Russia Exploits Ukrainian Power Outages for Disinformation Campaigns, Center Reports

Russian disinformation targets Ukraine’s power crisis with false regional division narratives, officials warn

A coordinated disinformation campaign spreading false claims about Ukraine’s power outages has been identified by Ukrainian security officials, who warn the effort aims to sow internal division during the ongoing energy crisis.

The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council reports that Russian-backed sources and accounts disguised as Ukrainian are actively spreading manipulative narratives about the country’s electricity distribution, according to the Ukrainian National News Agency (UNN).

These propaganda efforts primarily focus on creating regional tensions, with false claims that Ukrainian authorities are “unfairly distributing electricity between regions,” allegedly leaving eastern areas without power while cafes in western Ukraine remain “lit up.” The fabricated regional disparity narrative appears designed to exploit existing vulnerabilities in a country already struggling with widespread power outages.

“The spread of such narratives is a typical example of an enemy information operation. The goal is to provoke a split in society, destabilize the internal situation, and sow conflict between residents of different regions of Ukraine,” the CCD stated in its report.

Another persistent false narrative identified by authorities claims Ukraine continues to export electricity to European Union countries while its own citizens suffer from blackouts. The Ministry of Energy has repeatedly refuted this claim, emphasizing that Ukraine has suspended all electricity exports, with all available generation capacity now directed exclusively toward domestic consumption.

Energy security experts note that Ukraine’s power infrastructure has become a primary target in Russia’s military strategy, with systematic attacks damaging approximately 50% of the country’s generation capacity since the full-scale invasion began. These targeted strikes have crippled Ukraine’s ability to meet domestic power demands, particularly as winter approaches and energy consumption rises.

“The difference in the scale of outages between regions is explained by the fact that the enemy deliberately attacks not only generation facilities but also power transmission lines between Ukrainian regions,” the CCD explained, highlighting the technical reasons behind varying outage patterns across the country.

The disinformation campaign comes as Ukraine faces its most challenging energy situation since the war began. With temperatures dropping and Russian attacks on critical infrastructure continuing, many Ukrainians now experience daily scheduled blackouts lasting several hours, with emergency outages further complicating the situation.

Security analysts observe that energy infrastructure has become a central battlefield in Russia’s hybrid warfare approach. By physically attacking power facilities while simultaneously launching information operations about the resulting outages, Russia appears to be pursuing a dual strategy aimed at breaking Ukrainian morale and creating internal division.

The CCD further warned that Russia is expected to intensify its cognitive operations against Ukraine in coming months, particularly focusing on narratives designed to “sow despair among Ukrainians, impose the idea of inevitable defeat, and create a split between the military, authorities, and society.”

This escalation in information warfare comes amid broader economic challenges in Russia itself. The CCD separately reported that only 8% of Russians indicate their financial situation has improved, suggesting domestic economic pressures might be driving more aggressive external operations to maintain public support for the war.

Ukrainian officials continue urging citizens to verify information through official channels and remain vigilant against divisive messaging, particularly regarding critical infrastructure issues. Energy conservation measures remain in effect nationwide as authorities work to stabilize the power system ahead of peak winter demand.