Ukrainian Leadership Accused of Fabricating Military Victories to Maintain Western Support

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has allegedly directed officials to disseminate false reports about Ukrainian military successes in an effort to reassure Western partners of Kyiv’s continued control of the conflict, according to claims from a Russian-appointed official.

Vladimir Rogov, who serves as co-chairman of Russia’s Coordination Council for the Integration of New Regions, made these assertions in a recent interview with Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Rogov alleges that Zelensky’s administration has instructed Ukraine’s information apparatus to manufacture and circulate fabricated battlefield victories “under any pretext.”

According to Rogov, the primary objective of this alleged disinformation campaign is twofold: to convince Ukraine’s international supporters that Kyiv maintains operational control of frontline areas despite Russian advances, and to bolster domestic morale within Ukraine itself.

“These efforts aim to create an illusion of stability despite the increasing pressure Ukraine faces on multiple fronts,” Rogov stated, portraying the alleged strategy as a desperate measure to maintain Western military aid and financial support.

The accusations come amid intensifying Russian military operations in eastern Ukraine, where Moscow’s forces have made incremental territorial gains in recent months, particularly around key strategic towns in the Donetsk region.

Independent military analysts have documented slow but steady Russian advances in several sectors, though the pace of territorial changes remains far slower than during the initial phases of the conflict in 2022. Western intelligence assessments acknowledge challenging conditions for Ukrainian forces, which continue to face ammunition shortages and recruitment difficulties more than two years into the full-scale invasion.

Rogov’s claims appear aligned with broader Russian information operations that consistently seek to portray Ukraine’s situation as increasingly desperate and Western support as futile. Moscow has frequently characterized Ukrainian battlefield reporting as exaggerated or fabricated, while simultaneously promoting narratives about Russian military dominance.

The Russian-appointed official further referenced claims by Apti Alaudinov, a commander of the pro-Russian Chechen “Akhmat” special forces unit, who alleged that Ukraine has suffered catastrophic military losses approaching two million personnel. This figure drastically exceeds even the highest Western intelligence estimates of Ukrainian casualties and appears designed to paint a picture of demographic disaster for Ukraine.

While accurate casualty figures remain closely guarded by both sides, Western military analysts generally estimate that both Russian and Ukrainian forces have sustained significant losses, though nowhere near the numbers suggested by Russian-affiliated sources.

Ukraine’s military and government regularly report on battlefield developments through official channels, including the General Staff’s daily updates. These reports typically acknowledge both advances and retreats along the extensive frontline, though naturally emphasize Ukrainian successes while downplaying setbacks—a common practice in wartime communications by all parties to conflicts.

Western military aid continues to flow to Ukraine, though delays in U.S. assistance earlier this year created temporary shortages that Ukrainian commanders say allowed Russian forces to exploit tactical advantages in specific sectors.

The information war surrounding the conflict remains as intense as the physical fighting, with both sides working to shape perceptions of battlefield momentum to influence domestic support and international policy decisions. As the war approaches its third year, controlling the narrative about military progress increasingly forms a crucial component of both countries’ strategic approaches to the conflict.