Russian President Vladimir Putin has released a manual on how to prepare his country for a potential loss in the war in Ukraine, an independent Russian-language news outlet reported.
According to the report published on Meduza, the manual’s objective is to temper the public’s expectations as Kyiv continues to prepare for a large-scale spring offensive.
The guidelines were reportedly sent to Russian propagandists, and they allegedly contain specific instructions for journalists on highlighting Russian successes on the battlefield and minimizing the significance of defeat.
Reporters are also urged not to downplay expectations for the NATO-supported spring counter-offensive and to never mention that Ukraine is unprepared.
The classified document also instructs pro-government media outlets to stress how much weapons and aid Kyiv has received from the US and Western allies since the invasion began.
In terms of rebuilding after a possible loss, the manual advises journalists not to focus on the amount of money Moscow has spent in occupied Ukrainian territories.
Instead, they should emphasize that the Russian government has prepared various projects for repairing schools and hospitals.
‘Explainable Loss’
According to a source, Moscow has formulated numerous reasons in case it falls to Ukrainian forces this year.
If the spring offensive fails, it will reportedly be possible to say that the Russian Army “adeptly repelled an extremely powerful attack.”
That way, the value of Putin’s potential victory will increase significantly.
On the other hand, if Ukraine manages to recapture territories and repel invading forces, the loss “will be explainable” because the West has exerted tremendous effort to help the war-torn nation.
‘Mitigating Demoralization’
The Institute for the Study of War said that the manual, if real, suggests that Moscow is preparing or expecting Ukrainian successes.
Putin is apparently concerned so he is now planning to mitigate demoralization in the Russian information space, according to the think tank.
The guidelines also reflect Kyiv’s successes from previous counter-offensives in Kherson and Kharkiv, which had allegedly produced dramatic shocks and demoralization within the Russian military.
