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Russia Ramps Up Disinformation Efforts to Undermine Ceasefire Talks, ISW Reports
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![Lucile Brizard]( "Lucile Brizard")
The Kremlin attempted to undermine ongoing ceasefire negotiations by spreading disinformation and misrepresenting the terms of a proposed agreement, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on March 21.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense claimed that Ukrainian forces destroyed the Sudzha gas distribution station in Kursk Oblast overnight on March 20 to discredit Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s “peace initiatives” and provoke Russia.
Ukraine’s General Staff denied the accusation, stating that Russian shelling caused the fire. ISW noted it could not independently verify the cause.
Russian officials used the incident to falsely accuse Ukraine of violating a proposed 30-day ceasefire, which would prohibit strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure.
The Kremlin has consistently pushed narratives to deflect from its own actions, including its war crimes in Ukraine and the militarization of the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
A Russian drone strike on Chornobyl’s Reactor No. 4 on February 14 further raised concerns. These narratives may be used to undermine U.-Ukraine talks on energy infrastructure, particularly regarding the Russian-occupied ZNPP.
The ceasefire has not yet taken effect, and its terms remain under negotiation. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian forces are already “implementing” Putin’s order to refrain from targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure, but Russian strikes on Ukrainian port facilities in Odesa Oblast have continued in recent days.
Russian state media and officials have seized on this and similar narratives to portray Ukraine as the aggressor and to justify prolonging the war.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova questioned how the United States would “manage” Ukraine following what Russia described as a ceasefire violation — despite no agreement being finalized.
The Kremlin has also revived claims that Ukraine is targeting Russian nuclear power plants and committing war crimes, aiming to discredit Ukraine and erode Western support.
On March 21, Russia’s Investigative Committee released a report accusing Ukrainian forces of strikes against the Kursk nuclear power plant and Russian civilians. ISW previously assessed that Russia is likely using these narratives to disrupt or delay ceasefire negotiations.
Earlier, an agent from the Atesh movement reportedly documented systematic pressure on civilians at the conscription office on 24 Sizov Avenue. The pressure was particularly harsh on individuals of non-Russian ethnicities, including Dagestanis, Buryats, Tuvinians, and Uzbeks living in St. Petersburg.
