UKRAINE: THE SITUATION 235 - OCTOBER 12, 2022

Russia has apparently intensified its information operations to falsely portray Ukraine as a terrorist state in order to create information conditions that counter efforts to label Russia as a terrorist state.

Several Russian sources made unconfirmed claims that on October 12, officials of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) detained Ukrainian citizens alleging that they were planning "terrorist attacks" in the Sverdlovsk, Moscow, and Bryansk oblasts. Russian military bloggers intensified rhetoric accusing Ukraine of being a terrorist state in this context and called on Russian authorities to improve procedures for "counterespionage" and officially designate Ukraine as a terrorist state. Claims of preparations for alleged subversive Ukrainian activities in Russia align with a broader attempt to create conditions to respond to Ukrainian efforts to officially label Russia as a terrorist state, especially following the recent massive attacks on critical Ukrainian infrastructure and residential areas. The Russian information space may also create conditions to justify further massive attacks on Ukrainian rear areas; although these tactics, as ISW has previously noted, are part of Russian warfare and are likely to be applied independently of information conditions. Russian authorities may also be creating conditions for false flag attacks against Russia, which will be attributed as acts of terrorism carried out by Ukraine.

The full Russian Offensive Update 235 is available directly from UNDERSTANDING WAR.

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