Russia is stepping up disinformation campaign against Zelensky, US intelligence shows (2024)

Russia has stepped up its disinformation efforts to discredit Ukraine’sPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyand raise questions about his legitimacyin recent months,US intelligence agencies have observed.

A recently downgraded intelligenceassessmentshared with CNNsaysthat Russia has seized on various recent events to fuel criticism about Zelensky’s abilities and place as Ukraine’s leader, a senior Biden administration officialsaidin an interview.

Russia hasspreaddisinformationabout Zelensky since before the war started but recent intelligence shows“it’s definitely increasing,” the official said.

Russia hashighlightedtwo main areas in this recent disinformation push, the intelligenceindicates: Ukraine’spainful withdrawalfrom the eastern city of Avdiivka and the fact that Ukraine postponed itspresidential electionscheduled for this Spring due to the war.

Wider impacts: TheUS ismoreconcerned about the impactof the disinformationon countries abroadthan on Ukrainians’ confidence in Zelensky,the official said.

“That’s why we’re briefing our allies and partners about this,” the official said. “We want to make sure that this type of Russian disinformation doesn’t take hold and other countries that might not realize,‘Oh, of course, they can’t hold elections because they’re in a state of martial law as a consequence of Russia’s war.’”

Dive deeper into Russia's disinformation campaign and what it could mean.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his trip to Kyiv on Wednesday, where he reaffirmed the Biden administration's support for Ukraine as Russia's advances continue in the Kharkiv region of the country.

Earlier Wednesday, Blinken announced $2 billion in foreign military financing for Ukraine and said much-needed ammunition and weapons are being rushed to the front lines. The US State Department acknowledged that the $2 billion in foreign military financing is coming primarily from the recently passed Ukraine Security supplemental and $400 million of it is coming from existing Foreign Military Financing (FMF) that had not previously been allocated to Ukraine.

Blinken also said that the US remains "committed" to helping Ukraine win the war against Russia, but it is not encouraging strikes on Russian territory.Blinken added that Washington strongly supports a Ukrainian peace summit set to take place next month in Switzerland.

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Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US remains "committed" to helping Ukraine win the war against Russia, but it is not encouraging strikes on Russian territory.

Blinken also announced that the US will provide an additional $2 billion in foreign military financing for Ukraine, adding "we put this together in a first-of-its-kind defense enterprise fund."

The fund will have three components, Blinken said, including:

"Of course, everyone's eyes are focused on the situation in the east and northeast, Kharkiv in particular. And so the newest support that I just announced, but particularly the $60 billion supplemental, we know is coming at a critical time," Blinken said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called a shooting attack on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico "appalling."

Fico was shot multiple times, according to a statement on his official Facebook page, adding he is currently in a life-threatening condition.

"We sincerely hope Robert Fico recovers soon and express our solidarity with the people of Slovakia," Zelensky continued.

For context: Fico won a third term as Slovakian prime minister last October after running a campaign that criticized Western support for Ukraine. Ahead of the election, Fico made no secret of his sympathies toward the Kremlin and blamed “Ukrainian Nazis and fascists” for provoking Vladimir Putin into launching the invasion, repeating the false narrative Russia’s president has used to justify his invasion.

Fico, who began his fourth term last October, has shiftedSlovakia’s foreign policy toward pro-Russian positions and initiated reforms in criminal law and media regulations, raising concerns about the erosion of the rule of law.

Fico also had pledged an immediate end to Slovak military support for Ukraine and promised to block Ukraine’s NATO ambitions in what would upend Slovakia’s staunch backing for Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials suggested further gains by Russian forces on Wednesday in the Kharkiv region, as Moscow continues its push into northeastern Ukraine.

The town of Vovchansk, located about 60 kilometers (or about 37 miles) northeast of Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv, is seeing some of the most intense battles in areas near the border, with one police official saying Russian forces are already in the town.

Gen. Serhii "Marcel" Melnyk, the commander of the Kharkiv city defense forces, also suggested there have been changes in Ukrainian positions in Vovchansk and a possible tactical withdrawal.

At least 24 people, including four children, were injured as a result of Russian shelling in various parts of the Kharkiv region on Wednesday, Melnyk said.

The Ukrainian monitoring groupDeepStateMap indicated on Wednesday that Russian forces have reached northeastern parts of Vovchanskas they continue to push further south into Ukrainian territory. Russian forces have taken control of more than nine villages near the border in recent days.

Mandatory evacuations continue from all northern border settlements, according to Roman sem*nukha, deputy head of Kharkiv Regional Military Administration. Nearly 8,000 people have been evacuated from these areas since May 10, when Russia launched its push.

At least 1,993 children in Ukraine have been killed or wounded since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to the UN's children's agency (UNICEF), reiterating calls for a ceasefire.

On average, at least two children lose their lives in Ukraine every day, UNICEF reported on Tuesday.

Mental health impact: The war in Ukraine has "harmfully affected" the mental health and wellbeing of children, UNICEF said, adding that half of teenagers report trouble sleeping. At least one in five suffer intrusive thoughts and flashbacks.

Loss of education: Almost half of children enrolled in school in Ukraine have been robbed of in-person education, according to the report. Nearly one million children across the country cannot access any in-person learning "due to insecurity," UNICEF added.

Earlier this year, CNN reported on Ukrainian children attending newly built bunker schools in the northern city of Kharkiv, as daily Russian strikes rained down overhead.

US Secretary of State AntonyBlinkenannounced Wednesday the provision of additional $2 billion in foreign military financing for Ukraine and said much-needed weapons and ammunition are being rushed to the front lines.

"We are rushing ammunition, armored vehicles, missiles, air defenses. Rushing them to get to the front lines to protect soldiers, to protect civilians,"Blinkensaid, pointing out that air defenses are "a top priority."

Blinkenalso said Washington strongly supports a Ukrainian peace summit set to take place next month in Switzerland.

This post has been updated with the latest comments from Blinken.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken convened with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in Kyiv on Wednesday, as part of his surprise trip to the Ukrainian capital.

The senior White House official told the delegation more support for Ukraine is "literally on its way."

Kuleba thankedBlinken for the latest aid package from the US, worth nearly $61 billion, and for focusing on "tangible results" in the face of Russia's invasion. Support from Washington, as well as Blinken's presence "sends a message to the people of Ukraine," Kuleba added.

Blinken agreed that sending weapons to the country was more valuable, adding “support in concrete terms is very much on the way.”

“The people on the frontlines, they need that support and they will get it," he added.

The US is committed to working together to build “a strong successful thriving Ukraine,”Blinken said, adding that reaffirming ties with Kyiv would be the strongest “rebuke to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will halt all international events scheduled for the coming days, his office announced on Wednesday, as Russian troops push into the northeastern Kharkiv region.

It came days after Ukraine’s top military general warned fighting had "significantly worsened" in Kharkiv, as Russia claimed to have captured four further villages as it expanded its surprise cross-border offensive.

In the spotlight: More than two years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Zelensky has fought to keep attention on Kyiv's military efforts to deter advances from Moscow by strengthening ties with allies. Most recently, he thanked US lawmakers after they voted in favor of a new aid package worth nearly $61 billion. At the same time, European leaders approved a plan for regular payments to Ukraine as part of a $54 billion package.