiF” claims that with the strike on Lozova, the Russian army disrupted supplies to AFU groupings. The publication reports that ammunition is delivered to the city, and warehouses are located in Lozova itself, where drones are assembled and equipment is repaired.
Russian so-called “military experts” draw attention to the fact that transport hubs, as well as the warehouses located there, and all infrastructure are a very important target. “Now modernized ‘Gerans’ and missiles are striking all similar hub stations and further toward the line of combat contact,”— writes “AiF.”
Lozova, they say, “is one of the main rear centers of the AFU, from which several groupings of the Kyiv army were supplied simultaneously.”This refers to units and formations near Kupiansk, along the Kostiantynivka-Kramatorsk line, and the Pokrovsk direction. Allegedly, this is how they (the Russians) are trying to sever the connection between Kharkiv and the Donetsk region.
Russians are threatening new strikes on Lozova to finally “sever the connection between Kharkiv and Donbas.”
In the context of the strike on Lozova, propagandists also mention other transport links and logistical hubs. One such hub is Lyman. They say the liberation of Lyman is a key objective for the Russian army in this direction as part of a larger goal—to drive the Ukrainian army out of the “DNR” and “LNR.” Russians are trying to block logistical routes in the Pokrovsk direction by storming the small town of Rodynske, which lies on an important logistical route.
Propaganda boasts that the Dobropillia-Kramatorsk highway has become a “road of death” due to the use of Russian drones. They call drones their “key factor for victory.”
Russian fiber-optic drones keep the highway under fire control. This is why Ukrainian military personnel were forced to cover the highway with anti-drone nets. Today, this is the only land supply route for the city of Kostiantynivka. Since July 16, 2025, the T0514 Dobropillia-Kramatorsk highway has been closed to civilian transport.
Strike on Druzhkivka
Another tactic that propaganda believes “can undermine the combat readiness of the AFU” is strikes on Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers (TCCs).
Russians have leveraged public interest in the topic within the Ukrainian information space and, under the guise of a noble cause rather than their own interests, are shifting the responsibility for the shelling onto the Ukrainian authorities: “the draining of people from Ukraine occurs exclusively through Kyiv's efforts. As part of total mobilization, Ukrainian military commissars are massively capturing civilians on the streets of Ukrainian cities and sending them to the front line, where ‘there will be no service terms,’ as Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently stated,”— disseminates the propagandist Telegram channel “Voina s feikami” (War with Fakes).
A whole information and psychological special operation has been launched against TCCs since the beginning of the war: the spread of anti-mobilization narratives on social media, arson of military vehicles, sabotage against servicemen in rear cities, and explosions of improvised devices at TCCs.
One such strike, which Russia claimed hit a TCC, occurred in Druzhkivka on August 2, 2025. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities did not confirm this information.
On August 2, on a weekend, Russia massively struck a market in Druzhkivka in the Donetsk region, using thirteen strike drones. As the national police reported, eight hits were recorded as a result of the attack. Two residential buildings, a shopping complex, three administrative buildings, a store, and nine civilian cars were damaged. Seven people were wounded.
The consequences of the shelling of Druzhkivka were documented by photographer Oleh Petrasiuk.
The “Avrora” store in Druzhkivka was damaged by the shelling. The store administration reported on the social network “X” that the enemy struck near the “Avrora” store; however, the fire spread to the store premises as well.
“Previously, the Russian command did not consider the TCC a priority target, but the Ukrainian public itself called for the bombing of the ‘man-catchers,’” — writes “AiF.”
Russian “experts” are confident that “such strikes evoke a sense of gratitude in Ukrainians for Russia’s actions and disrupt mobilization processes.” **In this case, propagandists employ the technique of substitution of concepts, claiming that they do not want to kill Ukrainians, and therefore kill Ukrainians: “when we destroy a TCC, we save the lives of people who are being forcibly sent to the front. This is a very good psychological act. Thanks to it, Ukrainians understand that we do not want to kill them,”— military analyst Oleksiy Leonkov in a conversation with “AiF.”
Such messages are designed to divide Ukrainians into “us” and “them,” and to incite civilians against the military and the government.
The Ukrainian online publication “Detector Media” explains what strikes on TCCs truly are: “Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers are part of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. However, TCC and SS buildings are mostly located in residential areas, and strikes on them lead to civilian casualties, whom Russians allegedly protect. Furthermore, TCC and SS employees include civilians, and the centers provide services to civilians, not only to military or conscripted personnel. Ultimately, attacks on TCCs do not differ from indiscriminate shelling of civilian infrastructure.”
