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At the end of 2018, the Atlantic Council, the Transatlantic Commission on Election Integrity, and the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in partnership with StopFake and the Razumkov Center established the Ukrainian Election Task Force. The Task Force launched an online dashboard ukraineelects.org providing a real-time index of efforts to interfere in Ukraine’s democratic process. In January 2019, NGO Detector Media joined the Task Force in order to weekly monitor the top-rated Russian political talk shows and their coverage of Ukraine and the Presidential elections. Here you can find the results of the first month of monitoring published on the project’s website.

This is a regular weekly report by Detector Media, a partner of the Ukrainian Election Task Force, offering exclusive content covering the three main Russian state TV talk shows, particularly these shows’ coverage of Ukraine and the Presidential elections. Kremlin-backed media outlets often generate disinformation narratives that are then spread throughout Ukraine as well as Western Europe and the United States. We have identified these TV shows as the main amplifiers of the key disinformation narratives that the Kremlin’s propaganda machine seeks to circulate in the public domain. The messages spread in these shows are further multiplied by the wide network of hundreds and thousands of print, TV, radio and online outlets, as well as via the social media, which target consumers of the Russian-language information ecosystem, including Ukrainians. Indeed, the audience is not limited to within Russia’s borders but also extends to Ukraine itself.

According to the research of Detector Media, 5 percent of Ukrainians receive information about the events in Ukraine and the world from Russian TV channels. In the absolute figures there are about 1.4 million of Ukrainian citizens. 67 percent of those who receive information from Russian TV channels inhabit Southern and Eastern Ukraine.

Programs included in the monitoring: Time Will Tell (Channel One), Evening with Vladimir Solovyov (Russia 1), News of the Week with Dmitry Kiselev (Russia 1)

Monitoring period: January 14 - February 10

Number of programs partially devoted to Ukraine (share in the total number): 49/82 

January 14-20

Russian TV’s main topics of the week related to Ukraine included the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the upcoming presidential elections in Ukraine, and the relations between Ukraine and Russia. Different TV shows on different channels systematically used identical narratives for each of these topics. Below is a table outlining the most popular messages of Russian propaganda:

TV shows this week harshly criticized the European Union (EU) and United States for their relations with Ukraine. On Evening with Vladimir Solovyov, the commentators compared Ukraine to a woman who brought a “negro” home to her other sisters (Belarus and Russia). Critics on the show accused the West of exerting influence over the elections, escalating the military conflict in the east of Ukraine, prompting the events of the Revolution of Dignity in 2014, and even of having a hand in the Ukrainian church’s push for independence. On Time Will Show, a commentator attempted to discredit Europe by stating that the EU’s ill-gotten gains are a direct result of colonization and slavery, unlike the “legitimately acquired” wealth of the USSR. This commentator neglected to include that slavery (in the form of serfdom) existed in Russia until 1861. Moreover, the political status of the USSR republics approximated that of the European colonies, and the USSR policy of “dekulakization”–confiscation of “wealthy” villagers’ property and mass repressions that led to widespread hunger and genocide–illustrates the nature of the economic methods used by the USSR to accrue wealth. A commentator on Evening with Vladimir Solovyov even brazenly denied that the Ukrainian Holodomor happened.

When discussing the upcoming Ukrainian presidential election, Russian TV shows consistently avoided endorsing specific candidates. Instead, these programs painted the nomination and electoral support of the comedian Volodymyr Zelenskyi as evidence of the negative attitude Ukrainians feel toward the current government, mentioned that Yulia Tymoshenko was among the leaders in the ratings, and widely criticized President Petro Poroshenko, accusing him of planning to falsify the upcoming elections. They also stated that there has never been a fair vote in Ukraine, and that the election in 2019 should not be recognized. One must recall that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights election observation mission deemed the Ukrainian election fair in both 2010 and in 2014.

This week, half of the TV shows accused Ukraine, as well as Constantinople, of heresy, satanism, and of splitting the Orthodox world. In addition, guests and presenters told viewers that the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine is fully controlled by Constantinople. Evening with Vladimir Solovyov even used the historical analogy of the “Ottoman yoke.” In reality, Constantinople merely limits the creation of Ukrainian parishes abroad and obliges the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to take part in inter-Orthodox meetings.

Against the backdrop of these and other problems, which are allegedly acute in Ukraine, as well as the purportedly anti-Russian position of the government, Russian television this week promoted the idea that Russia should stop “tolerating” Ukraine’s aggression and resolve the issue radically: “Strangle today’s Ukraine economically. Eliminate it as a state.”

Commentators declared, “We [Russians] must help them [Ukrainians] morally. And if there will be a need for the final stage, then this should be done by military means. If we do not overthrow it, this will be a threat to our national security.” Furthermore, commentators claim, “This is our people, and we must liberate it [Ukraine] using all the possible methods.” In reality, such a radical, force-based approach merely brought about fear and repression in Crimea.

