Russian media have received a clearly structured instruction from the administration of President Vladimir Putin regarding the coverage of the upcoming negotiations in Istanbul, which will take place on May 15-16
This manual, disclosed by sources linked to the Russian authorities, provides insight into how official propaganda should formulate information policy around the negotiation process and which messages should be emphasized. According to the document, special attention in Russian media is recommended to be given to the fact that, in addition to other high-ranking officials, the delegation will include Presidential Assistant Vladimir Medinsky. This is explained by the fact that he led the delegation during previous negotiations in Istanbul in 2022, and therefore his participation in the new format is a completely logical and consistent continuation of previous efforts. As a result, propagandists are advised to emphasize that his presence is a natural development of events and is driven by the need to maintain stability in the negotiation process. Another key point that Russian media are instructed to convey is that the formation of the Russian delegation took place without any pressure from Western leaders or the Ukrainian authorities. The documents specifically highlight that the decision to delegate this particular team for negotiations was not influenced by the words of U.S. President Donald Trump or official statements from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. It is important to note that the manual disregards any possible developments during future negotiations and provides no specific recommendations on how to frame their results. Instead, the authors of the instructions suggest further promoting the idea that current negotiations are occurring under much more difficult conditions for Ukraine than three years ago. The document does not specify how the situation has changed or in what ways Kyiv’s negotiation positions have worsened; instead, it emphasizes that Ukrainian society should perceive these negotiations as crisis-ridden and tense. This, according to the plan, is meant to strengthen Russians’ negative perception of potential outcomes. Another important recommendation pertains to audience work: the Russian propaganda manual suggests preparing Russians for the possible failure of negotiations or their negative scenario. To do this, it recommends spreading the message that Russia is actively working on a new package of sanctions, which, supposedly, should not harm its economy or internal development. In this context, it is emphasized that the new restrictions will not have a serious impact on the country’s stability and that Russia is successfully coping with any challenges. The document also states that the existing sanctions, including restrictions on energy resource exports, do not damage the country’s “energy complex,” which, according to propagandists, continues to operate and develop stably. It is claimed that Moscow is working diligently to reduce any negative impacts of sanctions on domestic industries and to achieve independence in key sectors of the economy. According to official information from the Kremlin, the Russian delegation for the upcoming negotiations will include high-ranking officials such as Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Галузін, Chief of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Igor Kostyukov, and Deputy Defense Minister General Alexander Fomin. These figures are tasked with representing Russia at the Istanbul negotiations, focusing on achieving the goals set by the Kremlin. Overall, this instruction received by Russian media demonstrates a systematic approach by the Kremlin to the information warfare surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It shows that the official propaganda has a clear scenario: to de-emphasize the significance of the negotiations, present them in the most negative light, and also create a positive picture of the country’s economic state and its ability to withstand sanctions and external pressure. This approach is part of a broader information strategy aimed at shaping the ideological and psychological atmosphere within society, seeking to generate maximum disappointment and uncertainty about the prospects of future negotiations.