Strike on Kramatorsk
The Russian army is actively using guided aerial bombs in frontline territories. On the afternoon of July 31, 2025, the Russian army dropped an aerial bomb on a five-story building in the center of Kramatorsk. The Head of the Donetsk Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin, reported this from the scene. At least four people died, and thirteen more were injured.
Russia spread a fake about the strike, trying to shift responsibility and turn people against the Ukrainian military.
Citing local residents and Telegram channels, but concealing the real source of information, Russians claimed that the AFU had once again set up an ammunition depot right in a residential building—on the first floor, in the premises of a former store. Allegedly, a powerful explosion resulted, completely destroying the building. “No strikes were carried out on the building,”— reports the propagandist Telegram channel “Drugaia Ukraina.”
The aftermath of the strike on the building in the center of Kramatorsk was documented by photojournalist Yan Dobronosov of the online publication “Telegraf.” He visited the city on August 3, 2025.
“These are not frames from a movie. Unfortunately, this is the center of Kramatorsk. On July 31, when there was a massive attack on Kyiv, Kramatorsk was also shelled by the enemy. In general, shelling here is now every day and night, everything is getting more intense,” — Yan wrote on his Facebook page.
In a comment to the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, the photojournalist said that he clearly saw the consequences of the enemy shelling and can confidently state that it was a powerful strike.
“I am not a military person to say whether it was a drone, a missile, or a bomb, but I have enough experience to say that it was enemy shelling. This is the very center of the city, an ordinary residential building where only civilians lived,” — says Yan Dobronosov, adding, — “moreover, the location for the shoot was open.”
And already on July 8, 2025, Russian media and Telegram channels began spreading false information about an alleged diversion being prepared by the SBU in Kramatorsk.
Propagandist Yulia Vityazeva claimed in her Telegram channel that the warning about the probable diversion at the maternity hospital was posted due to a request from the facility's medics. Allegedly, the local authorities had plans to use part of the building for AFU needs. She preemptively justifies that if a strike occurs, it will be an SBU diversion: “At the same time, Ukraine will use the strike to accuse Russia of attacks on civilians and ask for money and air defense.”
The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD )warns that such informational releases may indicate Russia's intentions to commit further war crimes on the territory of Ukraine. Analysts at the center say this tactic of “informational alibi” has long been used by Russian propaganda to justify strikes on civilians.
It is worth noting that Russia is systematically pushing people out of Ukrainian cities and has a habit of tying shelling to negotiations and important international meetings.
While Ukrainian military personnel heroically defend every piece of Ukrainian land, world leaders make loud statements about the war in Ukraine every day. There are many statements, but the most important thing is missing—a just peace for Ukrainians. As the international news agency Bloomberg writes, the truce agreement being discussed by the US and Russia will solidify Russia's gains, meaning it will give Russia the victory that its army failed to achieve militarily since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Photographer Serhii Korovainyi, a member of the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers, expressed his opinion on his Facebook page beneath a series of photos from the Donetsk region regarding the discussion of the region's future fate:
“This is the Donetsk region. As of summer 2025, Ukraine controls approximately a third of its territory. But this is not just a line on a map. For many, this is home. People bake bread here in the morning. Children grow up. Dogs snuggle up to their owners. Fruits and vegetables ripen in gardens. On warm evenings, teenagers play fierce football battles. People swim in sun-warmed lakes. Some cities, like Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka, have almost lost all signs of life. The Russian army has approached too closely. But they still remain under the control of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, and Ukraine is losing its best people in these defensive operations. Other cities, like Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, live a life that seems almost peaceful. There are rumors that US President Donald Trump may negotiate with Putin to withdraw Ukrainian troops from the part of the Donetsk region controlled by Ukraine. This must never happen. The Donetsk region is not for sale or exchange. The Donetsk region is Ukraine.”
The British newspaper The Guardian in an editorial debunks the myth of Putin as a strong leader that has become well-established in the West. The publication suggests that Putin cannot end the war because he has a paranoid dependence on war: “It seems that behind Mr Putin’s resolve to continue a brutal war of attrition there is no brilliant plan at all.” He does this out of inertia and paranoia. [...] History will surely remember Mr Putin's behavior in Ukraine as the act of a delusional killer. The myth of the Russian president as a genius is just another propaganda tool. Its function is to project strength where there is weakness and make victory seem inevitable at a time when the facts of the war describe a series of Kremlin failures.”
Contributors:
Researcher, author: Yana Yevmenova
Image editor: Olga Kovalova
Literary editor: Yulia Futey
Website manager: Vladislav Kukhar
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