January 21-27

Russian TV’s trending topics of the week relating to Ukraine include the nomination of presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko, the transit of Russian natural gas through Ukraine, and the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The speakers drew parallels between the events in Venezuela and the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Additionally, Russian propagandists discussed Ukraine’s history and ideology in the context of Ukraine’s Unity Day as well as President Poroshenko’s visit to Israel.

Below is a table outlining the most popular messages of Russian propaganda and highlights the number of monitored programs that repeated these messages:

This week, Russian TV shows repeated typical pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the alleged spread of Nazism and anti-Semitism in Ukraine. One commentator on Evening with Vladimir Solovyov even went so far as to claim that such ideologies are the basis of the Ukrainian state. Despite these claims, the Pew Research Center opinion poll on social and religious tolerance in the region reports that Ukraine actually ranks as the most tolerant country in Central and Eastern Europe, with 5 percent of adults saying that they “would not be willing to accept Jews as citizens of their country.” Moreover, Ukrainian law prohibits “Communist and Nazi propaganda.”

The shows also attempt to depict Ukraine and Russia as bonded siblings and reinforce a stereotype about the unbreakable cultural relations between Ukraine and Russia. For example, a commentator on Time Will Show asserted that most of Ukraine communicates in Russian. In fact,  68 percent of residents  consider Ukrainian as their mother tongue. The presenters on Time Will Show also insisted that residents of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) did not consider themselves Ukrainians. In reality, more than 90 percent of them voted for an independent Ukrainian state in the 1991 referendum.

Many of the propagandists on Russian television this week also frequently accused Ukraine of being a country of traitors and liars. According to Evening with Vladimir Solovyov, Russia, in contrast to Ukraine, complies with its obligations. In fact, the Russian Federation’s annexation of Crimea alone violated 403 international treaties. Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine also debunks another popular myth that is often mentioned on Russian television shows: the northern neighbor “maintains” the Ukrainian economy. In reality, Russia’s actions in Crimea and The Donbas have cost Ukraine $100 billion. Since the beginning of the war, Ukrainian exports to Russia have decreased to 8 percent of the country’s total (against 42 percent to the EU). Propagandists on Time Will Show, when discussing the Nord Stream 2 project, also claimed that Russia “maintains” the Ukrainian economy with the transit of Russian gas. In truth, Ukraine earns about $3 billion a year on this transit, which is less than 3 percent of its nominal GDP.

Commentators on the shows also directly threatened the government in Kyiv. One commentator on Evening with Vladimir Solovyov stated, “We must, sooner or later, overthrow this regime with the hands of the Ukrainians themselves. If this does not work out, then the south, southeast of Ukraine should move away from the Galicia and join Russia. This is our primordial land.” Vladimir Solovyov himself said, “If you only move, you will get a sock on the jaw — Putin’s rating will rise up to the skies,” and “We will not give up the Russian land. Up to Poland […] Up to Odesa!” Adding to the hypocrisy, speakers on the same shows continue to claim that it is Ukraine that poses a threat to its supposedly besieged neighbor Russia.

January 28-February 3

The main topics of the week related to Ukraine covered in the Russian talk shows included the announcement of Petro Poroshenko’s reelection campaign, new sociological data about the pre-election period, and Ukrainian policy toward Russia and The Donbas. The speakers broadly discussed particular candidates. Commentators described the majority of Ukrainian politicians as stupid, deceitful, corrupt, and thirsty for war. Moreover, commentators attempted to discredit the election process itself as rigged and meaningless, since the winner will be either appointed or controlled by the United States.

Commentators on the Russian talk shows called for an increase in the Kremlin’s interference in Ukrainian matters. They actively urged the Kremlin to issue Russian passports to residents of The Donbas, to integrate The Donbas region into Russia, or even to install their own president in Ukraine, as the United States allegedly did in Venezuela.

As a justification for this call, the speakers referred to one public opinion poll, conducted by a little-known sociological company (Seetarget), according to which 59.2 percent of Ukrainians are ready to give up the occupied territories in exchange for peace. Pro-Kremlin outlets appear to be the only outlets sharing the results of Seetarget’s research, casting doubt on the organization’s credibility. Featured guests on the show who supposedly represented the Ukrainian point of view also offered to exchange Crimea for The Donbas: “You leave the The Donbas. We forget the question of Crimea, for a while.”

Reality, of course, differs from the narratives presented in these Russian talk shows. According to a survey by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, only 10 percent of Ukrainians are ready to accept the separation of the occupied territories for the sake of peace in eastern Ukraine. Only 16 percent are ready to exchange Crimea for The Donbas. Moreover, the Ukrainian authorities strongly oppose such scenarios.

