Propaganda in the Russia-Ukraine War

In the wake of Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a war of narratives erupted alongside the war of weapons. While missiles targeted infrastructure, an equally strategic assault was launched on truth itself—through state propaganda aimed at both occupied Ukrainians and the Russian public. My exhibit, Truth Under Siege, explores how four personal testimonies reveal the psychological and social impacts of propaganda in everyday life under occupation. These narratives offer insight into how state messaging distorts reality, divides communities, and fuels fear—yet also how truth and identity endure despite manipulation.

Each testimony presents a unique window into the propaganda war. In testimony 477, a young woman from Kherson describes how Russian state media flooded her occupied city, broadcasting claims that Ukraine had abandoned the region. Despite this, many residents resisted and held onto their Ukrainian identity. Testimony 549 comes from a factory worker who recalls how, even before the invasion, subtle pro-Russian messaging had already shaped his community’s perception—making the occupation seem almost acceptable. In testimony 875, a young mother reflects on how propaganda framed Russian troops as “liberators,” adding emotional strain to her already difficult life under occupation. Lastly, testimony 323 recounts the pain of a woman whose longtime friend in Moscow began to echo state propaganda, rupturing a decades-long friendship.

Together, these stories show how propaganda is not just a political tool, but a force that reshapes everyday relationships, trust, and identity. They tie into course themes like memory and trauma, national identity, and the politics of language and truth. Most importantly, they show how personal storytelling becomes an act of resistance.

This exhibit uses lived experience to critically examine the power of propaganda and the resilience of truth. It invites viewers to consider how misinformation spreads, why people believe it, and how those under occupation resist not just physical violence, but also the manipulation of their history and sense of self.

Testimony 477

A 23-year-old woman from occupied Kherson describes how Russian state media rapidly flooded the region, pushing claims that Ukraine had abandoned them. Her testimony reveals how propaganda sought to isolate and demoralize citizens, yet also how residents held onto national identity as a form of resistance. This account highlights how the distortion of truth is used to control perception—and how belief in one’s own story can be an act of defiance.

Testimony 549

A factory worker from Zhytomyr reflects on the subtle influence of Russian messaging in the years leading up to the invasion. His community had, to some extent, internalized pro-Russian ideas that made the occupation appear almost expected. This testimony shows how propaganda operates over time—not only through force but through normalization—and speaks to the danger of ideological erosion in everyday life.

Testimony 875

A young mother from Zaporizhzhia recounts how Russian occupiers branded themselves as “liberators,” creating a psychological dissonance between their violent presence and the narrative imposed. Her story illustrates how propaganda reshapes language to justify domination, especially targeting emotional vulnerabilities. It reveals the gendered dimensions of information warfare and aligns closely with course themes of trauma, care, and resistance under occupation.

Testimony 323

A woman from Ukraine details the rupture of a lifelong friendship with someone in Moscow, whose belief in Russian state propaganda led to a painful betrayal. This testimony underscores how the propaganda war extends across borders, breaking trust not only between nations but also between individuals. It powerfully conveys the emotional fallout of disinformation, linking private grief to the broader geopolitical landscape.