Russia to use Hamas attack to distract from Ukraine war
The Kremlin is likely to use the recent attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas against Israel to promote narratives aimed at reducing US and Western support for Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
According to ISW, the Kremlin has amplified a number of information operations in the wake of the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, primarily blaming the West for neglecting conflicts in the Middle East in favour of supporting Ukraine.
Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said that the United States and its allies should have been more concerned about the Palestinian-Israeli situation than to "intervene" to provide military assistance to Ukraine.
Prominent Russian propagandist Sergei Mardan said directly that Russia would benefit from the escalation, as the world "will divert its attention from Ukraine for a while," the ISW report said.
These Kremlin narratives are aimed at demoralising Ukrainian society, trying to convince them that Ukraine will lose international support.
The report also notes that multiple key sources in the Russian news space are reporting on the situation in Israel, which could impact the information environment regarding the war in Ukraine.
The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched the largest attack on Israel on Saturday, with rocket strikes, assassinations, and hostage taking. Israel in turn launched a wave of retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Russian military has carried out new attacks on the Kherson region, wounding 11 people, including a child, Ukrainskaia Pravda reports. The source also notes that houses, cars, and natural gas distribution networks have been destroyed. destroyed house in Kherson regionOpens in a new window
According to the Ukrainian army, the situation in the south of the country remains constantly tense. The Russian Federation continues to attack peaceful settlements on the right bank of the Kherson region.
In the past 24 hours, the Russians have carried out 55 artillery strikes using over 290 shells.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
