Russian commanders lie about the situation on the front to influence U.S. decisions - ISW 0 7

The ISW report emphasizes that Russian military commanders are showing a clear tendency to publicly disseminate false information from the front, which is part of a broader cognitive war aimed at influencing the decision-making process in the U.S. regarding current peace negotiations.

Analysts note that "the goal of these Kremlin statements is to promote a false narrative of Russia's supposedly inevitable victory in Ukraine and to convince Ukraine and the West that Kyiv must accept Russia's demands, fearing future offensive operations or breakthroughs."

"Kupiansk has become particularly painful for Russian military commanders, possibly because there are concerns that the real situation on the front in this area could undermine the narrative of the heroism of the Russian army that Putin and the top military leadership of Russia are trying to spread," the report states.