The Kremlin has created an internal communication ecosystem to respond to major societal shocks, according to the most recent report from NATO’s Center for Strategic Communication. The research shows that the first 18 hours are critical for the Russian administration, and the most recent manipulation plan was implemented between January 2024 and March 2025.
Specialists have analyzed approximately 3.3 million media materials, including Russian governmental websites, television channels, and Telegram posts. The information was supplemented with about 1.25 million foreign sources, from 22 countries.
During unexpected events, Russian propaganda uses a model consisting of three stages: initial confusion and narrative testing, followed by consolidation and, finally, a broad moral or civilizational struggle.
The report identifies the first 18 hours as a critical period, with particular vulnerability, before the entire system aligns with the dominant narratives.
Propaganda clearly defines roles. According to research, state websites provide institutional authority, television – emotional framing, and Telegram channels – speed, experimentation, segmentation, and amplification.
The research also indicates that peace discourse usually serves the management of internal legitimacy, but does not necessarily signal a change in negotiation intentions. People are sensitized through stories of heroism, sacrifice, and the Second World War is used to present current military actions as a continuation of an existing existential historical struggle.
