Russia Exploits Students in Occupied Territories for Military Propaganda, CCD Reports

Russian authorities are using student “humanitarian missions” as a propaganda tool in occupied Ukrainian territories, according to a recent report from Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD).

The CCD, which operates under Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, revealed that students from Crimean Federal University were transported to Russian-occupied areas of the Donetsk region under the guise of providing humanitarian assistance. However, officials claim these trips serve a darker purpose within Russia’s information warfare strategy.

According to Ukrainian officials, the student visits were organized by the “People’s Front” movement, a political organization founded by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The CCD states this organization regularly coordinates with Russia’s military and propaganda apparatus to advance Kremlin narratives in occupied territories.

Security experts point to a calculated strategy behind involving young people in these activities. “The key goal of such tours is to morally involve students in the war,” the CCD report explains. By creating emotional connections between Russian students and occupied regions, authorities aim to normalize the occupation and frame Russia’s invasion as a humanitarian intervention rather than an act of aggression.

This approach serves multiple propaganda objectives. First, it creates seemingly authentic content showing young Russians “helping” in occupied areas, which can be distributed through state media channels. Second, it indoctrinates participating students themselves, potentially turning them into advocates for the occupation when they return to their universities.

The CCD warns that Russian propaganda uses these student activities to construct a narrative of Russia as a “savior” to populations in occupied territories. This framing attempts to justify the ongoing invasion while simultaneously building support for the war among Russia’s youth population—a demographic where enthusiasm for the conflict has sometimes wavered.

This is not the first instance of Russia using civilian institutions to advance military objectives in Ukraine. The CCD previously reported that Russian authorities have been recruiting orphans from state institutions into military service, raising serious concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable populations.

The weaponization of “humanitarian” activities represents a significant challenge for Ukrainian authorities and international organizations monitoring the conflict. By blurring the lines between legitimate humanitarian work and propaganda operations, Russia creates confusion that makes it difficult for outside observers to distinguish between genuine aid efforts and information warfare.

International humanitarian organizations have consistently raised concerns about the militarization of aid in conflict zones. True humanitarian assistance must adhere to principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence—standards that politically motivated missions orchestrated by state actors typically fail to meet.

The situation in occupied Ukrainian territories remains precarious for civilians caught in the conflict. Access for independent humanitarian organizations, journalists, and international observers is severely restricted, making it difficult to verify conditions on the ground or to ensure that genuine humanitarian needs are being addressed.

As the war continues, Ukrainian authorities urge international partners to remain vigilant about Russia’s efforts to leverage seemingly benign civilian activities for propaganda purposes. The CCD’s monitoring of these information operations forms part of Ukraine’s broader effort to counter Russian narratives about the invasion both domestically and internationally.