Ukraine’s Historic Propaganda War

Putin, like others before him, is losing this important part of the war.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky holds a press conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, February 24, 2022.

Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Propaganda is a major front in any modern war. Spin, narrative, framing — call it what you will, if “propaganda” carries too negative a connotation. The word itself originally derived from the Vatican office for propagation of the faith, but has been applied to political information since the First World War.

Even when deployed in the most just and pure causes, wartime propaganda is inevitably emotionally manipulative, oversimplified, and frequently misleading. It is also essential to the success of a just cause — not only in rallying a nation to fight but also when the combatants are appealing to outsiders for help.

Dan McLaughlin

About the Author

Dan McLaughlin

Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute.

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