The shows also portrayed Ukraine as a military danger to Russia. Commentators claimed that NATO wants to use Ukraine for itself and that the construction of a NATO military base is already underway in Ochakiv. In fact, an operational center is being created for the Sea Breeze exercises.

The hosts and guests of the shows also tried to discredit Ukraine at large. For example, a commentator declared that the American Orthodox Church did not recognize the independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. While this is true on the surface, commentators failed to mention the American Orthodox Church’s ties to Russia.

Commentators brazenly stated that Ukrainian candidates will look like “fifty idiots” during the presidential debates, and that they do not even know how to write. They claimed that Ukrainian citizens will in effect choose their own gravedigger during the presidential election.

One piece of semi-disinformation was also spread in the shows: allegedly, 10 million Ukrainians will die of starvation “one way or another.” Although the number is ten times smaller, unfortunately there are starving people in Ukraine—those who live in the eastern territories of the country attacked and under control by Russia.

February 4-10

 The main topics related to Ukraine covered this week on Russian television included the following: the enshrining of a pro-EU and pro-NATO policy in the Constitution of Ukraine, the opening of the investigation of politician Viktor Medvedchuk for treason against the state, and the banning of Russian observers from the Ukrainian presidential election. The talk shows discussed these topics almost simultaneously and promoted identical messages:

All of the shows’ participants portrayed the solidification of a pro-NATO and pro-EU policy in the Ukrainian Constitution as Ukraine’s effective surrender of The Donbas, stating that the people of the occupied territories will never want to return to a Western-oriented country. In fact, former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma declared back in 2002 that Ukraine desired to join NATO. Ukrainians in both the east and west lived together in such a NATO-oriented country for 12 years. The shows also promoted the idea that NATO caused a historical, cultural, and territorial split in Ukraine, using misleading sociological data: “46 percent are in favor of NATO… Almost 100 percent votes are in the Western Ukraine. And about 0 percent votes are in the Eastern Ukraine.” In reality, according to a survey conducted by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, if a referendum on Ukraine’s accession to NATO took place in the near future, 69 percent of survey participants indicated they would participate. Of those who would participate in such a referendum, 70 percent would vote to join NATO: 92 percent in the West and 25 percent in the East.

In addition, the programs actively insisted that the authorities in Kyiv attacked The Donbas, that there is a civil war in Ukraine, and that Ukrainians consider the residents of the occupied territories to be people of the third class and plan to “mop them up.” In actuality, Petro Poroshenko has ruled outthe return of The Donbas by force, 70 percent of Ukrainians consider the residents of the occupied territories to be hostages, and both Europe and the United States have recognized the situation in The Donbas as a result of Russian aggression against Ukraine—not civil war–by imposing sanctions against the Russian Federation.

Against this background, the commentators also claimed that Crimea joined Russia voluntarily and democratically, that residents of other Ukrainian regions “want to live as people live in Crimea,” and that cultural heritage is now preserved in Crimea, unlike in Ukraine. In contrast to these claims, the international community denounced the 2014 Crimean referendum as illegal and Russia’s actions as annexation. In addition, international consensus regarded the results of the referendum as having been falsified. According to News of the Week with Dmitry Kiselev, Russia’s presence on the peninsula has preserved the national culture of the Crimean Tatars. In reality, the UN General Assembly has called on Russia to stop violating human rights in Crimea, particularly those of the Tatars. 

The criticism of the Ukrainian presidential election, which the shows consistently seek to delegitimize, is worth addressing separately. According to the shows’ participants, Ukraine’s refusal to allow Russian observers to monitor the election is egregious because the Russians are supposedly “the only ones who are able to look at this campaign in an unbiased way.” Russian aggression against Ukraine aside, Russia’s own election history disqualifies its claim to be a reliable observer of free and fair elections.

In addition, the hosts and guests of the programs expressed outrage at the investigation of politician Viktor Medvedchuk. Kyiv recently open case against Medvechuk on charges of treason against the state in response to his calls to change the territorial structure of Ukraine. On the Russian shows, commentators opined that the politician, whose child’s godfather is the Russian president, was subjected to repression, targeted for assassination, and potentially used as leverage for the future release of Ukrainian sailors. At the same time, the commentators called Medvedchuk the “leader of the opposition.” In reality, there is no united opposition in Ukraine, and the candidate from Medvedchuk’s party is currently only fourth in presidential polls.

In line with precedent, Russian television denigrated Ukraine, calling the country “TFU (Territory of the Former Ukraine)” and comparing the Ukrainian Constitution to toilet paper. Against the background of Ukraine officiating its pro-NATO policy, the shows’ participants issued new threats in relation to the deployment of missiles in Ukraine: “Strike this territory.…Eliminate everything there that can be associated with hostility against Russia.”