The Kremlin’s propaganda machine has long been the envy of autocrats worldwide. But as the war in Ukraine drags into its second year, the carefully constructed image of Vladimir Putin as a strong, rational leader is fraying at the edges. This is not a story of battlefield losses alone; it is a story of how information warfare is being reshaped, and how the workers and families in Britain’s industrial towns are feeling the ripple effects.
For months, state television in Russia has painted a picture of a nation under siege by a hostile West, with Putin as the sole defender of Russian sovereignty. Yet the cracks are showing. Independent media reports, leaked documents, and the testimonies of defectors have revealed a different reality: a regime that is increasingly isolated, economically strained, and reliant on the same tired narratives that once propped up the Soviet Union.
The propaganda shift is evident in the language used. Early in the war, the term “special military operation” was ubiquitous. Now, as casualties mount and Western sanctions bite, the Kremlin has subtly pivoted to framing the conflict as an existential struggle against NATO aggression. This is a classic playbook: distract from domestic failures by invoking an external enemy. But for the average Russian, the costs are tangible. Inflation is soaring, the rouble is volatile, and the price of basic goods like bread and milk has risen sharply. In Britain, we know that story all too well.
What does this mean for the UK? The propaganda war is not confined to Russia’s borders. Disinformation campaigns targeting British audiences have intensified, particularly around issues of energy prices and immigration. Social media bots amplify division, seeking to erode trust in democratic institutions. For the man or woman in Rotherham or Sunderland, these efforts are not abstract: they affect the price of a pint of milk and the stability of their local economy.
Yet the resilience of ordinary people should not be underestimated. Union movements in the UK have begun to call for greater media literacy and stronger regulation of online platforms. They argue that the same forces driving down wages and conditions at home are linked to the propaganda machinery that enables authoritarian regimes. It is a connecting thread that policymakers ignore at their peril.
As the war continues, Putin’s image mastery will be tested further. The question is whether his propaganda can hold when faced with the daily realities of a conflict that shows no sign of ending. And whether the rest of us can learn to see through the fog.
